A CELESTIAL DANCE OF THE BRAIN
VISUAL ART
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SCIENCE
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TECHNOLOGY
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VISUAL ART - SCIENCE - TECHNOLOGY -
by Sofia Syntaka
“I felt excitement and inspired by the beauty of it along with curiosity about the reasons and mechanisms that lead to this interaction and how it may be disrupted during disease”
Witness the elegant interaction between two key players in brain's defence system: Microglia (yellow) extends towards the star-like astrocyte (magenta), dancing the celestial waltz of the brain. They communicate and collaborate, safeguarding the delicate neuronal environment. This snapshot offers a glimpse into the fascinating world of immune cell dynamics, shedding light on their role in diseases.
A description from Sofia:
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Motor Neuron disease, is a rare and progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor neurons, the nerve cells that connect the brain to muscles, in the brain and spinal cord.
In our investigation of ALS, we are closely examining the interplay between immune cells and neurons within the central nervous system. Our research focuses on understanding how the immune cells influence neuronal health and function in the context of ALS pathology. By elucidating their dynamic interactions, we aim to uncover the mechanisms underlying inflammation and neuronal death in ALS.
Through our studies, we strive to identify potential therapeutic targets aimed at modulating immune cell responses to protect and support vulnerable neurons in ALS patients. For this purpose, we are using stem cells derived from patients with ALS to generate microglia, neurons and astrocytes. Subsequently, cell types are placed together at defined ratios to establish a model of neuro-inflammation. Using methods such as Confocal Microscopy (as seen in the image), we aim to uncover the complex interplay of processes that contribute to neuronal damage.
I would like to thank the Lieberam Lab at King's College London for their valuable guidance and support on this work.
What’s your background in the world of science?
I completed a bachelor's degree in biology in Greece. Afterwards, I completed a MRes in Translational Neuroscience at UCL and currently, I am finishing my PhD in Advanced Therapies for Regenerative Medicine at KCL. My PhD project focuses on a severe disease called ALS which causes paralysis and currently has no cure
What does the title of your piece signify?
A “celestial dance of the brain” is a reference to the complicated interaction of microglia, the immune system of the brain, with the star-like astrocytes aiming to protect and regulate neurons and their activity
At what stage of your research did you take this image?
In my 3rd year of PhD. Developing all three cell types in the lab and placing them together was a long and challenging process which required careful optimisation and resilience after many failures
How did it make you feel seeing this image whilst you were doing your research?
I felt excitement and inspired by the beauty of it along with curiosity about the reasons and mechanisms that lead to this interaction and how it may be disrupted during disease
Do you know how these sorts of interactions are disrupted?
This is the subject of ongoing research but we know that during disease, microglia loose their homeostatic or “helpful and protective” functions and release molecules that are toxic to the neurons and astrocytes
Welcome sofia!
I feel grateful and excited for the chance to share the fascinating world of neuroimmunology with non-scientists, raising awareness about rare diseases and our ongoing efforts to understand and cure them
