(Bioengineered) Blood Lines

(Bioengineered) Blood Lines was developed specially for The Francis Crick Institute’s Science Museum Late event on 26 February 2014 as an extension of our participatory knitting installation project Blood Lines.

Photo credit: Science Museum

The theme of the event was ‘Biorevolution’ and we worked with a designer to create a 2.5 metre tall bioengineered trachea structure. The aim of the activity was to populate the entire structure with knitted blood vessels by the end of the event. Sixteen NHLI scientists were on hand to engage with the audience as they knitted, discussing vascular biology.

Photo credit: Thomas S. G. Farnetti/Wellcome Images

We also created a bioengineered trachea costume for a character called ‘Wendy Windpipe’ who interacted with the audience, encouraging them to help knit blood vessels for her and to chat to NHLI scientists.

Photo credit: Thomas S. G. Farnetti/Wellcome Images

The event was the biggest ever Science Museums Late with over 6,000 audience members.

By the end of the night, the entire trachea structure was covered with knitted blood vessels.

(Bioengineered) Blood Lines was presented at the Francis Crick Institute Science Museum Lates 2014

Collaborators: Neil Dufton (NHLI Research Associate), Evie Maifoshie (NHLI PhD student), Lynne Forbes (Performer), Andrew Friend (Installation Designer), Stefania Mataragka, Sarah Mazi, Nura Mohamed (NHLI PhD student), Hara Nikolakopoulou, Luke Payne, Rachael Pilston (Textile Designer), Dina Pospori (NHLI Research Associate), Anna Randi (NHLI Reader in Cardiovascular Medicine), Sara Rankin (NHLI Professor of Leukocyte and Stem Cell Biology), Daniel Reed (NHLI PhD student), Jill Johnson (NHLI Juniour Research Fellow), Anusha Seneviratne (NHLI Research Assistant), Aarti Shah (NHLI PhD student), Koval Smith and Suet-Ping Wong (NHLI Research Associate).

Creative Producer: Ellen Dowell