Genigma

About Genigma

GENIGMA is a participatory scientific experiment to investigate the cancer genome in a collective way. By arranging the pieces (real DNA fragments), players will help to detect alterations in the genome of cancer cells. All pieces are unique and have an ordering relationship to each other, linked to their spatial position in the genome. The order of DNA fragments in healthy cells is known, but it is unknown how it has changed in cancer cells.

The aim of the game is to obtain a genomic reference map of breast cancer. With this new basic research tool, the scientific community will be able to interpret their findings in the light of a more accurate "map", which will allow them to develop new therapeutic strategies.

The game is available in English, Spanish, Catalan and Italian and can be played simultaneously and individually from anywhere in the world. No prior scientific knowledge is required to play. The game includes a collection of scientific cards, science pills with information of interest to the GENIGMA community.

For the experiment to be a success, it is estimated that more than one million games are needed to obtain consensus solutions among players who solve the same set of pieces in each game. The goal is to beat the record proposed by the algorithm or by previous players. The hypothesis of the experiment is that the sum of the skills of the set of players will provide better solutions than those of the machines.