# STEMcast Episode 41 | "From Controller to Contributor": How gaming is contributing to cutting-edge research with Profs. Jerome Waldispuhl and Attila Szantner

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/stemcast-mcgill-igem-6511088/stemcast-episode-41-from-controller-to-contributor-how-gaming-is-contributing-to-cutting-edge-research-with-profs-jerome-waldispuhl-and-attila-szantner
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/stemcast-mcgill-igem-6511088/stemcast-episode-41-from-controller-to-contributor-how-gaming-is-contributing-to-cutting-edge-research-with-profs-jerome-waldispuhl-and-attila-szantner.md
Podcast: [STEMcast - McGill iGEM](https://stenobird.com/podcast/stemcast-mcgill-igem-6511088)
Published: 2026-06-02T20:57:57+00:00
Episode link: https://rss.com/podcasts/stemcast/2880380
Audio file: https://content.rss.com/episodes/14010/2880380/stemcast/2026_06_02_20_55_27_45e06502-3a6f-4fa6-b88b-96bc6b99884e.mp3
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Duration seconds: 3960

## Resource

What if playing a video game could help advance scientific discovery? Welcome back to STEMcast: Beyond the Lab! Today we invited Professors Attila Szantner (Department of Computer Science at McGill and CEO and co-founder of Massively Multiplayer Online Science) and Jerome Waldispuhl (Department of Computer Science at McGill University and Canada Research Chair (CIHR Tier 1) in Biomedical Citizen Science ) to explore how video games are being used to advance scientific research. From improving microbial phylogenies through Borderlands Science to uncovering the unique problem-solving strategies of expert players, we discuss the growing role of citizen science, the strengths of humans and computers in tackling complex challenges, and how millions of gamers are contributing to discoveries in biology and beyond. Join us as we examine the future of research powered by play!

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