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.

Hidden Dangers of the Beach - Dr Nikola Bowden, Dr Ricardo Vilain and Dr Katie Ashton

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.

Window to Spermatogenesis - Belinda Jean Nixon

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.

The exhibition and symposium brought together several partners including AIATSIS, the CSIRO, Curtin University, the International Centre for Radio Astronomy (ICRAR), Yamaji Art and the Mid West Development Commission.

AIATSIS co-hosted the first ever Indigenous Astronomy Symposium, coinciding with the Ilgarijiri: Things belonging to the sky exhibition by Yamaji artists.

With a full house of over 70 people in the Mabo Room, AIATSIS Principal Russell Taylor said the Institute was honoured to bring together such an inspirational group of people.

“AIATSIS aims to be the nexus between community, academia and policy makers – and today we have shown that this is a format that everyone finds engaging and exciting,” Mr Taylor said.

“We aimed to give everyone a chance to hear different perspectives of the night sky, to share knowledge and build new relationships and perhaps partnerships.

“The response has been overwhelming and we at AIATSIS are delighted to enable this kind of meeting place.”

Eleven Indigenous and non-Indigenous speakers presented at the Symposium on many themes of the night sky. Yamaji Arts Coordinator Charmaine Green told of when Yamaji artists and scientists took to the bush and created the Ilgarijiri project. Researcher Duane Hamacher told of how astronomers are working with Aboriginal dreaming stories to locate meteorite falls and craters that are new to Western science. John Whop explained the philosophy of Tagai in the Torres Strait and Munya Andrews explained Aboriginal astronomy through Aboriginal art, rock art and cultural artefacts including stone circles, bora grounds and Dreamtime stories.

Audio from the Indigenous Astronomy Symposium will be available at: http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/research/symposia/astronomy09.html#program in the coming weeks, and a publication is planned for 2010. 

Ilgarijiri: Things belonging to the Sky is free and open to the public Monday –Friday 9am-5pm and Saturdays 10am-4pm throughout December. It is also open Monday-Fridays in January, expect for the shutdown (25 Dec-4 Jan). AIATSIS is located at Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula (next to the National Museum of Australia).