BioMachine Art Installation Explores Viruses at Penn State

Large-scale multimedia exhibit brings together science, research, and creative expression to examine the role of viruses in everyday life.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A large-scale multimedia art installation called "BioMachine" has been installed at Penn State Harrisburg, offering an interactive exploration of the viruses that permeate the world and how humanity must co-exist with them. The 10-foot-high aluminum sculpture, designed and fabricated by the SciArt team at the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, mirrors the architecture of many viruses and features LED screens displaying videos and visualizations inspired by ongoing viral research.

Why it matters

The "BioMachine" installation reflects how viruses are an ever-present part of the human experience and how our responses to viruses have driven major advances in medicine, food security, and technology. By translating this research into an engaging visual learning experience, the piece allows the campus community and visitors to explore viral structures through sculpture, motion, and digital visualization.

The details

The installation presents one large icosahedral structure - a geometric shape with 20 sides, each an equilateral triangle - that represents the architecture of many viruses, along with spike proteins and other viral components. Artistically rendered cross-sections of viruses, including influenza, SARS-CoV-2, herpes simplex virus, and Zika, appear across the surface of the structure, with the moving "gears" emphasizing the intricate mechanics of viral function.

  • The "BioMachine" installation has been installed for a long-term engagement at Penn State Harrisburg.

The players

Penn State Harrisburg

The university where the "BioMachine" installation is currently located.

Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences

The team at Penn State that designed and fabricated the "BioMachine" installation.

Talley Fisher

The senior research artist at The SciArt Group, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and Institute of Energy and the Environment, who worked on the "BioMachine" installation.

David Callejo Pérez

The Penn State Harrisburg Chancellor who expressed the university's pleasure in having the unique art installation on campus.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We are pleased to have this unique art installation on campus. The piece reflects how viruses are an ever-present part of the human experience and how our responses to viruses have driven major advances in medicine, food security and technology. 'BioMachine' translates this research into an engaging visual learning experience, allowing our campus community and visitors to explore viral structures through sculpture, motion, and digital visualization.”

— David Callejo Pérez, Penn State Harrisburg Chancellor (Mirage News)

“The installation presents one large icosahedral structure - a geometric shape with 20 sides, each an equilateral triangle - that represents the architecture of many viruses, along with spike proteins and other viral components. Through the lens of art, we visualize and explore the otherwise unseen microscopic world.”

— Talley Fisher, Senior Research Artist, The SciArt Group, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and Institute of Energy and the Environment (Mirage News)

The takeaway

The "BioMachine" installation at Penn State Harrisburg demonstrates how art can be used to translate scientific research and understanding of viruses into an engaging, interactive experience for the public. By combining science, technology, and creative expression, the installation allows visitors to explore the intricate mechanics and structures of viruses in a visually compelling way.