>>> Public understanding of science >>>

The general public can find "science" at interesting but difficult to understand, and at worst frightening and sinister - but actually there is much beauty and inspiration to be found, even in cancer cells, when viewed under the microscope.

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed"
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

"Art is science made clear."
Jean Cocteau (1889 - 1963)

"After a certain high level of technical skill is achieved, science and art tend to coalesce in aesthetics, plasticity, and form. The greatest scientists are always artists as well."
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

My images of cell division have attracted attention over the last 2 years. This is a rewarding spin-off which I hope contributes to enhancing the public understanding of science and an appreciation of the beauty to be discovered within the cell.

Nikon Small World Prize Winner 2005
frog cancer cell in mitosis
see the Nikon Small World Microscopy Competition Website.
It will be part of an exhibition touring over 30 Science centres and Art venues across the USA in 2005/2006. It was highlighted on the BBC Scotland Website, in the Courier and Press and Journal

Wellcome Trust Biomedical Image Award 2005
Cell undergoing apoptosis (programmed cell death or cell suicide)
The selected images are on display in the foyer of the Wellcome Library, 201 Euston Rd, London. [view]. Highlighted in local press

Image selected as Nature Cell Biology “Cell of the Month”, Feb 2003.
One of my images (of two telophase HeLa cells) was selected for the “Cell of the Month” feature in February 2003 by Nature Cell Biology and Nature Molecular Cell Biology Reviews. The image will be used as a graphic element in the new Nature Molecular Cell Biology Reviews web site, on the cover of the September 2003 Nature Cell Biology “Imaging in Cell Biology” Special Edition and the 2005 Nature Cell Biology Calendar.This image was publihsed in a major Biochemistry text book.

Prize Winner in Nikon Small World Microscopy Competition, 2002:
One of only two UK prize winners from nearly 1000 entries (with subject matters ranging from cell biology to material science) in this annual international competition, reputed to be “the world's foremost forum for recognizing excellence in photomicrography”. The competition generated a surprising and extensive press interest, at the International level (Wall Street Journal, and Discovery Magazine - a Japanese popular science magazine), National and local level (e.g. Times Higher Educational Supplement, Metro weekly paper, Scottish Herald, Dundee Courier) and included a feature specifically on my image in Current Biology.

Image highly commended in Olympus BioScapes International Competition 2004

8 Images ("Cellule Cancereuse - La Beaute du Diablo") finalists in the "Image" category in The International Biopicture Festival (2004) organised by France Biotech.
[LINK]

Cancer Cell visualisation in 3D: a collaboration with John McGhee (School of Television and Imaging, Duncan of Jordanstone Art Faculty, University of Dundee)
This new collaboration aims to use cutting edge 3D visualisation tools (commonly used in the games and film industry; e.g Maya) to visualise cancer cell division in 3D, the long term aim being two fold; to generate visuals of educational value to the general public and more importantly cancer patients (in association with Maggie’s Centre, Dundee and Professor Alistair Munroe) and; to aid the design of experiments addressing the role of Aurora B in the cell cycle. This nascent collaboration has already generated enough for us to make short film which was a finalist in the Film category in The International Biopicture Festival (2004) organised by France Biotech. [LINK]

Chroma Inc. Calendar 2004: The above image was selected to be one of six in last year’s Chroma Calendar.

“ Living Space” Film: A Collaboration with Sarah Wood, Woohoo Films, Cambridge, UK.
Contributed images and movies of cancer cells for incorporation into a short film exploring the relationship between living space, cancer care and architecture. This was a specially commissioned piece which charted the construction of Frank Gehry’s Maggies Centre in Dundee.

MicroModern Exhibition: 11-17 Dec. 2003 – The Limn Gallery, San Francisco, USA.
5 images of dividing cancer cells were exhibited in San Francisco as part of a “Science as Art” exhibition (all art work was auctioned in aid of the SF AIDS Foundation). Articles highlighting the work appeared in the press, The Scotsman and The Press and Journal. [LINK]

“ Cells R US” Science Exhibition 2004, Sensation Science Centre, Dundee.
As a central part of the Science Week exhibiton, then extended for a further month, a rolling display of my movies and images of cells was exhibited along with several posters of informational material I generated, aimed at explaining the cell cycle to 5-15 yr olds, illustrating the processes involved in microscopy of live and/or fixed cells and explaining the cell division cycle and it's importance in cancer.[click on images for more detail]

Science Image Library Agency Contracts:
Over 30 images are deposited between the Wellcome Trust Biomedical Image Library (medphoto.wellcome.ac.uk) and SciencePhoto Library Ltd. (www.sciphotolibrary.co.uk) agencies who act as distributors.

ELSO 2004, BioClips Festival.
My movie of cell images and live cell image sequences and sound, was selected for the final of Bioclips in the Cinema of the Cell event – a multi-media event screened in front of >300 conference participants at ELSO 2004, Nice, France. See www.bioclips.com [view movie]