Now in its third year, the American Society for Microbiology’s Agar Art contest attracts a staggering array of entries that just keep getting better. This year’s winner was New York scientist Jasmine Temple, who used yeast to ‘paint’ a watery sunset. Jasmine and her team spent a serious amount of time sourcing and even genetically manipulating yeast to produce the colours needed. Some of the yeast they used contained colour-producing genes scavenged from sea anemones and jellyfish.

Here are just a few of the stunning agar artworks. You can see the full collection and read some fascinating stories about how each was created at the Society’s Facebook page.

             Winner – Sunset at the End                                                                           Dye of the Tiger

                             Finding Pneumo                                                      Trump (c’mon, you knew he’d be in there somewhere)

The post Breaking the mould with Agar Art first appeared on Know Pathology Know Healthcare.

UK based artist Luke Jerram challenges this representation by making gorgeous glass replicas of a variety of deadly infectious bugs. The transparent glass is a more accurate depiction of how these wee beasties really look.

His delicate creations resonate with the fragile nature of many well-known pathogens. People are familiar with the often ravaging effects these agents have when they are kept in their preferred environment inside a human body. But did you know that many viruses are extremely fragile and easily destroyed when outside the body?

It’s well known among scientists that HIV, for example, is easily killed with simple detergent.

Luke collaborates with virology experts at the University of Bristol and a team of glass blowers to make these beautiful sculptures.

Check out his artwork and travelling exhibition dates here:

https://www.lukejerram.com/glass/

The post Beautiful glass sculptures reveal the delicate nature of viruses first appeared on Know Pathology Know Healthcare.

Hello Pathology!

They say:

“BLOOD is the first cross-network season for Science Gallery, inspired by the original exhibition BLOOD: NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED at Science Gallery Dublin in 2015.

Blood is essential for life, both medically and metaphorically. From ritual to research, artistic medium to biological fluid, the 2017 BLOOD season will evoke ideas that provoke and challenge, engage and entice. Crossing continents and connecting London and Melbourne through a public programme of events, activities, installations workshops and performances, the BLOOD season will feature a range of work from the original exhibition in Science Gallery Dublin, as well as exciting new provocative works and experiences that explore the scientific, symbolic and strange nature of blood.

BLOOD will run across both Science Gallery sites in London (on and around the Guy’s Campus, King’s College London) and Melbourne (at the University of Melbourne and CBD in Melbourne) between June – October 2017.”

For the open call they’re interested in proposals addressing or exploring some of the following themes and topics:

• Taboo – surrounding menstruation, ritual behaviour or activities involving blood, food created from blood
• Stigma – associated with living with blood borne viruses such as HIV, or other genetic conditions affecting blood.
• Giving – donating blood to strangers, placenta donation, the connection between a mother and foetus
• Identity – blood type, associations with racial identity, mixed race, family, chimeras, human/animal hybrids, and eugenics
• Health – diseases of the blood, immunity. Blood testing and the future of blood based testing etc.
• Sport – Drugs and sport, blood doping.

Check out their Pinterest board for some visual inspiration: https://uk.pinterest.com/SciGalleryLon/blood/

For more information on how to submit, visit their website: https://opencall.sciencegallery.com/blood

The post Call for submissions – Blood! first appeared on Know Pathology Know Healthcare.