Change the Game with Vaccines: A Play and Learn Workshop for Science Education

This paper presents "Vaccines: New Weapons Against Tumors," an interactive, game-based workshop designed to teach young people aged 12 to 18 about mRNA-based anticancer vaccines, the genetic code, translation, and the immune response. The workshop was delivered at the Genoa Science Festival 2024 in Italy, where it drew roughly 700 participants, with the paper's authors arguing that game-based learning can make complex STEM concepts accessible and memorable while supporting broader science communication goals.

The workshop runs about 60 minutes for groups of up to 30 players and is led by two facilitators. It opens with a training phase using images, videos, and explanations, then moves into a team-based game in which players assemble an mRNA molecule from laser-cut EVA and wooden interlocking pieces, translate it into an amino acid sequence, and use the resulting numeric code to open a box holding antibody tiles. A closing game of tag simulates antibodies identifying cancer cells by matching antigen shapes, and a debriefing session concludes the activity.

Evaluation relied on an anonymous self-report questionnaire completed by 700 respondents, with an average age of 18.42 years and a range of 8 to 79. Participants rated their interest before and after the workshop on a four-point scale, and the share reporting low interest declined while higher ratings increased. Most participants rated their learning between three and four, and enjoyment scores were particularly high for the game-based activities. The authors acknowledge that formal learning assessment was not possible in the festival setting, since baseline knowledge could not be measured, so the findings rest on self-reported perceptions rather than measured knowledge gains.