Immunology is a fascinating yet complex field that explores how the body defends itself against infections, diseases, and other harmful agents. It involves a highly coordinated network of cells, tissues, and molecules working together to identify and neutralize threats. What makes immunology intricate is the absolute diversity of immune cells, the sophisticated signalling pathways they use to communicate, and the ability to distinguish between the body’s own tissues and foreign invaders. This complexity inspires many medical advances, from vaccines to cancer immunotherapies.
While many students are intrigued by how immunology connects to everyday life, the complications of the subject and the information overload makes the students feel overwhelmed.
I strongly believe that in the ever-evolving landscape of education, storytelling is emerging as a powerful tool to enhance learning which can breathe life into these complex processes by connecting them to human experiences and real-world applications.
As an Assistant Professor in Zoology at KCW, I am fascinated by the orchestration of the immune cells and molecules since my post-graduation years, hence, I resort to the art of story-telling for immunology teaching.
Why stories?
Distinguished Professor and American Author, bell hooks in her book Teaching to Transgress says
“To educate as the practice of freedom is a way of teaching that anyone can learn. That learning process comes easiest to those of us who teach who also believe that there is an aspect of our vocation … is not merely to share information but to share in the intellectual and spiritual growth of our students.”
In my stories, Cytotoxic T cells are shoot-at-sight encounter specialists, helper T cells are the investigation officers and B Cells are the judges who pass the judgement (antibodies) based on the crime (antigen) committed by the criminal (pathogen), natural killer cell becomes Kali, the goddess because of the Trishul (receptor) it holds.
Class switching concept pulls the way our mothers remove the dried flowers from a garland and tie the edges together; somatic hypermutation and affinity maturation recruits a factory that creates a blueprint, designs and manufactures keys of different shapes and sizes, based on the information of the lock; the membrane attack complex of complement pathway has the screw and the drywall anchor.
Yet more interesting role play scenario is a wedding between the T cells receptor and the antigen presenting cells (APCs) where the T cells receptor is the groom and the antigen presented by the APC is the bride. MHC molecules are the bride’s parents and CD3 complex is the groom’s family. The co-receptors connect the T cells with the APCs. The ligands and receptors are the chithis, mamas and athais of the extended families. Just like the families establish connections APCs and T cells establish connections.
I have informers, moles, security guards, police stations, wanted list of criminals, accused, approvers, and who not in my stories.
I refine my stories every year as I take classes and maybe I should try writing an entire immunological thriller story backed up by science fiction.
Who doesn’t like a science fiction story??
What should I name my screenplay? The immune crime??
The story will unfold itself as the cell signalling pathways unfold. Like any scenario, not all stories have happy endings. The immune system orchestrates the war to have a terrible ending for the pathogen and only one team could win a battle. Sometimes, the immune system fails, resulting in the awful ending of the immune cells or the host leading to disease progression and/or death.
Well, all we need is a story that holds the students for 40 mins, take them to an imaginative world, where the pathogen comes with an eye mask and a sword and the T cell holds a gun in his hand chasing down the criminal.
A well-told scientific story not only informs but also inspires, allowing students to see science as a dynamic journey rather than a static frame of knowledge. Through these narrations accompanied by imaginations, the invisible becomes visible, and the complex becomes coherent—reminding us that behind every discovery lies the human spirit of curiosity.
Dr.Charumathi Pushparaj, Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology, KCW
March 19, 2025