Neuropix
Illuminating the wonders of the brain
Research at The Florey is geared at unravelling the complexities of neural circuits, studying neurodevelopmental processes, investigating disease mechanisms, and exploring potential therapeutic strategies for neurological disorders.
Microscopy techniques play a critical role in advancing our understanding of the brain’s structure and function. The Neuropix Imaging competition highlights these research efforts through a microscopic lens.
We hope to inspire the next generation of researchers through the power of imaging.
2024 winners
Neural Love
Scientific Award – Montanna Waters, Epilepsy Functional Genomics Group
Captured on the Nikon-Crest spinning disk confocal, this image visualises stem cells that have become neural progenitor cells. This includes early brain cells (red), cell nuclei (blue), and N-cadherin, a protein that helps cells stick together (green).
In the image, the cells have arranged around the central space in such a way where the green appears to be in the shape of a heart.
Cosmic Mitoneurons
People’s Choice Award – Chiara Parvan, Stem Cells and Neuronal Development Group
Captured on the Leica Thunder microscope, this image depicts dopaminergic neurons (neurons that undergo neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease) highlighted in white, mitochondria organelles within neurons in green, and pathological mitochondria in magenta.
2024 entrants
A Rewarding Encounter
Dopaminergic neuron (labelled in magenta) surrounded by other brain cells. This allows us to study new therapies for Parkinson’s. The nuclei of the cells are labelled in blue.
Abyssal Sentinel Eye of the Cosmos
This image shows astrocytes (in green), important support cells in the brain, derived from an ALS patient carrying C9ORF72 mutation. Human nuclei are marked in red.
Brain Fireworks
Microglia, the immune cells of the brain, in a dish. In white is the nuclei of the microglia. These cells were derived from, undifferentiated cells, which are capable of giving rise to any cell type of the body.
Bundle of Nerves (Just Like Me)
Genetically modified brain showing transplanted human myelin sheaths in green.
Electrostorm Sparks
Astrocytes (labelled in green) from patient with familial ALS/MND. Human nucleus are labelled in blue.
Helping Neurons Reach their Potential and Go the Distance
(Green) transplanted myelin in the corpus callosum and striatum of a genetically modified brain.
Island
Glioma cell (labelled in green) infiltrated brain. The ‘islands’ are seen on the edge of the glioma tumour mass. Brain cells are labelled in blue.
Neural Rhapsody
This image shows astrocyte (turquoise). Lipofuscin, pigment granules composed of lipid-containing residues, are labelled in pink. Cell nuclei are marked in yellow.
Powerhouse on Fire
Mitochondria (in red) of neurons and the immune protein Gasdermin-E (in green).
Reduce Reuse Recycle
Autophagy (labelled in green by the key autophagy gene, Atg7), astrocytes (labelled in red by GFAP). Nuclei are labelled in blue.
River of the Life
TDP-43 proteinopathy (in red) in hippocampus and neurons in green.
Tangled up in Red
Genetically engineered neurons (labelled in green), with the entire branches and structure of a specific neuron (labelled in red). Brain cells are labelled blue.
That's a Wrap!
Transplanted human myelin (green) wrapping around genetically modified brain axons.
The Birth of the Brain
Formation of brain-like systems 24 hours after formation from stem cells. The different colours show the different populations of cell types necessary for life.
The Brains Bouncers
In red we can see endothelial cells, the primary unit of blood vessels, and in green we can see astrocytes, a type of neural cell that intimately associates with the vessel.
The Heart
Glioma cells (green) and how they form tumour mass in the brain. It was taken at the very edge of a brain tumour mass and the injection route can also be seen. Brain cells are in blue.
Tree of life – How Neurons Connect Us All
The bridge between nerve cells (orange) and muscle (green), the integral connections that enable us to move our muscles and bodies.
Views of Earth from Space
The green colour highlights N-cadherin, a protein that helps cells stick together. The blue color marks the cell nuclei, which are the central parts of the cells that contain their genetic material.
Why Aren't We Studying Morphology Instead
Pyramidal neurons in the cortex labelled with green fluorescent protein. These cells are one of the main cell types in our brain. All cell bodies are labelled in blue to provide a background reference.
2023 winners
Sparkling Pink Heart
Scientific Award – Shivani Vaidya, Addiction Neuroscience Group
Captured on an LSM 900 confocal microscope, this combined image depicts two different hemispheres of the medial habenula.
The cell nucleus (pink) is surrounded by VGLUT1 mRNA (white).
Wysteria Joy
People’s Choice Award – Chau Tran, Personalised Therapeutics Group
Using a Zeiss LSM 900 microscope, this image shows surviving motor neurons from patients with motor neurone disease in mouse brains after 6 months.
Lower motor neurons are labelled with CHAT (green) and purple 8-OHG, biomarker of oxidative stress.
2023 entrants
Synaptic transmission in brain organoids
Pamela Kairath (PhD), Research Fellow
Brain organoids neurons, VGlut1, vglumate transporter 1 in pink, nuclei in blue and tubulin β3 in yellow.
Overview of a spinal cord organoid
Lijun Loh, PhD student
Motor neurons in green and neurofilaments in red.
A neuromuscular organoid
Nirma Perera (PhD), Senior Research Officer
MND patient stem cell-derived organoid shows red nerve cells, blue nuclei and green autophagy protein.
Bright cells meeting at the river of the ventricle
Alexandra Fraser, MPhil student
Stress marker c-fos in green and nuclei (blue) in a brain exposed to Porsolt test.
Jackson Pollock (reborn)
Francois-Xavier Beau, PhD student
Human lab-grown ‘mini-brain’. Oligodendrocytes (immature in green and mature in orange) can be seen doing their own thing (myelin in red), nuclei in blue.
Breaking Barriers: Novel peptide-linked drugs penetrate the blood-brain barrier
Azin Amin (PhD), Research Fellow
The successful journey of drugs conjugated to a novel peptide (magenta) as they traverse the blood-brain barrier, escaping blood vessels (green) to reach the neurons (red) within the brain. Astrocytes in yellow and nuclei blue.
Microscopic biological sword
Hannah Truong (PhD), Postdoctoral Research Officer
Live adult C.elegans worms fed with GFP tagged Ferritin (FTN-2:GFP) and mounted onto glass slide. Head and body image was captured by SP8 confocal microscope equipped with 20x optical lens.
OH MY oliGODendrocyte!
Katherine (Katie) Lewis, PhD student
Oligodendroglia are the myelinating cells and are essential for maintaining brain health. Nuclei (blue), PDGFR⍺ (green; stains for oligodendrocyte precursor cells), EdU (magenta; marks cell proliferation).
Our microscopy services
The Florey Microscopy Facility supports in-house scientists and visitors in using advanced light microscopy methods for their research.
The facility houses a collection of state-of-the-art microscopy equipment and image processing tools. The experienced microscopy team are also available to assist users throughout the entire process of microscopic imaging.
All images as part of the Neuropix Imaging Competition are copyright of The Florey and cannot be reproduced without permission.