OVERVIEW
MBAT Genetic and Visualization Software
ROLE
UX Designer (Research, User Flow, UI)
TOOLS
Photoshop, Illustrator
Viz and Genetics Software
about.
Reference imagery plays a critical role in neuroscience research, providing essential context for interpreting biological observations. The MBAT (MouseBIRN Atlasing Tool) was developed to allow researchers to integrate their own image data with public atlases and genetic databases, thus bringing disparate data sources into a shared spatial and semantic framework. My role was to help redesign the interface to make this complex tool more usable for a broader scientific audience.
challenge.
The wide variation in neuroimaging atlases and genetic databases made it difficult to create a unified user experience. The challenge was to design an interface that could accommodate these diverse inputs while guiding users toward meaningful comparisons with their own data.
action.
I collaborated closely with scientists to define shared structures across datasets, simplify technical language, and streamline user workflows. I introduced a clearer visual hierarchy and redesigned the style guide and icon system to make complex functions more approachable. We refined content to support clarity and usability, ensuring that users could navigate data exploration with confidence.
result.
The redesigned MBAT interface offered researchers a unified way to visualize image and genetic data alongside verified reference atlases. It became a valuable tool for discovering cross-modality insights and encouraging new hypotheses through visual comparison.
final thoughts.
This project deepened my appreciation for interface design as a lens into complex data. The process was challenging, we continuously circled back to focus on simplifying the user journey. It reminds me that thoughtful design can make research tools both powerful and approachable.
