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LMA and VIA Image Competition - 2024
We are pleased to announce the winners of the LMA/VIA 2023 Image Competition.
This year we received over 120 submissions across the six categories: Life Sciences, In Vivo Imaging, Live Cell Imaging, Materials Sciences, Super Resolution and Volume Imaging.
Each category awards a $400 first prize and a $200 second prize.
We would like to thank the sponsors of each category, New Spec, Zeiss Australia, Coherent Scientific, Lastek and Klein Scientific for their support of the competition
Live Cell Category
1st Place
Drishya Mainali, The University of Sydney
Label-Free Imaging of Primary Human Macrophages Ingesting Myelin.
Primary human macrophages were cultured at a density of 300k cells/well in a 4-well ibidi high precision glass-bottomed dish with 10% FBS for seven days. On day 6, 30 µg of murine myelin was added and left overnight. Cells were imaged over 17 hours using a label-free technique, digital holotomography, capturing interactions every 5 minutes at 7 frames per second. The compact and bright substance in the video represents myelin, indicated by its higher refractive index. This method, similar to DIC/Phase contrast, tracked macrophage-myelin interactions in real-time without the need for staining.
Label-Free Imaging of Primary Human Macrophages Ingesting Myelin.
Primary human macrophages were cultured at a density of 300k cells/well in a 4-well ibidi high precision glass-bottomed dish with 10% FBS for seven days. On day 6, 30 µg of murine myelin was added and left overnight. Cells were imaged over 17 hours using a label-free technique, digital holotomography, capturing interactions every 5 minutes at 7 frames per second. The compact and bright substance in the video represents myelin, indicated by its higher refractive index. This method, similar to DIC/Phase contrast, tracked macrophage-myelin interactions in real-time without the need for staining.
2nd Prize
Nicholas Shields, The University of Sydney
Necroptotic Supernova.
Necroptosis is an explosive form of cell death characterised by abrupt plasma membrane rupture and ejection of inflammatory danger signals. This live-cell imaging timelapse shows a multinucleated L929 fibroblast (top) – stained with Calcein-AM (green; live cells) and Hoechst (blue; nuclei) – stimulated to undergo necroptosis. Propidium iodide (PI), a red-fluorescent nucleic acid counterstain, is present in the culture media but remains impermeant to live cells. However, as soon as the plasma membrane ruptures, PI rushes into the cell. This generates the red ‘PI blush’ as it binds to cytoplasmic RNA and nuclear DNA, enabling visualisation of the precise moment necroptosis occurs.
Necroptotic Supernova.
Necroptosis is an explosive form of cell death characterised by abrupt plasma membrane rupture and ejection of inflammatory danger signals. This live-cell imaging timelapse shows a multinucleated L929 fibroblast (top) – stained with Calcein-AM (green; live cells) and Hoechst (blue; nuclei) – stimulated to undergo necroptosis. Propidium iodide (PI), a red-fluorescent nucleic acid counterstain, is present in the culture media but remains impermeant to live cells. However, as soon as the plasma membrane ruptures, PI rushes into the cell. This generates the red ‘PI blush’ as it binds to cytoplasmic RNA and nuclear DNA, enabling visualisation of the precise moment necroptosis occurs.
Distinction
Edel Alvarez Ochoa, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
The Calcium Dance.
Live-cell imaging revealing intracellular calcium signalling in the muscles of fly larvae. This is achieved by specifically expressing the calcium sensor gCAMP6 within the muscle tissue. The larva is immobilised in a custom-designed chamber, allowing image acquisition. Calcium ions move between cells, generating signalling waves that propagate throughout the body to regulate various biological functions, including muscle contraction.
The Calcium Dance.
Live-cell imaging revealing intracellular calcium signalling in the muscles of fly larvae. This is achieved by specifically expressing the calcium sensor gCAMP6 within the muscle tissue. The larva is immobilised in a custom-designed chamber, allowing image acquisition. Calcium ions move between cells, generating signalling waves that propagate throughout the body to regulate various biological functions, including muscle contraction.
Distinction
Barney Viengkhou, The University of Sydney
Cascading death of astrocytes.
Primary murine astrocytes were negatively selected from a mixed glial cell culture using magnetic beads. Astrocytes were seeded on a chambered coverslip coated with poly-d-lysine and rested for 3 days. Media was replaced with media containing SiR-Actin (100 nM; red) to label actin and a high concentration of DNA stain Hoechst 33342 (20 uM; blue) was pre-incubated with the astrocytes for 1.5 h before imaging. Video show the cascading cell death of all the astrocytes leaving behind their nuclei.
Cascading death of astrocytes.
Primary murine astrocytes were negatively selected from a mixed glial cell culture using magnetic beads. Astrocytes were seeded on a chambered coverslip coated with poly-d-lysine and rested for 3 days. Media was replaced with media containing SiR-Actin (100 nM; red) to label actin and a high concentration of DNA stain Hoechst 33342 (20 uM; blue) was pre-incubated with the astrocytes for 1.5 h before imaging. Video show the cascading cell death of all the astrocytes leaving behind their nuclei.
Distinction
Tiffany Goh, The University of Sydney
Blood clotting on-a-chip.
We designed a cardiovascular device mimicking blood clot on-a-chip model, that visualises multiple components of blood clotting in real-time. Here, fresh human whole blood was perfused over 10 mins, showing platelet (magenta) adhesion and aggregation onto a biomaterial surface, the protein fibrinogen (yellow) polymerizing into fibrin fibre networks, as well as their combined interaction. Clotting occurs within seconds, yet its dynamic initiation and mechanisms remain underexplored, hence these results aim to guide how blood clots may be prevented clinically. Human blood was labelled with 0.5 µg/mL DiOC6 to visualize platelets and spiked with AF647-conjugated human fibrinogen.
Blood clotting on-a-chip.
We designed a cardiovascular device mimicking blood clot on-a-chip model, that visualises multiple components of blood clotting in real-time. Here, fresh human whole blood was perfused over 10 mins, showing platelet (magenta) adhesion and aggregation onto a biomaterial surface, the protein fibrinogen (yellow) polymerizing into fibrin fibre networks, as well as their combined interaction. Clotting occurs within seconds, yet its dynamic initiation and mechanisms remain underexplored, hence these results aim to guide how blood clots may be prevented clinically. Human blood was labelled with 0.5 µg/mL DiOC6 to visualize platelets and spiked with AF647-conjugated human fibrinogen.
Life Science Category
1st Prize
Hongyu Shen, IMB at University of Queensland
Centipede.
This image is captured with widefield fluorescent microscopy. The specimen is RAW264.7 macrophage cultured on glass coverslips. The cell was incubated with Alexa fluoro (AF) 555 labelled ovalbumin (red), then stained with AF488-wheat germ agglutinin (green) and DAPI (blue). Cells were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde and mounted with ProLong diamond mounting medium.
Centipede.
This image is captured with widefield fluorescent microscopy. The specimen is RAW264.7 macrophage cultured on glass coverslips. The cell was incubated with Alexa fluoro (AF) 555 labelled ovalbumin (red), then stained with AF488-wheat germ agglutinin (green) and DAPI (blue). Cells were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde and mounted with ProLong diamond mounting medium.
2nd Prize
Siew Zhuan Tan, IMB at University of Queensland
A vibratome section of an avian neural tube.
This image depicts the 3D structure of tubulin in the anterior neural tube. A wild-type quail embryo was embedded into cryomold, containing 5% agarose and 15% sucrose in PBS. The embedded embryo was sectioned in 70um thickness, followed by staining with Alpha-tubulin (Orange Hot) and DAPI (Magenta). The section was cleared and mounted with glycerol.
A vibratome section of an avian neural tube.
This image depicts the 3D structure of tubulin in the anterior neural tube. A wild-type quail embryo was embedded into cryomold, containing 5% agarose and 15% sucrose in PBS. The embedded embryo was sectioned in 70um thickness, followed by staining with Alpha-tubulin (Orange Hot) and DAPI (Magenta). The section was cleared and mounted with glycerol.
Distinction
Benjamin McLean, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Geometry of Digestion.
This is a cross-section of a mouse small intestine showing villi and crypt structures. 4µM FFPE sections of mouse intestine were immunofluorescence stained for beta-catenin (white) and counterstained with DAPI to visualize nuclei (orange).
Geometry of Digestion.
This is a cross-section of a mouse small intestine showing villi and crypt structures. 4µM FFPE sections of mouse intestine were immunofluorescence stained for beta-catenin (white) and counterstained with DAPI to visualize nuclei (orange).
Distinction
Ella Farley, The University of Melbourne
Neural crest development in a marsupial (fat-tailed dunnart) embryo.
Confocal image of the upper half of a late-gestation fat-tailed dunnart (a small, carnivorous marsupial) embryo showing the expression genes important in neural crest development. These include Snai2 in green, Sox10 in yellow, and Sox9 in red. The embryo was stained using hybridisation chain reaction. All nuclei (stained with DAPI) are shown in blue.
Neural crest development in a marsupial (fat-tailed dunnart) embryo.
Confocal image of the upper half of a late-gestation fat-tailed dunnart (a small, carnivorous marsupial) embryo showing the expression genes important in neural crest development. These include Snai2 in green, Sox10 in yellow, and Sox9 in red. The embryo was stained using hybridisation chain reaction. All nuclei (stained with DAPI) are shown in blue.
Distinction
Genevieve Secker, Centre for Cancer Biology at University of South Australia
Blood Rivers.
Wholemount staining of mouse skin with primary antibodies anti-CD31 (Rat) and anti-Prox1 (Goat) and anti-Smooth muscle actin -555 (Red), and alexafluor secondary antibodies donkey anti-rat488 (Green) and donkey anti-goat647 (Cyan).
Blood Rivers.
Wholemount staining of mouse skin with primary antibodies anti-CD31 (Rat) and anti-Prox1 (Goat) and anti-Smooth muscle actin -555 (Red), and alexafluor secondary antibodies donkey anti-rat488 (Green) and donkey anti-goat647 (Cyan).
In Vivo Category
1st Prize
Andrea Usseglio Gaudi, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Sushi Roll.
Whole 21-day old zebrafish imaged on the Olympus Multiphoton FVMPE-RS (25x objective), showing the whole lymphatic vasculature in gold and the expression pattern of a novel transcription factor in blue. The positioning function was used in to capture 21 different (1024x1024 pixels) images along the body of the fish. Stitching was performed in FIJI and Adobe illustrator in order to generate the final image. Given the size of the fish at this stage, precise mounting and the removal of agarose from the gills are required to ensure the survival of the seadted fish, as the capturing of all these images took several hours to be completed.
Sushi Roll.
Whole 21-day old zebrafish imaged on the Olympus Multiphoton FVMPE-RS (25x objective), showing the whole lymphatic vasculature in gold and the expression pattern of a novel transcription factor in blue. The positioning function was used in to capture 21 different (1024x1024 pixels) images along the body of the fish. Stitching was performed in FIJI and Adobe illustrator in order to generate the final image. Given the size of the fish at this stage, precise mounting and the removal of agarose from the gills are required to ensure the survival of the seadted fish, as the capturing of all these images took several hours to be completed.
2nd Prize
Angela Fontaine-Titley, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Whispers of Reslilience.
The tongue's microscopic landscape reveals a detailed network of epithelial cells, taste buds, blood vessels and connective tissues. This intricate environment can be disrupted by head and neck cancer, leading to observable changes at the cellular level. By examining these microscopic structures, researchers can better understand the biology of head and neck cancers, with the aim of developing early diagnosis and targeted treatment strategies that can improve outcomes for patients with these challenging cancers.
Whispers of Reslilience.
The tongue's microscopic landscape reveals a detailed network of epithelial cells, taste buds, blood vessels and connective tissues. This intricate environment can be disrupted by head and neck cancer, leading to observable changes at the cellular level. By examining these microscopic structures, researchers can better understand the biology of head and neck cancers, with the aim of developing early diagnosis and targeted treatment strategies that can improve outcomes for patients with these challenging cancers.
Distinction
Bhavya Viradia, La Trobe University
Transgenic Zebrafish Labelling Blood Vessels and Lymphatics
These are the images of Transgenic zebrafish labelling Blood Vessels and Lymphatics and the effect on fish when injected with a growth factor
Transgenic Zebrafish Labelling Blood Vessels and Lymphatics
These are the images of Transgenic zebrafish labelling Blood Vessels and Lymphatics and the effect on fish when injected with a growth factor
Distinction
Angela Fontaine-Titley, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Visionary Mosaic.
This microscopic view of the cornea – the eye's clear outer layer – reveals how it changes when exposed to UV light. For researchers, these detailed images are useful to study the early signs of sun damage, such as the thinning of the epithelial cells or changes in the cornea's supportive structure. Understanding these changes helps us develop better ways to protect our eyes from the sun and treat UV-related eye conditions like photokeratitis and pterygium.
Visionary Mosaic.
This microscopic view of the cornea – the eye's clear outer layer – reveals how it changes when exposed to UV light. For researchers, these detailed images are useful to study the early signs of sun damage, such as the thinning of the epithelial cells or changes in the cornea's supportive structure. Understanding these changes helps us develop better ways to protect our eyes from the sun and treat UV-related eye conditions like photokeratitis and pterygium.
Materials Science
1st Prize
Nicholas Condon, IMB at the University of Queensland
A stitch in time - Denim Dreams.
A colour composite image of a sample of denim fabric imaged with a Leica Thunder Stereo Microscope. Colours were imaged using white ring light with different (R/G/B) filters used to create the colour effect.
A stitch in time - Denim Dreams.
A colour composite image of a sample of denim fabric imaged with a Leica Thunder Stereo Microscope. Colours were imaged using white ring light with different (R/G/B) filters used to create the colour effect.
Super Resolution
1st Prize
Sai Lekkala, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Jellyfish or Toxoplasma parasites?
Although it may look like a jellyfish, this image shows a pregnant Toxoplasma parasite with its two daughter parasites starting to emerge from it. These parasite samples were subjected to an Expansion Microscopy procedure (iU-ExM) and labelled with an anti-tubulin antibody, which labels the subpellicular microtubules radiating down the body of the parasite, and the conoid which is a ring like structure at the anterior end of the parasite important for invasion of host cells.
Jellyfish or Toxoplasma parasites?
Although it may look like a jellyfish, this image shows a pregnant Toxoplasma parasite with its two daughter parasites starting to emerge from it. These parasite samples were subjected to an Expansion Microscopy procedure (iU-ExM) and labelled with an anti-tubulin antibody, which labels the subpellicular microtubules radiating down the body of the parasite, and the conoid which is a ring like structure at the anterior end of the parasite important for invasion of host cells.
2nd Prize
Ben Liffner, University of Adelaide
A gutful of parasites.
A single section from a mosquito midgut that is highly infected with malaria parasites (Plasmodium berghei). Visible within this image are oocyst-stage malaria parasites (large circles containing multiple nuclei), the midgut muscle (right-hand side), and midgut microvilli (bottom-edge). This midgut was dissected from a malaria parasite infected mosquito, fixed, and prepared using mosquito tissue ultrastructure-expansion microscopy (MoTissU-ExM), befor being stained with the protein dye NHS Ester AF405 (greyscale) and DNA dye SYTOX Deep Red (cyan).
A gutful of parasites.
A single section from a mosquito midgut that is highly infected with malaria parasites (Plasmodium berghei). Visible within this image are oocyst-stage malaria parasites (large circles containing multiple nuclei), the midgut muscle (right-hand side), and midgut microvilli (bottom-edge). This midgut was dissected from a malaria parasite infected mosquito, fixed, and prepared using mosquito tissue ultrastructure-expansion microscopy (MoTissU-ExM), befor being stained with the protein dye NHS Ester AF405 (greyscale) and DNA dye SYTOX Deep Red (cyan).
Distinction
Edward Buckley, Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia
Cytoskeletal Symphony
Mouse PyMT cell cultured on collagen-coated coverslip. Sample was formalin fixed, saponin permeabilised and FBS blocked. Labelled: Alpha-Tubulin (magenta), F-Actin (green) and Nucleus (blue). Imaged on the LSM800 at 63xOil using airyscan.
Cytoskeletal Symphony
Mouse PyMT cell cultured on collagen-coated coverslip. Sample was formalin fixed, saponin permeabilised and FBS blocked. Labelled: Alpha-Tubulin (magenta), F-Actin (green) and Nucleus (blue). Imaged on the LSM800 at 63xOil using airyscan.
Volume Imaging
1st Prize
Hujun (Oliver) Yu, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Bloodlines in Turmoil.
A 3D lightsheet imaging of the vasculature network in abdominal-inguinal mammary glands from a breast cancer mouse model. The tissue was cleared with iDisco+. Blood vessels (purple/red) were stained with CD31, while lymphatic vessels (green/blue) were stained with Pdpn. Tumours were highlighted in purple.
This lightsheet imaging captures angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis during cancer progression, showing how tumours induce vascular growth around them to promote their survival.
Bloodlines in Turmoil.
A 3D lightsheet imaging of the vasculature network in abdominal-inguinal mammary glands from a breast cancer mouse model. The tissue was cleared with iDisco+. Blood vessels (purple/red) were stained with CD31, while lymphatic vessels (green/blue) were stained with Pdpn. Tumours were highlighted in purple.
This lightsheet imaging captures angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis during cancer progression, showing how tumours induce vascular growth around them to promote their survival.
2nd Prize
Jiwon Lee, The Australian National University
3D Ultrastructure of malaria parasite.
This 3D rendering model of Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte shows the complex organisation of cellular organelles within the malaria parasite. Using FIB-SEM, a series of high resolution 2D images were acquired. The stack of images aligned and segmented organelle by organelle in MIB before rendering in Dragonfly. The features are depicted as follows: Nucleus, blue; mitochondria, green; osmiophilic bodies, yellow.
3D Ultrastructure of malaria parasite.
This 3D rendering model of Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte shows the complex organisation of cellular organelles within the malaria parasite. Using FIB-SEM, a series of high resolution 2D images were acquired. The stack of images aligned and segmented organelle by organelle in MIB before rendering in Dragonfly. The features are depicted as follows: Nucleus, blue; mitochondria, green; osmiophilic bodies, yellow.
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