A moment of discovery: extraordinary images showcase research at GOSH

‘My lung is on fire’ was entered by PhD student Giuseppe Cala. This image shows a lung ‘mini-organ’, known as an organoid, grown from stem cells. It is a tiny, functional replica of a lung, mirroring its complexity. The blue shows the cell nuclei, the red shows the cell membrane, and the yellow/orange “fire” shows the moving hair-like structures called cilia. Lung organoids provide an up-close view of how the lungs work at a cellular level, they can be used to study various lung-related diseases and find potential therapies.

‘Lab is home’ was entered by Post-doctoral Researcher Maryam Clark. As a researcher you spend years working in the laboratory and moments of discovery are sometimes found alone at the microscope or late in the evening. Often, we only see the output of science and we rarely get to know the journey of the people behind the discoveries and how they felt whilst making them. “For many scientists, we are excited to share our discoveries with friends and families, which, for me, are my cats. With this illustration I wanted to combine my second home (the lab) and my family (my cats), showing my cats at my laboratory bench”.

‘The lights of life’ was entered by PhD student Atachapon Theppichaiyanond. During the development of the central nervous system (CNS), neural progenitors generate neurons by undergoing asymmetric division (cell division that generates a neuron and a neuron progenitor or two distinct neurons at the same time). In vertebrates this division is important to expand the neuronal population, produce neuronal diversity and shape the brain. Little research has been done on the molecular mechanisms that regulate asymmetric division and this research will enhance our understanding of vertebrate CNS development. This image shows a spinal cord of a zebrafish embryo with different neurons produced via asymmetric division. Confocal imaging identified the progenitor cells (green) that produce two distinct daughter cells (red and blue) via asymmetric division.

‘Syncytial formation of respiratory syncytial virus following cell infections’ was entered by PhD student Muhammad Pradhika Mapindra. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a respiratory virus that can cause mild flu like symptoms, but in infants and older adults it can be more severe and lead to hospitalisation with respiratory support. RVS is characterised by syncytia, which are formed by multiple cells fusing together. This image shows the syncytia after being exposed to RSV within five days. The green structures are RSV infected cells, and the blue circles show the cell nuclei.

‘Stabilised microtubules in zebrafish central nervous system’ was entered by PhD student Sara Anuar. Microtubules are tubular structures which form key components of the cytoskeleton in cells. They are essential for cell structure, intracellular transport, cell division and migration. Using spinning disc confocal microscopy, this image shows the rigid and unchanging tubular organisation of stabilised microtubules (blue) in the zebrafish central nervous system. Primary microcephaly is a rare disease where children are born with significantly smaller heads compared to population standards and usually result from defects on microtubules. By studying microtubules, we can understand the potential causes of primary microcephaly that contribute to the decrease of neural progenitor population and generate a smaller brain. Zebrafish can be used as a model to investigate the role of specific genes in microtubules and centrosomes of neural progenitor populations.

‘Insights into Down’s syndrome brainstem’ was entered by Post-Doctoral Researcher Ekin Ucunco. This image shows blood vessels (pink) and proliferative cells (blue/green) in the hindbrain of a foetus with Down’s syndrome. The hindbrain, formed by the cerebellum and brainstem, regulates many vital functions including heart rate and breathing. Proper development of the hindbrain requires tightly controlled processes. Imagery like this can help us to understand how these processes are regulated. We can also compare how this regulation differs in people with and without Down’s syndrome.

‘Glial cells in action’ was entered by Allied Health Professional Lucien Bonfante. This image shows glial cells (brown), nerve helper cells, which have long fibre like structures that adhere to blood vessels and transport nutrients and oxygen to surrounding nerve cells. The immunohistochemical staining of glial cells can be used for the diagnosis and classification of various conditions and tumours of the central nervous system.

‘3D modelling for safer neurosurgical planning’ was entered by 3D engineer Luke Smith. This giff shows a printhead moving left to right creating an accurate 3D printed model of a patient’s brain blood vessels. Arteriovenous malformations (AVM) are complex lesions that require extensive pre-surgical planning, and it is challenging for neurosurgeons to accurately visualise and deconstruct these structures. 3D printing is a promising tool for creating visual models of AVMs, helping surgeons to understand their structure and interactions with the surrounding brain. This helps enable safe surgical removal.