Just-DNA-Stories is an AI-generated comic series dedicated to personal genetics. We were preparing a workshop for Zuzalu and came up with a comic idea inspired by the event's atmosphere. The comic got a big thumbs-up from many people at Zuzalu, which motivated us to keep going with our work.

The comic has two main characters: Alex and James. Alex is an expert in genetics. James knows nothing about biology but is curious about how to live longer and healthier. He is a lucky one to have a living encyclopedia named Alex, always nearby, ready to help find answers to any complex questions. Through their interactions, complex topics are simplified, allowing a diverse audience to understand how the science of longevity works in daily life. Our goal is to educate and bring together a community of people who are passionate about genetics, aging research, and biohacking

Our primary goals are:

• Educate a broad audience about personal genetics and the genetics of longevity
• Show that genetic knowledge is helpful for everybody
• Focus on manageable genetic stuff, knowing which can help people with health optimizing
• Organize a community that is interested in personalized genomics
• Offer diverse educational materials, from comics to interactive courses

To achieve these, we have several initiatives lined up. How much exactly will be implemented depends on the amount we will raise. It will include new volumes of the comic, interactive courses, and engaging video animations:

1. Continue the comic:

• Tell a story about James's uncle and how it is linked to genetics. Some scary staff and how it can be prevented.
• Introduce 'Vegan Journey' - exploring the genetic implications of a vegan diet. Being vegan for health but feeling terrible? That’s so familiar to James! And Alex will explain why and which genes to look for first so you do not fall into this “healthy vegan” trap.
• Delve into 'In the Gym' - a story of sports, challenges, and genetics. Meet Gregor sweating three times in a gym per week, who feels increasingly tired instead of having more energy. Sometimes he doesn’t even have enough energy to walk a dog. How can it be?

2. Improve the current comic by incorporating exercises in it to facilitate knowledge retaining

3. Develop a free Udemy course titled 'Hack Your Own Genome' – a beginner-friendly, gamified series on personal genetics with comic-based storytelling. The introductory course will be structured as follows:

• Why analyze your genome?
• Selection of sequencing platforms.
• Downloading and understanding genetic files.
• Uploading results and interpreting reports.
• Practical applications: checking specific genetic variants.

4. Transform our comic stories into engaging video animations using advanced AI tools.

Development team:

• Maria Koval (GitHub, LinkedIn): project leader, graphic designer

• Olga Borysova (LinkedIn, GitHub) - scientific content and plots
• Anton Kulaga (GitHub, LinkedIn, Facebook) - ideas, plots, management, integration with education content