Metabolic Signaling Pathways

Sound Project

Can a complex metabolic process be represented in an intuitive way by using sound?  With support from the Center for Cellular Construction, sound artists Ken Pearce and Kristin Miltner worked with Tiffany Callahan of IBM Research to explore the possibilities.  The result was the experimental soundtrack of “Sonic Representations of Metabolic Signaling Pathways using Video Game Sounds.”

A complex “KEGG” diagram of metabolic signaling pathways for the human cell cycle was first converted into an animated motion graphic, then accompanied by sound effects, in the style of a video game, to depict the various protein “characters” and processes of mitosis.  A “sound guide” video was also created to introduce the sound effects and what they represent.  

The hope is that by using the sound guide and animated video, listeners can develop enough familiarity with the sound effects to identify the signaling processes of human cell division just by listening.