Sarah Boyle, a researcher from University of South Australia, has taken taken home the title of best scientific photograph for her image of a mammary tumour in a mouse, captured while studying the progression of breast cancer.
To capture the image, Boyle was using a specialised microscope and imaging equipment to make different proteins visible – a process that she and her team use on almost a daily basis. While the heart shape was purely a coincidence, the fluorescent red indicates an ‘active form of protein whose levels may increase as cancer develops’.
The BMC Research in Progress Photo Competition, in its inaugural year, demonstrated the best of science photography while celebrating the innovative spirit, curiosity and integrity of research in progress all over the world.