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Moments of scientific discovery captured in stunning images
4 March 2025
Images captured by UCL researchers have been showcased in the fourth annual National Institute for Health and Care Research Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR GOSH BRC) ‘A Moment of Discovery’ image competition.
Staff from Great Ormond Street Hospital and its affiliated institutes, including UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, were invited to submit an image that captured ‘a moment of discovery’ in their work.
The images offer glimpses into cutting edge research that is helping to find new treatments for rare or complex conditions and hopes to transform the lives of seriously ill children and young people.
The winning entry was from PhD student Lucy Holland (UCL Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health), for her image, ‘Blooming Barrier’, depicting the impact of Hirschsprung disease, a congenital condition where children are born with some nerve cells missing in the large intestine.
The pink and blue ‘floral’ image shows a Hirschsprung patient’s colon when stained and viewed under a microscope. The blue ‘daisies’ are, in fact, colonic crypts, deep pockets in the colon tissue lining, which when analysed could help to develop targeted preventive interventions for patients.
From a shortlist of 20, the top three images were selected by the GOSH Young People’s Advisory Group for Research (YPAG), NIHR GOSH BRC colleagues and the GOSH staff networks, before ‘Blooming Barrier’ was chosen as the overall winner by a public vote via social media.
Holland said: “I am honoured that my image resonated with the public. Perhaps the most exciting part of being a scientist is when the routine laboratory work leads to moments of unexpected wonder.
“While capturing my image, I was struck by how such a clinically important tissue sample could also be so beautiful. It reminded me that behind every biological sample and every data point, there's a young patient and their family who are placing their trust and hope in our research.
“It is a privilege to contribute to the groundbreaking work at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and I hope my image helps showcase both the hidden artistry in medical research and the vital work being done to advance children's healthcare.”
Among the highly commended entries was UCL PhD candidate Reem Alkharji’s (UCL GOS Institute of Child Health) image ‘Little Brain’, which was chosen as one of the panel’s favourite images.
‘Little Brain’ shows part of a healthy brain organoid in a stage of differentiation and demonstrates how creating a brain cell environment outside the body using organoids in a dish allows us to closely examine how these cells behave in disease situations.
Professor Thomas Voit (Director of NIHR GOSH UCL Biomedical Research Centre) said: “These intricate images represent the complexity that we are trying to make sense of through our research so we can translate our findings into everyday treatment. They would be equally at home in a science museum or an art gallery.”
Dr Kiki Syrad, Director of Research and Innovation at GOSH, said: “It’s wonderful to see such an amazing breadth of images that demonstrate the vast variety of research and innovation that takes place at GOSH and our collaborators. The floral imagery of the winning entry is so surprising and uplifting.”
Links
- Professor Thomas Voit's academic profile
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health
- UCL Population Health Sciences
- GOSH
- NIHR GOSH BRC
Images
- ‘Blooming Barrier’ by Lucy Holland, PhD student
- ‘Little Brain’ by Reem Alkharji, PhD student
Media contact
Sophie Hunter
