What if playing a game on your phone could help scientists understand how diseases spread—and even prevent the next pandemic?
Introducing
a new kind of app built on the Epidemica platform from the Colubri Lab at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, co-creators and developers of the award-winning Operation Outbreak app.
Learn more about Epidemica
You'll make decisions, interact with others, and see the spread of a digital "pathogen" play out in front of your eyes.
But don't worry—there's no real virus involved. Just a unique opportunity to be part of cutting-edge science while having fun.
How it works
Download Epigames, enter the join code and join a simulated outbreak together with other participants
Make decisions about who to interact with, how to protect yourself, and how to earn points.
Watch your actions shape the outcome.
Designed for your privacy
Epigames is built with privacy and security at its core:
- No personal or identifiable information is collected.
- Your phone communicates only with nearby devices via anonymous Bluetooth signals.
- All data is securely stored using encrypted, cloud-based infrastructure.
You are always in control and can leave the simulated outbreak at any time.
Upcoming Event
VinUni 2026 Epigame
This will be a two-week campus-wide epidemic game conducted at VinUniversity. This study is conducted under VinUniversity research oversight. Participants (students, staff, and faculty) will receive information about a fictional outbreak unfolding around them through the Epigames app. Each day, they will decide whether to adopt protective measures, such as voluntary quarantine, and earn points based on their decisions. The resulting data will contribute to research on transmission of infectious diseases through contact networks and the influence of human behavior.
Learn more about the VinUni EpigameQuestions/Concerns? Please feel free to contact the Principal Investigator, Dr. Andres Colubri (Andres.Colubri@umassmed.edu)
