One of my favourite things about using microscopes in my research is the chance to marvel at the beauty of science. These tiny images contain so much insight, and yet are usually seen by so few.
As I started my first semester as Subject Coordinator for Medical Biotechnology, I was eager to change this and showcase our students’ hard work in a fun, immersive gallery experience. And what better place to display their microscopic images than the panoramic projections of the UTS Data Arena?
Microscopy matters: focussing on a vital skill set
Medical Biotechnology is a final year specialist subject for Biotechnology students. Broadly, biotechnology defines the use of living things to make products or improve processes. You may have heard of some great biotech advances like the use of living algae to produce sustainable plastics or bacteria to purify contaminated water. When applied to the medical field, biotech can include promising ways to improve human health including gene therapy, vaccine development, improved diagnosis, and tissue engineering for regenerative medicine.
Students preparing for careers in medical biotechnology undertake group projects that are designed to mimic the scientific research process. They learn how to care for and use human cell cultures in the HIVE Superlab. Experiments involve testing drugs on ovarian or lung cancer cells and assessing their effects.
One way that the effect on cell health and behaviour is observed and measured is by microscopy. Students learn how to set up and use advanced microscopes with fluorescence light sources, allowing them to distinguish between different labelled compartments within individual cells. The images acquired in the lab are then analysed to determine the effect on cell activity and replication. Fluorescent microscopy can be technically challenging, but steady practice throughout the semester sees our students master this valuable skill.
A wraparound visualisation of student achievement
As we neared the end of semester, a collection of beautiful student images was growing rapidly, alongside rising assessment loads and student pressure. Our Monday morning workshops were graced by sleepy faces that were finding it harder and harder to recognise the tremendous achievements they had made in learning valuable skills.
And so, with a little over-enthusiasm and the promise of a sweet reward, I announced the Medical Biotechnology 2024 Image Competition was open! Students were invited to submit images for peer judging in two categories: brightfield and fluorescent. Behind the scenes, I started planning with the UTS Data Arena team how we would use their 360° projectors to showcase the student images.
While I braced for a flood of knockout images, they slowly trickled in with each reminder. But as we approached the final week, and knowing this may be the last university class for many of my students as they completed their degrees, I was determined to showcase their efforts. I scoured their datasets, compiling some of my favourites alongside a few photos I’d snapped of students in the lab.
When the day of the image showcase arrived (on my birthday, no less!), we took students into the Data Arena in groups of 20, where they were greeted with a dark screen and the words:
‘It’s time to celebrate your hard work in Medical Biotechnology’
My selection of student images was then displayed, leading into the competition entries and QR codes for voting. Students moved around the space, identifying their work and nominating their picks for the best and most interesting work.
Seeing possible futures with teacher-led research
To give students a glimpse of what else could be done in this exciting field, I also gathered and displayed images from our teaching staff’s PhD research. This provided wonderful opportunities for the students to appreciate the power of microscopy in medical research, and inquire about their own postgraduate possibilities.
Whilst Krispy Kreme donuts were awarded to our two winning student groups, their feedback showed a more lasting ‘nourishment’ from seeing and hearing about our real-world research experience:
I loved the opportunity for some friendly competition amongst classmates and found the entire experience to be super engaging… I felt an unexpected sense of pride seeing my work displayed in the big projector room in Building 11. I especially loved seeing what you and [the other teachers] have worked so hard to achieve in your careers so far – it’s such an incredibly inspiring experience having the expertise of people like you teaching us.
I enjoyed these experiences and I felt that it was a fun way to wrap up a long semester. In particular, I really enjoyed being able to see the work of our teaching staff in the Data Arena – not only did it look really cool, I also enjoyed listening to the details of the research being conducted.
It made me appreciate the work we had been doing throughout the semester. The highlights were the gallery feeling and the ability to see your work and learn how complex and remarkable it is.
The chance to pause for a moment and allow students to reflect on their achievements, celebrate their successes and draw inspiration for their future careers was, for me, a birthday well spent. With some improved promotion of the event, I intend to repeat it for our next cohort and see what tiny visual wonders we can supersize on my next trip around the sun!