Ages 11–15Launching Nov 2, 2026
Mobile AR
Tiny Tales
Career discovery and microcredentials for ages 11 to 15. A mobile AR experience launching November 2, 2026.
The MedMicroMaps innovation lab
An innovation lab for curious minds.
MedMicroMaps builds playful science experiences, from comics and mobile games to augmented reality and virtual reality adventures, where every kid belongs in the science.
Supported by the National Science Foundation and the Watson Institute.
Meet your guide
Dr. Jane Harrington is a medical microbiologist, former professor, and the founder of MedMicroMaps. She builds the science playgrounds she wished existed when she was a curious kid. Book Dr. Jane
Sponsors and Partners
Meet your sidekick
Meet your sidekick
Phage.i is a bacteriophage with googly eyes and strong opinions about microbes. Part tour guide, part lab partner, Phage.i knows the terrain of the microbial world and narrates every adventure.
See Phage.i in actionSupported by the National Science Foundation and the Watson Institute.
The Microbe Compass
Find your way around
The Microbe Compass organizes the microbial world by size, from the largest parasites to the smallest viruses. Start with four microbes: Giardia the parasite, Corona the virus, Candida the fungus, and Staph the bacterium.
Giardia
Parasite
BSL-1
Corona
Virus
BSL-4
Candida
Fungus
BSL-2
Staph
Bacterium
BSL-3See each microbe as a portrait first, then explore its actual 3D shape.
On the way
The 3D shape explorer is in the lab now. Soon you will rotate each microbe in real 3D. For today, meet them as portraits.
The journey
From page to place
MedMicroMaps grows with curious minds, starting on the page, then stepping into the world. Three beats, each more immersive than the last.
- 1Available now2D analog
Comic books & classroom materials
The story starts on the page: illustrated comics and printable classroom materials that bring microbes to life for curious kids today.
- 2Launching November 2, 20263D AR
The Tiny Tales mobile AR experience
Microbes lift off the page and into your room. Tiny Tales turns any phone into a window onto the microbial world, arriving November 2, 2026.
- 3Launching December 6, 20264D VR in Quest
microbeXR, the mixed-reality science adventure
The full adventure lives in Meta Quest: a mixed-reality science playground where you walk among microbes. microbeXR arrives December 6, 2026.
Mixed reality (MR): digital microbes anchored in your real room. You never leave the world you are in. The invisible just becomes visible.
Adventures
Choose your adventure
One introduction, three adventures. Pick the path that fits.
Ages 16+On the way
Learning path
Master of Microbes
A health science learning path for students 16 and up, with micro-credential study guides including:
- Career Explorations with Phage.i
- Basics of Body Hygiene
- Intro to Food Borne Illnesses
- Intro to Blood Borne Pathogens
MedMicroMaps prepares learners for certification tests, and accredited providers issue the actual certificates. We are working with district partners on the pathway.
Meta HorizonLaunching Dec 6, 2026
Mixed-reality VR
microbeXR
The mixed-reality science adventure on Meta Horizon.
$29.99
microbeXR is a flagship product of MedMicroMaps, an innovation lab supported by the National Science Foundation and the Watson Institute.
Resources
Explore by level
Every BioSafety Level unlocks new resources. Start where you are, go as deep as you want.
BSL-1
All Ages
- Cooties '81 — the free mobile game↗
- Tiny Tales AR experience↗Launching Nov 2, 2026
BSL-2
Middle School
BSL-3
High School
BSL-4
Post Secondary
- M3 Atlas complete with board questions↗PowerPoint download
Why it works
Why it works
Built for the learners the system leaves out.
ADHD and Dopamine Flow
Gamified spatial exploration releases incremental reward signals, turning passive text reading into active discovery that sustains hyperfocus.
Autism and Structured Systems
Rigorous log-scale taxonomies and 360-degree tactile microbe models provide predictable, pattern-rich mental models.
Multilingual Learners
Visual-first spatial environments reduce heavy language overhead, enabling international students to grasp clinical concepts instantly.
Trauma-Informed Design
Self-paced, low-stakes mixed-reality exploration eliminates exam anxiety and cognitive shutdown triggers during study sessions.
Spatial Memory Retention
When students touch and manipulate a 3D virus in mixed reality, long-term memory retrieval on licensing exams increases dramatically.
Democratizing Pre-Med
Lowering the barrier to entry so underrepresented students can confidently navigate pre-med through residency.
Dr. Jane the Super-Sub
Mini science lessons for teachers of grades 8 through 12, built for real classrooms with real time constraints.
Certified to be Substitute/Guest Teacher in Colorado.
Stay in the loop
Want more tiny weirdness?
New comics, game updates, and microbe facts, a few times a month. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Bring it to you
Bring the lab to your classroom
Demos, workshops, and festival booths across Colorado, built around real microbes and real science.