Amino Acid—Who R You? An interactive browser-based game for learning amino acid properties

Connecting amino acid side-chain properties to protein structure and physiological function is foundational, yet physiology and biomedical science students have uneven chemistry backgrounds, and this knowledge is often assumed rather than revisited. We developed Amino Acid—Who R You?, a browser-based game for scalable, low-stakes practice. Across three modes, learners identify a hidden residue through yes-or-no questions, classify residues using cumulative clues, or retrieve full names from codes and structures. Adjustable visual, textual and symbolic cues allow learners to vary support while practicing the same chemistry. Requiring no installation or account, the resource was introduced in a lecture after amino acid structures and properties were taught, then made available through the virtual learning environment for independent study. It aims to consolidate this chemistry for reasoning about enzyme catalysis, receptor binding, ion-channel gating and membrane transport. We describe its rationale, mechanics, implementation and limitations.