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Adaptive Biotechnologies immunoSEQ® T-MAP™ COVID · 2D explainer · immunology

Antibodies got the headlines.
T cells told the rest of the story.

In 2020, Adaptive Biotechnologies launched immunoSEQ T-MAP COVID, a research tool that maps the T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2. Working with the agency Wirebuzz, Motionfarm storyboarded, designed and animated a three-minute explainer that travels from one person, to the cells inside her, to the sequencing data that makes those cells measurable.

A woman in an orange turtleneck, in profile, watching coronavirus particles drift past her
The film’s lead character, reimagined as live action.Reimagined for this case study. Not part of the 2020 delivery.

The challenge

Explain the other half of the immune response.

In 2020, most COVID-19 conversations centred on antibodies. T cells were harder to picture and harder to explain, yet the film’s cited research showed they could signal an immune response early and stay detectable for months. The explainer had to introduce that biology, then the immunoSEQ platform, then T-MAP COVID itself, for researchers and vaccine developers, with every claim referenced on screen and a research-use-only disclaimer throughout.

The film’s lead character in profile, as 2D illustration and as a live-action reimagining2020 · 2D filmLive-action reimagining
One character, two worlds

The character, off the page.

The same woman opens and closes the film. For this case study we imagined her in live action, with the same profile, the same hoop earring and the same orange turtleneck. Drag across to move between the two.

Opening scene of the film: the character in profile as pathogens drift past
0:13–0:25 · The opening scene, excerpt from the film

The approach

One person. A change of scale.

We storyboarded the film as a zoom. It opens on a single character among drifting pathogens, dives into the bloodstream, then slows down for the moment an antigen-presenting cell shows a viral fragment to a T-cell receptor. From there it pulls back out, through data and research applications, to a crowd of faces. Flat, friendly illustration keeps the cells approachable, and a restrained palette of orange, teal and navy ties every scene to the immunoSEQ brand.

  1. 01Person
  2. 02Bloodstream
  3. 03Encounter
  4. 04Data
  5. 05Research
  6. 06Population
The film, frame by frame

Three minutes, ten chapters.

0:21 Exposure

Exposure: Everyday life, surrounded by pathogens.01
0:21 · ExposureEveryday life, surrounded by pathogens.
Into the bloodstream: The camera dives beneath the skin.02
0:27 · Into the bloodstreamThe camera dives beneath the skin.
The handshake: An antigen-presenting cell meets a T-cell receptor.03
0:42 · The handshakeAn antigen-presenting cell meets a T-cell receptor.
The response: T cells surround an infected cell while B cells release antibodies.04
0:55 · The responseT cells surround an infected cell while B cells release antibodies.
Why T cells: Responses detectable for up to several months, as cited on screen.05
1:25 · Why T cellsResponses detectable for up to several months, as cited on screen.
Two kinds of T cell: Cytotoxic CD8+ and helper CD4+.06
1:42 · Two kinds of T cellCytotoxic CD8+ and helper CD4+.
What immunoSEQ reads: Repertoire, T-cell fraction and public clones.07
2:13 · What immunoSEQ readsRepertoire, T-cell fraction and public clones.
T-MAP COVID: For drug, vaccine and clinical-trial research.08
2:28 · T-MAP COVIDFor drug, vaccine and clinical-trial research.
Sequence-level data: From patients to populations and cohorts.09
2:46 · Sequence-level dataFrom patients to populations and cohorts.
Everyone: The film closes where it began: with people.10
2:52 · EveryoneThe film closes where it began: with people.
The cellular encounter: an antigen-presenting cell, T cells and B cells around an infected cell
The cellular encounter

The heart of the film is 30 seconds long. An antigen-presenting cell shows a fragment of the virus to a T cell, which activates. Cytotoxic T cells close in on an infected cell, and B cells release antibodies. Each label arrives only when the viewer needs it.

0:30–0:58 · Excerpt from the film, silent loop
Character design

Meet the cast.

Every cell in the film is a character, with its own shape, colour and job to do. Here they are, rendered in 3D.

Behind the work

From storyboard to screen.

Every scene was planned shot by shot before a single cell was animated: framing, scale changes and the moment each label appears. Drag each panel to move from the pencil board to the final frame.

Exposure: storyboard panel and final frameBoardFinal
01 0:21 · Exposure
The handshake: storyboard panel and final frameBoardFinal
02 0:42 · The handshake
The response: storyboard panel and final frameBoardFinal
03 0:55 · The response
Two kinds of T cell: storyboard panel and final frameBoardFinal
04 1:42 · Two kinds of T cell
What immunoSEQ reads: storyboard panel and final frameBoardFinal
05 2:13 · What immunoSEQ reads
Everyone: storyboard panel and final frameBoardFinal
06 2:52 · Everyone
2020 → today

2020, seen from today.

Six years on, how would we draw the same science? We reimagined key scenes as soft 3D renders, keeping the same composition and the same biology.

Exposure · 0:21: original frame and reimagined version2020Reimagined
Exposure · 0:21
Into the bloodstream · 0:27: original frame and reimagined version2020Reimagined
Into the bloodstream · 0:27
The handshake · 0:42: original frame and reimagined version2020Reimagined
The handshake · 0:42
The response · 0:55: original frame and reimagined version2020Reimagined
The response · 0:55

Reimagined frames. Not part of the original delivery.

The product in context

What T-MAP COVID made measurable.

Aug 2020
immunoSEQ T-MAP COVID launched as a research product and data-analysis service for measuring the T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2.
1,000+
COVID-19 patients whose T cells were mapped to specific SARS-CoV-2 antigens in the Snyder et al. data behind the tool.
ImmuneCODE
The open database, built with Microsoft, that shares this T-cell data with the research community.

Product facts from Adaptive Biotechnologies’ own announcements. For research use only, not for use in diagnostic procedures.

What we delivered

One film.
Built from the ground up.

3:08 explainer film
16:9 at 1080p. Moves from infection biology to the immunoSEQ platform and T-MAP COVID, with on-screen citations.
Storyboard
The shot-by-shot structure of the full film, built from the supplied script.
Illustration & character design
The lead character, a cast of diverse faces and a family of immune cells.
Animation & 3D elements
2D animation throughout, with 3D elements where the scenes needed depth.

Credits & collaboration

Good work is shared work.

Client
Adaptive Biotechnologies
Product
immunoSEQ® T-MAP™ COVID
Agency
Wirebuzz
Script
Supplied by the agency and client
Motionfarm
Storyboard, illustration & design, animation, 3D elements
Year
2020
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