Gibco Image Contest 2025 Winners

I am a PhD/MBA candidate in Biological Sciences at the University of Delaware, where my research focuses on the actin cytoskeleton and biomechanics of the ocular lens. My work examines how actin-associated proteins shape lens fiber-cell architecture and overall lens stiffness and clarity.

Throughout my PhD, I have become passionate about microscopy, especially confocal imaging, as a way to visualize cellular organization and protein localization.

My long-term goal is to combine scientific expertise and communication with strategic thinking to advance impactful work at the intersection of research, innovation, and human health.

I am fascinated by interactions between bacteria and host cells in animals and humans, spanning from symbiotic relationships in the deep sea—what I studied during my PhD—to infectious diseases such as Helicobacter pylori in the human stomach, which I am currently studying in my postdoc. The core of my research is how spatial organization and site-specific chemistry shape these host–microbe interactions, and I am developing tools that enable us to view these interactions from new perspectives. For example, by combining mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) with fluorescence microscopy, I can determine which metabolites are produced by bacteria and host cells within infected tissues at a spatial resolution of tens of micrometers.

Bioengineer, Stem Cell Researcher and BioTech Entrepreneur.

My research career started at Bar-Ilan University with a fascinating study of neuromuscular diseases and use of Stem Cells and Extracellular Vesicles for their therapy. My next steps (during COVID outbreak) lead me to the industry, where I was employed as R&D Lead and Senior Scientist in several Biotech start-up companies. Eventually, I was fortunate to join as a Research Fellow at the Department of Dermatology at Mass General Hospital in Boston, MA, where I am happy to develop novel Bioengineering and Biophysical techniques for tissue regeneration and laser-based therapeutics. Microscopy and Imaging are the fields I love the most, since that’s the best way to make the science accessible and easier to understand for everyone.

I am currently an Associate Scientist II at the ALS Therapy Development Institute, where I collaborate with Dr. Kyle Denton to investigate the underlying pathological mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using immunocytochemistry and high-content neuronal imaging. My academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology and a master’s in human physiology, both of which sparked my interest in neuroscience and electrophysiology. Since then, I have developed expertise in immunocytochemistry, neuronal differentiation, and high-content imaging. In my current role, I focus on applying these approaches to study disease-relevant mechanisms. Looking ahead, I aim to continue contributing to research that advances our understanding of ALS and supports the development of potential therapeutic strategies.

I am currently pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, working in Dr. Ben Sorum’s lab. My primary research focuses on mechanosensitive potassium channels; specifically, how mechanical stimulation rapidly activates these channels to modulate potassium flux and influence neuronal activity on a microsecond timescale. I am also involved in additional projects, including traumatic brain injury research using non-invasive focused ultrasound and neuromodulation approaches.

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I earned my PhD in Japan, my master’s in Taiwan, and my bachelor’s in Mongolia. Having studied across several countries, including time in Russia and Canada, I’m driven by curiosity, a love of travel, and a passion for challenging myself in new environments and fields.

The Pulmonary Injury, Inflammation, and Repair Lab (PIIRL) aims to understand how inflammation resolves and tissue repair occurs following lung injury, especially in the context of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), by identifying key mediators of microvascular endothelial cell (MVEC) dysfunction and inflammation, with the ultimate goal of discovering novel therapeutic targets. Our projects include studying how enzymes like metalloproteinases and their inhibitors (TIMPs) regulate MVEC dysfunction, macrophage behaviour, and fibrosis, as well as how caspase-mediated cell death contributes to endothelial injury in models of sepsis, infection or chemical insult, under different conditions such as aging or exercise. To contribute to such goals in our own lab, we isolate mouse endothelial cells and confirm their identity by immunostaining with the tight-junction marker Claudin 5, thereby ensuring we work with bona fide endothelial cells for downstream experiments.

I recently graduated with my PhD in biomedical engineering from Vanderbilt University in May 2025. While at Vanderbilt, I worked in Dr. Jonathan Brunger’s lab where I engineered cells with synthetic receptors to respond to native inflammatory cytokines to address regenerative medicine and Parkinson’s disease. Currently, I am working as a project manager in regulatory affairs.

I am currently a fifth-year PhD candidate with a long-standing interest in how metabolism changes in disease. My research focuses on understanding metabolic regulation in cardiovascular biology, with a particular emphasis on the role of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs). I am especially interested in how these non-coding RNAs influence cardiac physiology and contribute to molecular changes during stress or disease. Throughout my academic journey, I’ve been driven by a curiosity about how metabolic pathways adapt and how these adaptations can guide new therapeutic strategies.

I am currently a PhD candidate in Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford University. I have been working in the Amieva lab since 2020 and have learned to see a lot by just looking. I had never done fluorescent microscopy before joining the Amieva lab, but am excited to now take my training into a postdoc in academia or in industry to continue seeing the unseen.

I started my PhD in 2023 after completing a Master's degree in Neurosciences and Signalling in France with various placements. One of my placements sparked a vivid interest in ion channels and electrophysiology which is what I decided to continue doing for my thesis work. I am currently starting my 3rd (and probably last) year of PhD which is about the roles of specific ion channels—called ASICs (Acid-Sensing Ion Channels)—and lipids in pain. During that project I did mainly electrophysiology but eventually started dedicating quite a lot of time to microscopy to study the impact of lipids on membranes.