This illustration depicts the changes in the immune system throughout an individual’s life span, from infancy to childhood, adulthood, and older age. The infant silhouette contains DNA, and the figures are enveloped by the nuclear and plasma membranes. These components reference the evolution of immunity over millennia, as viruses integrated into the genome and as life progressed from single-celled to multicellular organisms.

All references for molecules and proteins were sourced from the Protein Data Bank and positioned in Blender. Inspiration is drawn from 1960s San Francisco psychedelic posters, in particular those produced by the Fillmore.

Art direction by Chrystal Smith.