“The Breathing Cell”, a photograph submitted by Shigeo Hayashi of the CDB’s Laboratory for Morphogenetic Signaling depicting the branching of a tracheal fruit-fly cell (pictured), won the prestigious grand prize in the contest. Tada Motoki of the CDB’s Laboratory for Evolutionary Morphology was awarded one of three Outstanding Performance awards for a photograph, titled “Mm-e10.5”, of neurofilament antibodies in a five-day-old mouse embryo. Organizer Leica Microsystems Japan received 54 entries from a range of individuals, institutions and companies throughout the country.
Hayashi’s grand-prize-winning photograph symbolizes the focus of research at his laboratory, where his group studies developmental mechanisms of the trachea using the fruit fly as a model. “The Breathing Cell” depicts the complex tree-like branching of a single tracheal cell into tubes that transport air to the body. One of two members of the jury, photographer Herbie Yamaguchi, noted that the photograph “really conveys the mystery of life.” The other jury member, University of Tokyo Associate Professor Kei Ito, remarked on the beautiful contrast between the fluorescence green labeling and the three-dimensionality produced by differential interference contrast optics.
Reflecting on the prize, Hayashi described how he jumped at the chance to enter the contest. “There are photo contests like this in Europe and America, but this was the first such contest in Japan,” he explained. “It’s a very special contest, because it goes beyond the science and also evaluates more general artistic aspects of the work. I am overjoyed that the image has been awarded the prestigious top prize, and that it has succeeded in conveying to its audience the wonder of science.”
The winning photographs are currently viewable on the Leica Microsystems Japan website and will also be featured in the February issue of the journal Cell Technology, published by Gakken Medical Shujunsha Co.
