![\"Vinald](\"https:\/\/geiselmed.dartmouth.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/06\/VinnieFrancis_web2.jpg\")
<\/a>After completing his degree in medical illustration at the Cleveland Institute of Art, and an internship at the Cleveland Clinic, Francis worked<\/span> at<\/span> Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, MA, where he created surgical illustrations.<\/p>\n Leaving the hospital environment for academia, he began collaborating with researchers working on a molecular rather than physiological or surgical level\u2014an endeavor he found liberating. But he also no longer puts pencil to paper to initially sketch an illustration\u2014he has completely digitized and streamlined his process by drawing directly in Photoshop.<\/p>\n \u201cIn some ways, biological illustration is more enjoyable than traditional medical illustration,\u201d Francis says. \u201cWe don\u2019t know the actual color of mitochondria or organelles, but if you work within the conventions of established science, you have more liberty and artistic freedom. You don\u2019t have that with something that is as purely representational as surgery.\u201d<\/p>\n Putting his expertise to work at Geisel, Francis will primarily be working with faculty scientists and physicians creating illustrations for research papers, teaching, manuscripts, grant proposals, and other applications to either signify specific subject matter or an overview.<\/p>\n \u201cOverview life science imagery is similar to editorial illustration\u2014it conveys the entire scope of a project rather than a specific aspect,\u201d he says. \u201cAs opposed to depicting a surgery, which is almost like creating a comic strip because it is a clear, step by step depiction,\u201d he notes.<\/p>\n Even so, Francis\u2019 biomedical work remained separate from his love of comics. \u201cIt was serendipitous that the two came together and became a large part of my life,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Francis and one of his close friends from art school were collaborating on a graphic novel unrelated to medicine when his friend\u2019s fianc\u00e9 was hit by a car. \u201cHe told me stories about what he overheard after hours in the intensive care unit of a rural hospital where his fianc\u00e9 spent months recovering,\u201d Francis recalls. \u201cI suggested that we create comics based on his experience\u2014we ended up creating a series of seven. But rather than depicting humans, we used animals and monsters in real-life scenarios.<\/p>\n