Microscopy magic wins top prize

Dr Paul Andrews, of the School of Life Sciences, has scooped another prize for his remarkable work in photographing cancer cells. Paul was awarded a top prize in the international Nikon 2005 Small World Photomicrography Competition, a competition in which he has enjoyed previous success.

Paul, a researcher in the Division of Gene Regulation and Expression, was one of only two winning entries from the UK, for his submission of an image of cell division.

His prize-winning image shows a cancer cell caught in the act of dividing its chromosomes (shown in white) into two new cells. It does this using the mechanics of the cytoskeleton, which is made up of the microtubule spindle (this part attaches to chromosomes and is shown in purple) and the actin filament network which helps the cell divide into two (shown in blue). Knowing the detailed way in which cells accurately achieve this segregation event is critical for an in depth understanding of cancer.

The International microscopy competition is open to all disciplines of science and received over 1700 entrants. The first twenty prize-winning images are exhibited at numerous museums and science centres throughout the United States.