bridging art and Science: How Comic Art is Revolutionizing Scientific communication – A Profile of Scientist-Artist, Soumya Manna
(Published November 15, 2025, 05:44 am IST)
For centuries, the disciplines of art and science were inextricably linked, flourishing under polymaths like Leonardo da Vinci and William Turner. Today, a growing movement is actively rebuilding that bridge, leveraging the power of visual storytelling to communicate complex scientific concepts in accessible and engaging ways. Leading this charge is Soumya Manna, a 38-year-old biologist-turned-comic artist, whose unique approach is garnering attention from leading institutions like MIT and IIT Gandhinagar, and reshaping how we understand and interact with scientific knowledge.
This Saturday, November 15th, 2025, Manna will be hosting a workshop in[CityName-[CityName-[CityName-[CityName-Please insert city name here]titled “History in Comic Art,” offering enthusiasts a deep dive into the methodologies of researching, reimagining, and crafting compelling visual narratives. The workshop isn’t just about drawing; it’s about a basic shift in how we communicate science.
From Cancer Biology to Comic Canvas: An Unconventional Path
Manna’s journey is anything but conventional. He began his academic career in 2009 as a research scholar at the prestigious Bose Institute in Kolkata, focusing on cancer biology. However, a pivotal moment in 2015 – the centennial of Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity – sparked a profound change. The publication of comic art illustrating the theory in the esteemed journal Science served as a revelation.
“It was an ‘Aha!’ moment,” Manna explains. “If a rigorous scientific publication like Science could embrace the power of comics, why couldn’t I? I realized I had found my true calling.” This wasn’t a spontaneous decision,but a carefully considered pivot driven by a desire to democratize scientific understanding.
Leaving the Bose Institute without a degree required a pragmatic approach. manna took a position as a journalist at Ananda Bazar Patrika,a leading Bengali newspaper. Recognizing his nascent artistic skills needed development, he essentially undertook a self-imposed apprenticeship, working a double shift for four years.”I learned from Suman Chaudhury,the principal illustrator at the newspaper. He was my school,” manna recalls. “Mornings were spent as a journalist, evenings dedicated to mastering cartooning, illustration, and fine art techniques.”
The Birth of Scientific Comic Art & Recognition from MIT
It was during his time at the newspaper that Manna began to explore his passion: creating comic art that illuminated the history of science. His early work focused on the revolutionary impact of microscopy, critically examining its role in transforming scientific inquiry.
The turning point came in 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. His comic artwork, Be Aware of Droplets and Bubbles, published in the highly respected Annals of Internal Medicine, resonated deeply within the scientific community. This recognition led to a prestigious fellowship from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
“That’s when my artistic career truly began to take shape,” Manna states. He began collaborating with Prof. Lydia Bourouiba at MIT, focusing on the history of disease transmission, particularly airborne illnesses. This collaboration marked a departure from traditional scientific publishing. “My project was about asking critical questions and documenting paradigm shifts in disease transmission research through comics – graphic non-fiction.” He wasn’t simply illustrating existing knowledge; he was using the medium to explore and question it.
A Dual Role: IIT Gandhinagar & MIT
By the end of 2022,Manna accepted a position as Artist-in-Residence at IIT Gandhinagar,bringing him back to India. However, he maintains a strong connection with MIT, returning each summer to continue work on a book project. This unique arrangement allows him to hold dual roles: Artist-in-Residence (IIT Gandhinagar) and Research Affiliate (MIT).
Manna’s work is rooted in a deep concern about the increasing technicality of modern science and the potential loss of its philosophical underpinnings. “During my PhD days, I was fascinated by the microscopic world. I never imagined that my love for images would lead me to art. I felt science was becoming overly technical, and the philosophical aspects were being overlooked. I wanted to express scientific knowledge, its development, and its history beyond the confines of academic papers.”
**A Collaborative Workshop:
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