The stunning array of brightly colored images produced by GE’s IN Cell Analyzer could easily be mistaken for psychedelic artwork from a 1960s gallery. But the intricate designs aren’t just beautiful, they’re helping researchers study the inner working of cells in order to better understand diseases and find new drugs. In simple terms, the IN Cell Analyzer is an automated microscope attached to a camera that — along with very powerful software — takes images of fluorescently stained cells and analyzes them. This year, in an annual contest sponsored by GE, more than 80 images were submitted by scientists using the technology, with the 30 finalists chosen by a scientific panel shown below.
The stunning array of brightly colored images produced by GE’s IN Cell Analyzer could easily be mistaken for psychedelic artwork from a 1960s gallery. But the intricate designs aren’t just beautiful, they’re helping researchers study the inner workings of cells in order to better understand diseases and find new drugs. In simple terms, the IN Cell Analyzer is an automated microscope attached to a camera that — along with very powerful software — takes images of fluorescently stained cells and analyzes them. This year, in an annual contest sponsored by GE, more than 80 images were submitted by scientists using the technology, with the 30 finalists chosen by a scientific panel shown below.
Gallery guide: Click on the small half-circles on the right and left side of the gallery to see more images. To magnify or reduce an image, either click on it or roll your mouse wheel.
The three winners — one from Europe, one from Asia region and one from North America — were chosen in a public vote by 2,000 participants. They were then taken to New York City’s Times Square to see their cellular works of art displayed on NBC’s high-definition screen March 6-8.
“I think this contest is great. It shows people that science is beautiful, these cells are beautiful and that science is actually a fun thing to do,” said Carmen Laethem, of Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc., winner of the North America category.
Added European winner Dr Miriam Ascagni, DIBIT-San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Italy: “This competition is a great way to showcase the excitement and fascination of science to those people who are not involved in research.”
Watch the winners as their images light up Times Square:
Take a narrated tour of the image gallery:
* Download favorites from the 30 short-listed images
* Learn more about GE Healthcare and its image competition
