RMS Scientific Imaging Competition
Taking place every two years, this exciting international competition is a great opportunity for microscopists from across the world to showcase their skills. It provides a great outlet for those that can capture the breath-taking and engaging beauty of the microscopical world. The Society is always in awe of the quality of submissions across the categories.
2021 Winners
2nd Prize, AFM & SPM. Septins interacting with lipid membrane by Agata Szuba, Pollard Institute, School of Electronic & Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, United Kingdom
1st Prize, Electron Microscop - Life Sciences. New vision by Vijayasankar Raman, University of Mississippi
2nd Prize, Electron Microscopy - Life Sciences. Crystals and Cells by Isabel Sánchez Almazo & Dolores Molina, CIC, University of Granada
1st Prize, Electron Microscopy - Physical Sciences. Pyrite (FeS2) nanocrystals by Vanya Petseva, CBNI, UCD, Ireland
1st Prize, Light Microscopy - Life Sciences. Drosophila melanogaster ovaries by Andy Yu Zhi Li, University of Cambridge
2nd Prize, Light Microscopy - Life Sciences. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis under the microscope by Frédéric Fercoq, CRUK Beatson Institute
1st Prize, Light Microscopy - Physical Sciences. Borax crystals by Michael R. Gibson, Quekett Microscopical Club
1st Prize, Short Video
Unearthing nanostructure hidden underneath ice
This time-lapse video demonstrates how cryo-scanning electron microscopy works. Ice on a textured polymer surface was allowed to sublime at -80 °C and 10-4 Pa on a cold stage in a cryo-chamber in 73 min to expose the nanoneedle array hidden underneath.
Video by Mikiko Tsudome1 Katsuyuki Uematsu2 Toshihiro Kanematsu3 Koji Iwasaki3 Shigeru Deguchi1
1 Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Japan 2 Marine Works Japan Ltd., Japan 3 Ricoh Company, Ltd., Japan
2nd Prize, Short Video
Between a rock and a hard place
3D imaging via X-ray tomography enables us to look inside samples without destroying them, and be able to track features in 3D. This video displays a 3D rendering of a portion of a stick of rock from Whitby, Yorkshire. For those that aren’t familiar with it, rock is a rod shaped candy that’s traditional at British seaside towns, usually having candied lettering through the centre of wherever you are - in this case, Whitby. It’s given the name rock because its ridiculously hard, and you’re at risk of breaking your teeth! Using this 3D imaging method we can track the lettering in 3D - and I'm sorry to tell you, Whitby rock makers, but your lettering isn't straight!
Video by Dr Ria L Mitchell, The University of Sheffield
See the winners from previous years.
