The Cultured Mind by Dr Helen McRae, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.
The Cultured Mind by Dr Helen McRae, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. These brain neurons have been grown in a laboratory dish to enable the study of how different genes and proteins impact their function. This field of research has revealed important new aspects of how our brains develop, and what happens to neurons in neurodegenerative disorders. Copyright Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
Stroke by Dr Alison Farley, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.
Stroke by Dr Alison Farley, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. This image shows the intricate network of blood vessels in the brain surrounding a large brain bleed (red) which occurred because of low platelet numbers and resulted in a stroke. Platelets are tiny blood cells which are essential for blood clotting. By understanding the biology of platelets, our researchers are working towards better treatments for a range of conditions. Copyright Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
Croissant
This sphere of cells, called a ‘pneumosphere’, was grown in the laboratory from lung stem cells. It was used to investigate how lung cells develop and function – an important step to understanding how diseases arise during lung development, and what goes wrong in the lung to cause cancer. Copyright Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.
Milky Way by Caleb Dawson, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.
Milky Way by Caleb Dawson, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. This cluster of intricately decorated spheres is actually a magnified snapshot of a mammary gland during milk production (lactation). Muscles, which squeeze milk out of the gland, can be seen in yellow. The tiny purple flecks are immune cells, keeping the tissue healthy and free of infection. These images help our researchers to understand how breast tissue and the immune system work together to enable milk production. Copyright Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
Parasite Playground by Dr Louise Baker, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.
Parasite Playground by Dr Louise Baker, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. This image shows recently hatched larvae from the parasitic worm, Ascaris, which is a significant cause of gastrointestinal disease and malnutrition in developing countries. Our researchers aim to discover new therapeutic approaches to treat parasitic worm infections. Copyright Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
Extracellualar matrix by Tom Cox at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Extracellualar matrix by Tom Cox at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. The extracellular matrix is the 'web' of molecules that surrounds and organises the cells in the body. It is the key to ensuring cells in tissues and organs behave correctly. The matrix is made up of hundreds of building blocks. This image, from Dr Thomas Cox at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, shows collagen IV - an important part of the matrix that surrounds blood vessels and the milk-producing ducts. Copyright Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Connections for Life by Dr Toby Merson, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.
Connections for Life by Dr Toby Merson, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. This image depicts two different types of brain cells, neurons and astrocytes, which were grown in the laboratory from brain stem cells. Understanding how the brain develops has given researchers important insights into both developmental disorders as well as neurodegenerative conditions. Copyright Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
Midnight Bloom by Sabrina Lewis and Dr Leigh Coultas, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.
Midnight Bloom by Sabrina Lewis and Dr Leigh Coultas, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. The retina at the back of our eye detects light and converts it into nerve impulses which are sent to the brain – how we see. This image shows the radiating network of blood vessels in the retina that nourish the light-detecting cells. This image is helping our researchers to understanding of how blood vessel growth and loss impacts eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Copyright Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
Electrifying by Dr Raymond Yip, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.
Electrifying by Dr Raymond Yip, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. When breast cancer cells invade the bone, some may stay dormant for years before being reactivated and causing cancer recurrence. High-resolution, 3D imaging is enabling our researchers to see these tumours growing within the bone. The breast cancer cells can be seen in magenta, surrounded by yellow and cyan blood vessels that help the tumour to form. Blocking these blood vessels from forming may stop the tumour from growing. Copyright Walter and Eliza Hall Institute