BioArt Award Past Winners

Third Place: Southern Cassowary Casque Development from Embryo to Adult
Member: American Association for Anatomy
Micro-CT density rendering of an embryonic southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) skull superimposed upon the cranial casque of an adult. The false-colored bones of the embryo highlight the eight individual cranial elements—including the likely neomorphic median casque element (light green)—that will contribute to the singular ornament of a mature bird.

Third Place: Supramolecular Confetti
This image is a false-colored scanning electron micrograph of peptide amphiphile (PA) superbundles. PAs are supramolecular biomaterials which assemble into nanofibers after annealing. These superbundles are formed by laminarly extruding annealed PAs into a solution containing a gelator. The superbundles strongly resemble the morphology of the structure biological cells reside within—the extracellular matrix. In our research, we aim to prove that PA superbundles are a more reproducible way to create tissue grafts with controlled morphology and chemistry than other techniques in the tissue engineering field.
Created in collaboration with Thomas Cotey.

First Place: A Bacterial Flower of Death
Member: American Association for Anatomy
This image shows a fluorescent overlay of HeLa cells infected with the common (yet fatal) foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, showing the bacteria spreading from cell to cell. The sample was stained with phalloidin to label filamentous actin (green) and DAPI to label the DNA in the host cell nuclei as well as the bacteria (blue). It was transfected with GFP-CD147 (pseudo-colourized magenta) in the cell initiating the spreading event.

Whole Fruit Fly Ovary During Development
This is the whole fruit fly ovary during development. The blue cells are the germ cells which will form the egg, the red cells maintain the germ cells, and the green cells will encapsulate and protect the germ cells as they develop into a mature egg.

Early Formation Stages of an Arabidopsis Flower
Confocal micrographs of the early stages in the formation of an Arabidopsis flower with the cells expressing the DRNL gene (green) or responding to the hormone auxin (red).

A Squid (Loligo pealei) Embryo

An image of a squid (Loligo pealei) embryo, fairly new fascinating model organism belonging to Cephalopoda class. Studying cephalopods could give us new insights into evolution, organismal biology, neurodevelopment, as well as neurodegeneration.

Title: Adhesive Structures on Surface of Ovarian Cancer Cells

Research focus: Cancer research

This scanning electron micrograph depicts adhesive structures on the surface of ovarian cancer cells. Researchers are using this image to investigate mechanisms of cancer cell adhesion.

Funding: National Cancer Institute

Title: The Capsid of the Hepatitis B Virus

Research focus: Computational virology

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) packages its genome in an icosahedral protein shell called a capsid (depicted here). Eberhard’s theorem indicates that a capsid must contain 12 pentamers to form a closed shell (upper left). The HBV capsid is composed of 12 pentamers and 30 hexamers (lower left). The triangulation number of the capsid, T=4, indicates that there are four unique positions that constituent proteins can occupy (upper right). There are a total of T*60=240 proteins, altogether 120 dimers, that make up the HBV capsid (lower right).

Title: Micro CT Images of the Murine Penis

Research focus: Reproductive biology, urogenital development

This image depicts micro CT images of the murine penis. Micro CT imaging has enhanced researchers' ability to study urogenital abnormalities.

Funding: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Title: Zebrafish Skeletal Image Showing Bone and Cartilage

Research focus: Anatomy

This image of a zebrafish (Danio rerio) shows the bone (green) and the cartilage (red) that comprises the skeleton. Researchers are using this image, and ones like it, to better identify how a mutation in the primary cilia can affect skeletal development, structure, and morphology.

Funding: National Science Foundation, Division of Integrative Organismal Systems

Title: Intestinal Villi of a Mouse

Research focus: Gastrointestinal research

The micrograph shows intestinal villi of a mouse. The immunofluorescence staining depicts the brush border (seen in pink/magenta) that is responsible for the absorption of water and nutrients that are essential for life. Scientists are using mouse models to better understand the components necessary to maintain homeostasis. This knowledge is critical to ameliorate gastrointestinal disorders and pathogenic infections.

Funding: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Title: Human Hand Showing Carpal Tunnel Tendons and Palm Muscles

Research focus: Comparative biomechanics and evolutionary medicine

This is an image of a human hand showing the tendons of the carpal tunnel and intrinsic muscles of the palm. The human hand is one of our finest adaptations. Researchers are using this image to determine 3D architecture of muscles to better understand how our hands work and how they've changed over time.

Title: 3D Image of Bio-receptive Panels Infused with Living Bacterial Cellulose Fibers

Research focus: Bioreceptive structure for bacterial cellulose

The image shows how biological fabrication can be integrated with bio-receptive materials. These panels are infused with bacterial cellulose fibers, which will ultimately grow, evolve, and respond to their environment, turning buildings into a living infrastructure.

Title: 3D Image of a Human Heart

Research focus: Cardiovascular research

This image depicts a 3D-printed heart which was based on an MRI image taken of a patient's heart. The use of 3D models is one example of how medical care can be made more interactive and understandable for patients.

Funding: National Physical Science Consortium Graduate Fellowship, National Institute of Standards & Technology GMSE Fellowship

Title: Mouse Retina That Underwent Vascular Pathology

Research focus: Developmental biology – retinal vascular biology

This high-resolution fluorescence image depicts a mouse retina that underwent vascular pathology. Researchers are using this image to explore how the vascular pathology can be cured in the diseased condition using mouse in vivo models.

Title: Stained Fruit Fly Ovary

Research focus: Gastrointestinal research

This image depicts a fruit fly ovary stained for cytoskeleton (magenta) and DNA (blue) and expressing GFP in cells that respond to STAT proteins (yellow). Researchers are using this experiment and image to demonstrate molecular biology techniques to undergraduate researchers.

Funding: Rogers, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R15 HD092170 01); Loza-Coll, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (SC2 GM125573 01)

Title: CT Scan Reconstruction of an Angler 

Research focus: Anatomy

This CT scan reconstruction of the Angler, Lophius piscatorius (UF 118531) from the Florida Museum of Natural History fish collection shows the complex osteology of a popular food fish. The colorized CT reconstruction shows change in density. The brighter colors represent elements with higher density and the darker colors represent elements with lower density.

Funding: National Science Foundation (DBI-1701714)

Title: Mouse Nasal Cavity Showing the Olfactory Epithelium

Research focus: Developmental biology

This image depicts the inside of the mouse nasal cavity showing the olfactory epithelium, the tissue responsible for the sense of smell. The olfactory epithelium, in green, overlies the interior walls of the nasal cavity as well as the surfaces of turbinates, which are bony scrolls projecting inward from the nasal cavity wall.

Funding: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Research Focus: Glass stability

This image shows a microbial community (light green) living on the surface of ancient glass collected from Swedish hillforts, which predate the Vikings. Researchers are studying ancient materials to further our knowledge about the stability of glass, which will be used to safely store low-activity nuclear waste at the Hanford Site in Washington State. Vitrification, a process where hazardous waste is trapped in the molecular structure of glass, prevents the liquid waste from leaking into the environment and allows radioactivity to safely dissipate over thousands of years. Ancient glass samples like this one are of particular interest because they have a similar chemical composition to glass produced through the vitrification process. This work is supported by the Department of Energy Office of River Protection.

Research Focus: Cardiovascular development

This microscopy image shows that Fluorescent Granular Perithelial cells (FGPs, in green) are closely associated with the blood vessels (red) that surround an adult zebrafish’s brain. FGPs are novel type of cell found in both zebrafish and mammals, and researchers suspect that they play a key role in maintaining the blood–brain barrier and clearing toxic substances from the brain. Investigators from the Intramural Research Program of the NIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development are using the zebrafish to further our understanding of the function of FGPs. They recently discovered that FGPs are closely related to cells that form the lymphatic system, which collects, cleans, and returns fluid to the circulatory system.

Research Focus: Microscopy in education

Mealybugs (Pseudococcus sp.) are common pests of greenhouse and tropical plants, sucking juice from plant leaves and stems. They also can transmit diseases between the plants they feed upon. For protection, mealybugs secrete a waxy powder that covers their whole body. This image of those waxy secretions was created as part of Dr. Taylor’s Advanced Microscopy course. During this course, undergraduate students learn imaging techniques used by biological and medical researchers. One student, Mr. Cheshire, chose mealybugs for one of his samples. After sputter coating a whole-mounted mealybug in gold-palladium, he imaged it with a scanning electron microscope and observed that the wax powder is composed of uniform curls.

Research Focus: Nervous system

Brittle stars and starfish have radial symmetry, with a nerve cord running down the length of each arm. This 3D model shows the nervous system within one arm segment of a brittle star (Amphipholis kochii). The colors indicate the three subdivisions of its nervous system: the ectoneural system (green); the hyponeural system (magenta); and mixed peripheral nerves (blue). This pattern of nerves is repeated in all segments throughout an arm. To create this model, the research team imaged thin sections of a brittle stars arm and used specialized software to assemble and fine-tune the model. Scientists are increasingly using brittle stars and other echinoderms to study limb regeneration, bioluminescence, and other features. Their NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences-supported work expands our fundamental knowledge of how echinoderm nervous systems are organized.

Research Focus: Evolutionary developmental biology

This alligator embryo is in the early stages of organ development or organogenesis. Fluorescent labeling highlights the nerves (green), muscles (orange), and cell nuclei (blue). At this developmental stage, several crocodylian characteristics are becoming apparent, including a long tail and the massive trigeminal nerve in the head – which makes an alligator’s face more sensitive than a human fingertip. However, it still looks very similar to a bird embryo, which is no coincidence: crocodylians and birds are each other's closest living relatives. Their common ancestor lived over 250 million years ago and would have looked like a small dinosaur. This research team is comparing alligator and chicken development to identify differences that produce bird-like characteristics. The NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences supports these researchers’ studies of the evolution and development of bird body structures.

Research Focus: Anatomy

Cloven hoofed mammals have a special arterial network inside their skulls that is used to keep their brains cooler than their bodies. Selective brain cooling helps these animals reduce water loss and avoid heat stroke. In this CT scan of an American pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana), a special contrast dye was used to illuminate the skull and arteries. Dr. O’Brien is investigating whether the ability to keep the brain cool has helped these animals survive warming and drying climates. The NSF Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences recently funded the purchase of a x-ray micro-computed tomography (microCT) scanner at the University of Arkansas that will be used by Dr. O’Brien and other researchers in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas to promote scientific discovery and foster academic-industry partnerships.

Research Focus: Skeletal muscles

In this image culture-grown muscle stem cells from a mouse have fused together to form myotubes, mimicking the formation of muscle fibers in living organisms. Fluorescent labeling reveals the myotubes’ multiple nuclei (blue) and distinct striations (red) – both are characteristic of mature muscle fibers. Some of the myotubes also display green fluorescence, which was introduced into the cells with a virus. The researchers plan to use the same viral delivery system to genetically modify the cells and assess how impairing cell fusion alters myotube growth. The NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases and National Institute on Aging support their research into muscle growth, adaptation, and recovery in adults, including how muscle stem cells in modify the surrounding cellular environment to promote these activities.

Research Focus: Bacterial biofilms

Strictly speaking, bacteria are single celled organisms. However, when bacteria grow and interact in high numbers, they can develop into colonies and biofilms – some large enough to be seen by the naked eye. These colonies have properties that the individual cells do not possess, such as collective behaviors. Thus, bacterial colonies can exhibit some traits associated with multicellular organisms. This model of a Bacillus licheniformis biofilm was created by 3D scanning a living colony; it was printed in stainless steel at 12 times the actual size and is currently on display at the Harvard Museum of Natural History. The ridges increase surface area and increase access to oxygen for the millions of cells within the biofilm. These NIH National Institute of General Medical Sciences-funded investigators are studying the unique properties of biofilms, particularly when more than one bacterial species is present.

Research Focus: Mercury toxicity

Exposure to mercury poses serious health risks to the human body, including increased susceptibility to cardiovascular disease. In this research project, investigators are studying the effect of mercury exposure on the circulatory system and collaborated with an artist to illustrate their findings. Normal red blood cells have a distinct doughnut-like shape, which allows them to squeeze through vessels smaller than their diameter. The mercury-exposed red blood cells in this illustration, however, appear deformed with spikey projections. The researchers also found that mercury exposure alters how red blood cells interact with blood vessel surfaces. This work was made possible by funding from the NSF Directorate for Engineering and the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK).

Research Focus: Fat metabolism

These white fat cells were imaged using a specialized technology called Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS). This label-free, noninvasive process uses near-infrared light to probe the vibrations of specific types of atomic bonds. The output of CARS lets scientists “see” where high concentrations of fat (lipids) are present in intact living tissue. This research team is studying the metabolic behavior of tissues with lots of white fat cells (energy-storing) versus those with many brown fat cells (energy-dissipative). Through this NIH National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering-supported project, they aim to expand our understanding of how different fat tissues work, which might inform new interventions for obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

Research Focus: Kidney development

Cilia (yellow) are specialized hair-like structures on cells. Some cilia are motile and can beat in coordination, creating a directional fluid flow. This motion is used to propel an egg toward the uterus, circulate cerebrospinal fluid in the brain, and clear airway tracts in the respiratory system. Immotile cilia within the kidney are thought act as sensors of fluid flow. Structural and functional defects in cilia are linked to infertility, brain abnormalities, chronic respiratory problems, and kidney abnormalities. This image show skin cells from a frog (Xenopus laevis) embryo, which also have motile cilia and are commonly used as a research model for cilia development, or ciliogenesis. These NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-funded researchers are using this frog model to study the role of ciliogenesis in kidney development.

Research Focus: Virus assembly

The Bacteriophage T4 virus (left panel) infects the bacterium Escherichia coli. Resembling a lunar lander, this virus stores its DNA in its icosahedral head. Once it “lands” on the surface of an E. coli cell, the virus injects its DNA through the tail (purple tube) into the cell, infecting the bacterium. Dr. Padilla-Sanchez is studying how the viral DNA packaging machine (middle and right panels) loads DNA (red) into the head when new viruses are assembled. Expanding our knowledge about how this virus works might one day allow researchers to engineer it to instead fight cancer and produce vaccines. These images were created with UCSF’s Chimera Visualization Software using raw structural data from the Protein Data Bank as well as cryoEM reconstructions from the Electron Microscopy Data Bank.