12/21/2022
Each year, the School of Chemical Sciences invites researchers from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Department of Chemistry to submit a scientific image that informs, educates, and inspires. Two ChBE graduate students have earned recognition in the 2022 SCS Science Image Challenge.
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Each year, the School of Chemical Sciences invites researchers from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Department of Chemistry to submit a scientific image that informs, educates, and inspires. Two ChBE graduate students have earned recognition in the 2022 SCS Science Image Challenge.
The winning entries will be displayed on the school’s VizLab, electronic screens, and at Williard Airport. Prizes include a modest monetary award and a certificate. For more information, and to see submissions from past challenges, visit the SCS SIC webpage.
Listed below are the 2022 challenge winners and finalists.
Main Category Winner
Covid-19 vaccines and related complications
During covid-19 vaccinations, rarely, platelet factor 4 (colorful, small proteins) misrecognizes vaccine particles (green and black) as pathogens and binds to them, preluding the rare vaccine-induced thrombosis.
Chun Kit Chan, Tajkhorshid Lab, Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, Department of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Beckman Institute
Main Category Finalists
Driving a muscle - Shown is an immunofluorescence image of innervation between a motor neuron (green) and skeletal muscles (red). During neural innervation of skeletal muscle, a neuromuscular junction forms at the interface becoming a chemical synapse for neuromuscular communication. Our work aims to discover the crosstalk between nerves and muscles.
By: Kai-Yu Huang, Kong Lab, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
A Meal for the Mind - Multi-scale model of the minimal cell, resembling a bowl of spaghetti, including membrane (8 nm white cubes) from reaction-diffusion simulations, DNA (yellow) from physically accurate Brownian dynamics of the entire chromosome, and ribosomes (red/pink) from all-atom structures.
By: Zane Thornburg, Luthey-Schulten Lab, Department of Chemistry
Iron Icicles - In-vacuum solution phase experiments can be complicated. Here the liquid jet that allows the solution to enter the vacuum chamber has a clog that caused the solution to freeze, leading to this pretty rock-like formation of the sample.
By: Rachel Wallick, Mirica and Vura-Weis Labs, Department of Chemistry
Anisotropic Art - Presented is a false colored transmission electron microscopy image of gold nanorods. Their absorption peaks are tunable throughout the visible and near-infrared light regions. Additionally, gold nanorods can undergo a variety of surface modifications. This adaptability makes them highly useful for applications such as biosensing and photothermal therapy.
By: Nathan Forney, Murphy Lab, Department of Chemistry
The golden soldier: an influenza antibody - Getting the flu can be inevitable. However, after the infection, the human body has an army of soldiers called antibodies to protect you from the next virus loaded sneeze. Image captures the influenza virus’ surface (brown) glycoprotein, hemagglutinin (green, blue), attacked by an antibody (in gold) and surrendering, which prevents the virus from infecting human cells.
By: Defne G. Ozgulbas, Tajkhorshid Lab, Dept of Biochemistry, Dept of Chemistry, Beckman Inst
Cover Art Category Winner
Presented here are supercharged protein monomers (red, negative, and blue, positive) in the process of association to form a supercharged hexadecameric protein complex. Here, we explored the design rules of assembly using molecular dynamics and experiments. Image rendered using Blender and PyMOL.
By: Prateek Bansal, Shukla Lab, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering