If you’re interested in visualization, biomedical innovation, or science communication, this project is a great example of how design can make complex ideas easier to understand.

Each month, SciStories highlights work that shows the power of strong visualization in science. This feature focuses on a collaboration with the MIT Institute for Medical Engineering and Science (IMES), a center known for its work in biomedical research and interdisciplinary innovation.

IMES brings together engineering, medicine, and science to improve human health. However, communicating that kind of biomedical work clearly can be challenging. The ideas are complex, and traditional formats don’t always capture how these fields interact.

The IMES logo already reflects this concept. It uses three petals to represent the connection between disciplines. But as a static image, it doesn’t fully show how those fields work together in real-world research.

To solve that, the team focused on animation.

Instead of leaving the logo still, they turned it into a 3D visualization. As the petals move and shift, the design starts to communicate something more dynamic. You can see how each part connects and overlaps, which makes the idea of interdisciplinary biomedical research much clearer.

The animation adds depth and motion, which helps guide the viewer’s attention. It shows that innovation happens through interaction, not isolation. This approach also reflects how research works in practice—collaborative, ongoing, and constantly evolving.

At the same time, the design stays simple. The team avoids unnecessary details and keeps the focus on clear communication. That balance makes the visualization easy to understand without losing meaning.

This project works well because it operates on two levels. First, the animation makes the concept immediately clear. Second, it still represents the real structure of interdisciplinary biomedical work.

The final result gives IMES a flexible tool they can use across presentations, websites, and outreach. More importantly, it shows how strong communication and thoughtful visualization can make complex science more accessible.