What if genetic data became the blueprint for digital avatars and physical artefacts?

JAVASCRIPT PROTOTYPE

DNA Portraits explores the intersection of genetic and digital identities, visualising polymorphisms and the genes contributing to their development through encryption. Genetic data is mapped to emojis, chosen as symbolic representations of each gene’s impact. Displayed as mosaics tiles, the work merges science and digital aesthetics, envisioning a new encrypted identity for physical artefacts or digital avatars.

ASTHMA

["🛠️", "🌿", "🌬️", "🔥", "🧱", "🚨", "🧬", "🚬", "🛡️", "🧩", "🎯", "🚧"];

ADAM33 (🛠️ ): Involved in airway remodelling and bronchial hyper responsiveness — Symbolises structural changes and repair mechanisms.

IL4 (🌿 ): Promotes differentiation of naive helper T cells to Th2 cells, leading to IgE production — Represents immune responses and allergies.

IL13 (🌬️): Contributes to airway hyper-responsiveness and mucus production — Denotes breathing difficulties and airflow.

ORMDL3 (🔥 ): Associated with inflammation and asthma susceptibility — Indicates inflammation.

GSDMB (🧱): Linked to epithelial cell apoptosis and airway re-modeling — Suggests structural changes in the airways.

IL33 (🚨 ): Triggers Th2-type immune responses — Represents an alert or immune activation.

RAD50 (🧬 ): Involved in DNA repair and maintenance of genomic stability — Symbolises genetic repair mechanisms.

CHRNA3/5 (🚬): Nicotine receptors associated with lung function and susceptibility to smoking-related diseases - Represents smoking and its impact on lung health.

HLA-DQ (🛡️): Plays a role in antigen presentation and immune response — Denotes defence mechanisms.

HLA-DR (🧩): Involved in presenting peptides to T cells, crucial for immune response — Represents the fitting of antigens in immune response.

TBX21 (🎯): Encodes T-bet, a transcription factor important for Th1 cell differentiation - Symbolises targeted immune responses.

IL1RL1 (🚧): Encodes the ST2 receptor, involved in inflammatory responses — Indicates ongoing inflammatory processes.

["💊", "💧","🎭","🌱","💫", "🧠", "⚖️ ", "🛡️","🌊"];
COMT (CATHECHOL-O-METHYLTRANSFERASE)

Technology is not neutral. We're inside of what we make, and it's inside of us. We're living in a world of connections—and it matters which ones get made and unmade.

 Donna Haraway, A Cyborg Manifesto (1985)

What if our Genetic Data was used to verify our identity in the Meta Verse?

With the rise of immersive virtual worlds, the blurred boundaries between physical and digital realities raise critical questions about social interaction, mental health, and identity. Navigating these shifts is vital as online and offline worlds converge, transforming how we engage with virtual environments.

A Genetic Expression in Virtual Reality:

Building on ‘Polymorphic Poems’ this, project bridges genetic and digital identities within the Metaverse. By designing prototype avatars based on genetic FASTA sequences, the project empowers users to embody their polymorphisms in virtual environments. Inspired by Ekphrastic poetry, the abstract, non-humanoid forms reflect the emotional depth of these conditions. Genetic data, translated into UV-mapped skins via creative coding and bio databases, creates a tangible connection between physical and digital identities, offering a vision for a more inclusive, immersive virtual experience.