Live Cell Category

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Life Science Category Winners
In Vivo Category Winners
Materials Science Category Winners
Super Resolution Category Winners
Volume Imaging Category Winners

1ST PRIZE: Ann Na Cho & Arthur Chien, Dementia Research Centre and Microscopy Facility, Macquarie University

Firing in the Brain. A calcium channel activation of human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived 3D brain organoid. The 50-days old miniature brain model was infected by Adeno-associated virus (AAV) tag with jGCaMP7f which targeting synapse-neuron specific promotor-in organoid. After 14 days, the real-time calcium activation of organoid was observed by Zeiss LSM880 confocal microscopy, and the signal firing was enhanced by Gabazine stimulation showing functionality of neuron which developed in 3D brain organoid.

2ND PRIZE: James Burchfield, The University of Sydney

Cancer Cell on Fire. Spinning Disk Confocal time lapse imaging of A172 cells overexpressing Akt-tagRFPt and PTEN-eGFP.

DISTINCTION: Jessica Greaney, Monash University

What Shapes Stemness? One of the fundamental questions in stem cell biology asks, “what makes a cell pluripotent?” What can we learn from looking at the structure of the cell? Pictured is a live human induced pluripotent stem cell captured on a Zeiss LSM780 confocal microscope. By visualising filamentous actin with mRFP-Utrophin, we can see the cell shape change as it moves around its environment, protruding and retracting the cortex actively. The dynamic nature of the actin cytoskeleton seen only by live imaging reminds us that often we see only a snapshot glimpse into a complex and rapidly changing structure.

DISTINCTION: Neftali Flores-Rodriguez, SMM, The University of Sydney

Meanwhile at Peak Hour. Sequence of GFP-Rab5-expressing endosomes and 2x mCherry-microtubule binding domain of ensconsin-expressing HeLa cell. The total duration of the original sequences is 10 seconds, with play-back set to 2-times real-time. The FOV is 9.5µm wide. Cells were imaged using a spinning disk confocal equipped with a 100x/1.49 Oil objective and an EMCCD camera using low illumination settings to reduce photodamage. Frame rate was 28 frames/sec. Fluorescent proteins were expressed in cells at ~20% of endogenous protein levels to minimise protein function perturbation.