Gone are the days of paintbrushes, pencils and pottery- an exhibition in northern NSW heralds digital microscopy as the newest form of art.

• 18 June 2010

The exhibition, ‘Through the Lens’, features stunning photographs captured through the lenses of microscopes, cameras, DNA sequencing and other scientific equipment by scientists in the course of conducting their medical research.

The winning photo, ‘Hidden Dangers of the Beach’ looks at a sample of skin approximately six strands of hair wide to examine damage to collagen fibres that weakens the overlying skin and can contribute to melanomas.

Scientist, and artist, Dr Ricardo Vilain, one of three responsible for the winning entry, said the image captured the price skin pays when we go out in the sun unprotected.

“When I look at this image as a scientist, I’m looking for a story. I want to know what has happened to the skin in order for it to give rise to a melanoma.  

“Some people with no sun damage can get melanomas and others have a lot of sun damage but don’t develop melanomas. I’m trying to determine the genetic difference between those two groups of people,” Dr Villain said.

“Usually you just look at images like this for numbers for facts, but sometimes you can be taken back by the sheer beauty of science,” he said.

Another artwork by PhD student Belinda Nixon is an image of a section of mouse testes.

The artwork, which will be used as Christmas paper by the exhibiting library later this year, is the result of an investigation into the effects of toxic chemical acrylamide on male infertility.

The exhibition is the result of a competition held by Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) in northern NSW which aims to engage the general public in science through art.

“This is an opportunity for Hunter researchers to share the beauty that they see each day with members of our community who so readily support their research,” Director of HRMI Professor Maree Gleeson said.

“When someone is sick and suffering, illness often leaves us frightened and confused about what is happening to us or someone we love. We don’t usually associate disease with beauty and joy.

“But our researchers have opened up the doors of their laboratories and each of the 10 images selected as finalists take away some of the mystery associated with illness and provide a visual image of mother-nature and why sometimes things go wrong,” she said.

The photos will be available for public viewing at Wallsend District Library in Newcastle until June 29 2010.

Thumbnail image: ”Symmetry in Chaos” by Michelle Wong is a picture of intestinal polyps that could potentially become full-fledged intestinal tumours.