Probiotics and iron bioavailabilty
Published in Frontiers in Nutrition (2026), these medical illustrations were created to communicate the complex physiology of iron absorption and the proposed mechanisms by which the probiotic strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v) may influence iron bioavailability.
Iron absorption is a tightly regulated biological process involving multiple interacting mechanisms, from intestinal transport proteins and enzymatic reactions to gut microbiome activity and systemic inflammatory pathways. Communicating these interconnected processes presents a significant visual challenge, particularly when scientific accuracy and clarity are equally important.
Through medical illustration and scientific visual communication, I translated complex nutritional biochemistry into two clear, complementary diagrams. The first illustrates the pathway of non-haem iron absorption, providing a visual foundation for understanding the underlying physiology. The second maps the proposed mechanisms of Lp299v, connecting microbial activity, intestinal health, inflammation and iron transport into a cohesive visual narrative.
The result is a set of scientifically informed illustrations that help readers navigate complex mechanisms, understand relationships between biological processes and engage with the research more intuitively.
Tools: Adobe Illustrator
Non-haem iron absorption
An overview of non-haem iron absorption, illustrating the key stages of intestinal uptake, intracellular handling, transport into systemic circulation and regulation by hepcidin.
Mechanisms of Lp299v in iron absorption
A mechanistic overview illustrating how Lp299v may influence iron bioavailability through ferric iron reduction, microbial metabolites, intestinal barrier integrity, mucosal health and inflammatory regulation.
Together, the illustrations demonstrate how strategic visual communication can make complex biomedical research easier to interpret without losing the scientific detail essential to the subject.
