YEAR

2025

CLIENT

Jennifer Fairman

Media

Photoshop

DESCRIPTION

This mock editorial cover illustration for nature magazine reimagines the mechanism of Dual Orexin Receptor Antagonist (DORA) drugs, a treatment for insomnia, through a fantastical lens. DORAs work by blocking orexin, the neuropeptide that promotes wakefulness. In the scene, two knights stand guard at a gate, symbolizing the protective blockade of orexin receptors, while orexin itself takes form as a dragon, a nod to its common depiction as a serpentine chain in scientific diagrams. Behind the gate, a young girl rests peacefully, embodying the restorative sleep made possible by this defense. The piece blends science and storytelling to highlight how DORAs safeguard sleep against the forces that disrupt it.