Gut feeling series

Microbes and their roles and functions in the human body

About this project

One ongoing mission in Ann’s life as an Earthling, mother, and microbiologist is to set
straight the general public’s misconception that “bacteria are bad”.

Bacteria –
microorganisms – are not all bad, a majority of them are very beneficial to our
ecosystem -us, the planet, and animals. Only 1% or less of microorganisms make us
sick. There are a ton of them that scientists do not know why they are here with us yet.

Our goal with this project is to create a fun and engaging graphic novel series online for
children to learn about microbiology and the functions that bacteria have in, on, and
around our bodies. Through a narrative, this graphic novel series will uncover the
natural functions and influences of these tiny and mystic creatures that continue to live
in, on, and around us. We could have not survived and thrived on this planet without
them.

Using art (anime) and narrative, the graphic novel is aimed at children in grades 5 to 7 and beyond. We hope that this graphic novel edutainment will bring the public to appreciate and be aware of how important microorganisms are to our existence – one episode at a time.

Our team

Emily Gillis

Illustrator

Emily graduated with a degree in Animal Biology from Thompson Rivers University and is now attending Vancouver Film School to explore art in hopes of bringing the two together.

Naowarat Cheeptham (ann)

Project Mastermind

As an Earthling, a mom, and a microbiologist/educator, one of Ann’s life missions, is to debunk the bad press microorganisms unfairly and undeservingly get. To do so, she continues to volunteer to visit local schools near and far to make sure kids know how fun science (microbiology) can be. She spearheads this graphic novel project to reach out and to bring awareness to a wider and younger audience.

John-Paul Baker (jp)

Writer

By day, JP works as a planning consultant, helping non-profit organizations and charities with strategy. By night, JP is a writer, musician, and father with a passion for collaboration.

Lauren

With a background in Biomedical Engineering, Lauren hopes to pursue a career in education to inspire young minds while blending scientific curiosity with artistic expression. With a passion for science and art, she wants to make complex concepts accessible and engaging, fostering a lifelong love for exploration and growth.

Keilin

Keilin is a medical student at UBC with a passion in health education and inspiring students to love science as much as he does. He hopes to make science and medicine approachable for everyone by zooming in on the amazing world of microbiology through creative expression.