Micrographs Competition

 

Micrographs Competition :

The image competition is a unique opportunity to share with the community the beautiful worlds revealed by your kind of microscopy technique. As the emphasis is on the visually appealing rather than on the scientific aspect of the images, micrographs submitted to the competition can be colorized and manipulated. You are encouraged to be free and playful!

The winning micrograph will be posted on the ISM website and, if found suitable, may be used as a decoration for the next ISM meeting.

ISM will provide a hard copy of the image and present it during the meeting. You are free to take the hard copy after the meeting!

By applying to the competition all rights for using the images are given to ISM according to the ISM website terms of use, including the right to use the image on ISM’s site as part of its design (credit will be given).

The 2023 Micrographs :

1			STREAM OF FLOWERS Hadar Nasi Weizmann Institute of Science Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) based on a nickel(II) metal salt with a tetragonal pyridine-based ligand assemble under solvothernal conditions. Scanning Electron Microscopy image after 2 days reaction time, combining Photoshop editing. Graphic design: Neta Varsano.
2			NATURAL MERCEDES Olga Krichevsky, Natalia Litvak, Matan Oren, Keren Davidov, Shlomo Izhar Ariel University SRIATELLA UNIPUNCTATA Tescan MAIA3.
3			HEXAGONAL SEAHORSE Sapir Rappoport Technion – Israel Institute of Technology The cryo-TEM micrograph shows a hexagonal structure complex of DNA and quaternized poly(2-(dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate)-b-poly(oligo(ethyleneglycol) methyl ether methacrylate) (QPDMAEMA-b-POEGMA). This is a diblock-copolymer with positively charged and neutral blocks. The charge ratio between the copolymer and the DNA is 4. This complex can be used as non-viral vector in gene therapy. The image was taken using cryogenic transmission electron microscopy with Volta phase plate for image contrast enhancement.
4			LEOPARD VESICLES Sapir Rappoport Technion – Israel Institute of Technology The cryo-TEM micrograph shows vesicles of the two polyelectrolytes- quaternized poly(2-(dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate)-b-poly(oligo(ethyleneglycol) methyl ether methacrylate) (QPDMAEMA-b-POEGMA) and sodium poly(acrylic) acid (NaPAA). NaPAA is negatively charged, and QPDMAEMA-b-POEGMA is a diblock-copolymer with positively charged and neutral blocks. The charge ratio between the two polyelectrolytes is 1. The image was taken using cryogenic transmission electron microscopy with Volta phase plate for image contrast enhancement
5			UNDER THE SEA Sapir Lifshiz-Simon Technion – Israel Institute of Technology The cryo-TEM micrograph shows a “sea” environment in a specimen of sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) with KCl at a salt-to-surfactant molar ratio of 4. The “waves” are elongated nano-aggregates of the surfactant in the presence of the salt, and the “bubbles” are radiation damage artifacts. The specimen was prepared in a controlled environment vitrification system and imaged using cryo-transmission electron microscopy with Volta phase-plate for image contrast enhancement.
6			Sea anemone Sapir Lifshiz-Simon Technion – Israel Institute of Technology The cryo-TEM micrograph shows a “sea anemone” nanostructure of sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) with NaCl at a salt-to-surfactant molar ratio of 4. This shear-induced nanostructure was formed after an insufficient on-the-grid relaxation of 90 seconds. The specimen was prepared in a controlled environment vitrification system and imaged using cryo-transmission electron microscopy with Volta phase-plate for image contrast enhancement.
7			A HEART-SHAPED "TREE RING" STRUCTURE GROWS FROM THE POROUS STARCH Hongxiang Liu, Inbal Ionita, Dganit Danino Technion – Israel Institute of Technology The image presented depicts a controlled hydrolysis starch granule with porous structures distributed from the surface to the core. Porous starch is a modified starch that serves as a non-toxic and cost-effective adsorbent, which is widely utilized in various applications such as food, pharmaceutical, and environmental industries. The internal multilayered pores exhibit an inner growth ring structure, revealing the alternating amorphous and crystalline layers that ensure the continuity of hydrolysis. The powder sample was affixed to a conductive tape with an Au/Pd coating and analyzed by a scanning electron microscope in room temperature mode. Both the InLens and SE2 detectors were employed, with the former providing details of the holes and the latter showing the surface features.
8			PHYTOSTEROLS SUNFLOWERS Inbal Ionita Technion – Israel Institute of Technology Light Microscopy image of Phytosterols crystals, a plant sterol who spontaneously assembled into flower resemble structures, we therefore colored them inspired by the Van Gogh "sunflowers" famous painting.
9			LIFE. SCIENCE. AVOCADO Irina Davidovich Technion – Israel Institute of Technology Cryo-SEM of the human leucocyte. The patient is suffers from hemoglobin S/beta-thalassemia disease and hypersplenism. The blood sample was incubated with sodium metabisulfite for 2 hours on the glass slide to provide hypoxia conditions. The specimen was prepared by high-pressure freezing (HPF) and imaged at cryogenic conditions by a Zeiss Ultra Plus HR-SEM equipped with a Schottky field-emission electron gun. We used the Everhart-Thornley (ET) detector and in-the-lens (InLens) detector to produce the mixed SE signal with 60% of ET signal. Acceleration voltage = 1.2 kV, working distance = 4 mm.
10			DIVE INTO DOLPHIN DREAMS Irina Davidovich Technion – Israel Institute of Technology Cryo-SEM of a human sickled erythrocyte. The patient suffers from hemoglobin S/beta-thalassemia disease, which causes symptoms similar to those of sickle-cell disease. The blood sample was incubated with sodium metabisulfite overnight to stimulate cell sickling in hypoxia conditions. The specimen was prepared by high-pressure freezing (HPF), and imaged at cryogenic conditions by a Zeiss Ultra Plus HR-SEM equipped with a Schottky field-emission electron gun. We used the Everhart-Thornley (ET) detector to collect the SE signal. Acceleration voltage = 1.2 kV, working distance = 5 mm.
11			HEART OF CHROMIUM Roei Broneschter Technion – Israel Institute of Technology Backscattered electron SEM micrograph of micro-metered sized Chromium particles dispersed in fine alumina powder after sintering in a microwave for 10 minutes.
12			DREAM CITY Shashanka Indri Ben Gurion University of the Negev SEM micrograph of Guanine crystals.
13			THE MIRACLE OF LIFE Maria Koifman Khristosov Technion – Israel Institute of Technology Cs2AgInCl6 perovskite nanoplates on silicon wafer. Taken using Zeiss Ultra-Plus HR-SEM. Samples prepared by Sasha Khalfin, Prof. Yehonadav Bekenstein lab. Photoshop by Victor Khristosov.
14			THE SECRET LIFE OF BIRDS Maria Koifman Khristosov Technion – Israel Institute of Technology Crystals of Aspartic acid. Taken using Zeiss Ultra-Plus HR-SEM. Photoshop by Victor Khristosov.
15			ISRAELI NANO-ASTRONAUT ON A CNC COMET Einat Zelinger and Daniel Voignac Hebrew University of Jerusalem Cellulose Nano Crystals (CNC) self-assemble in highly organised nano-layers upon evaporation from an aqueous suspension. This micrograph is a cross-section image of such a self-assembled film. An anomaly which could be either a defect or a titanium carbide flake from the preparation sat on top of the film with a shape reminding of a suited astronaut in space. The image was taken by Dr. Einat Zelinger and Daniel Voignac at the Robert H. Smith faculty of agriculture, food and environment, Hebrew University of Jerusalem on a JEOL 7800 high resolution SEM. The cross-section was prepared by fracturing a 30µm film in liquid nitrogen. The Israeli flag was added in Microsoft Powerpoint.
16			SURFING ON CNC Daniel Voignac and Einat Zelinger Hebrew University of Jerusalem This image is a cross-section of a 30µm thin self-assembled Cellulose Nano Crystal film (CNC). CNC self-assembles in strong, flexible, transparent, degradable films. The cross-section was prepared by fracturing a 30µm film in liquid nitrogen. In this film, a straight fracture was not obtained, but the brittle, tilted aspect provided unique view points on the self-assembled layers reminding waves breaking on a shore.The image was taken by Dr. Einat Zelinger and Daniel Voignac at the Robert H. Smith faculty of agriculture, food and environment, Hebrew University of Jerusalem on a JEOL 7800 high resolution SEM. The image was then partially recolorised in FIJI and further edited on Microsoft Powerpoint.
17			THE LITTLE PRINCE Zipora Lansky Weizmann Institute of Science The sample contains Stephanopyxis turris diatoms that were cryo-preserved by plunge freezing. This SEM image was taken in a FIB-SEM microscope after milling the sample with the FIB to expose a cross section of the diatoms. The image was then colored in photoshop, and the little prince and the fox from the novel "The Little Prince" were added, each on its own diatom “planet” overgrown with its diatom cell wall “flora”.
18			BREAKING EVEN Alina Kolpakova Weizmann Institute of Science The image depicts two Drosophila male germ cells at the final stage of meiotic division. Immediately after meiosis all the mitochondria aggregate and fuse to a giant spherical mitochondrion called Nebenkern. We discovered that that the mechanism involves robust fusion of the mitochondria already during the second meiotic division. Left panel: schematic representation of a dividing spermatocyte. Middle panel: 3D reconstruction based on the image obtained using standard expansion microscopy method (mitochondria in magenta and nuclei in cyan). Right panel: cross section through the meiotic cells (pan-stained with NHS-Ester, Pan-Expansion microscopy method). The micrographs were taken using Dragonfly Spinning Disc microscope. Calibrated scale bar: 5 microns.
19			LEFT V/S RIGHT. NO MATTER THE CONTROVERSY, WE COME FROM THE SAME DNA. REFLECTIONS ON CELL DIVISION… Sushmita Chatterjee Tel Aviv University Image represents a cancer cell showing cell division during metaphase and progressing towards anaphase. Cell was stained with anti-human mouse alpha tubulin primary antibody and anti-mouse Alexa 488 secondary antibody. Cell were further counterstained with DAPI. Image was captured with Zeiss 810 LSM confocal microscope at 60x magnification with 6x zoom.
20			BACTERIAL SEAHORSE Noa Mizrahi Ben-Gurion University of the Negev E. coli bacteria containing GFP proteins and DNA with hoechst staining. This was a control experiment, as part of a research project of Asgard ESCRTs in bactrial cells. The living bacteria were in a liquid solution on a flat surface, and the image was taken using confocal microscopy. It was the first time I got to see the margins of the liquid, and then noticed all kinds of special shpes it created. Here we can see a beautiful seahorse, filled with green and blue colors.