Journal of Biocommunication Gallery
BioImages: 10 Years of Best of Show Winners
BioComm 2025 Logo

This Journal of Biocommunication Gallery features a selection of the Best of Show Winners from 10 years of BioImages. We have selected the winning entries of the last decade to showcase the variety, breadth and depth of work in these award-winning images.

BioImages is the BioCommunications Association's annual visual media competition that showcases the finest still, graphics and motion media work in the life sciences and medicine. Entries are evaluated by a distinguished panel of judges based on intent, execution, design and impact. In 2021 a new judging procedure was developed and implemented, award names and categories were changed. Prior to 2021 the top awards were the Best of Show, Award of Excellence and Citation of Merit plus the Special Awards.

History of BioImages
The BioImages Exhibition – originally called the Print Salon – was proposed by the Biological Photographic Association [founded in 1931] to engage new members. The first Salon was held in 1934 at the newly formed Association's annual meeting. Today the Exhibition’s goals have not changed since those early beginnings. BioImages seeks to identify and showcase the best still and moving biological and medical images made from across the world each year.

BioImages 2025 opens for entries on January 1st, 2025 and closes for judging on January 31st, 2025 with winners to be announced at BIOCOMM 2025.



2023: Atrial Septum Closure by Taylor Parker

Atrial Septum Closure Taylor Parker
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota, USA


ASD closure is a procedure to close an atrial septal defect. This defect occurs when part of the septum, the tissue that separates the upper two heart chambers, doesn't form properly. This causes a hole in the heart that doesn't close on it's own and requires repair. A patch can be taken from the pericardium or from synthetic materials such as Dacron or Teflon.

Purpose
Image was created for patient record documentation as well as research and education purposes. The purpose was to document the closure of an atrial septal defect.

Equipment/Technique
Canon 5D Mark IV w/ Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L


2022: Mitosis by Allison Bruce

Allison Bruce
A.K. Bruce Design
Brisbane, CA, US


This illustration features one of the main characteristics defining cancer, the presence of abnormal cells dividing without control. This is a major focus of cancer research. This image illustrates several stages of cell division or mitosis, a process of nuclear division in eukaryotic cells that occurs when a parent cell divides to produce two identical daughter cells. The stages illustrated here include interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.

Purpose
The illustration was commissioned artwork for lobby of ORIC Pharmaceuticals Inc. to highlight their mission in overcoming resistance in cancer.

Equipment/Technique
Alcohol ink paint, Adobe Illustrator, and Photoshop
Mitosis


2021: Neon Larva by Karl Gaff

Neon Larva Karl Gaff
TU Dublin
Dublin, Ireland


Glowing like neon, the anatomy of this Chironimidae larva (midge) is made visible through the darkfield compensated polarised light configuration on the optical microscope. A compensation plate in the light path transforms phase information into colour that our eyes can detect. Its muscle fibers can be seen to 'glow' in different colours, blue, cyan, orange and green. The observed colour is dependent on the orientation of the muscle fibers, whilst the intensity of the colour is dependent on the density of the bundles. The muscle fibers appear to glow because they exhibit an opto-structural property called birefringence. The complicated system of branches is its vascular system which delivers oxygen rich blood to all parts of its body. It can be seen from the contents of its intestine that it clearly enjoys a vegetarian meal. The shiny yellow particles within the intestine appear to glow yellow due to strong birefringence effects. Differentiating pigmentation cells on its epidermis are clearly visible. The image consists of 7 focus stacks all of which are seamlessly blended together to appear as one high resolution image.

Purpose
The image was created as a fusion of art and science and to show how beautiful nature is. It shows how something that is generally thought of as being 'disgusting' can look so beautiful when you know how to look. The image was made with a desire to show the immense complexity of life and to inspire people to wonder, explore, and investigate the natural world. The image was created for the Olympus Life Science 2022 calendar which will be distributed internationally to universities and research institutions, hospitals and clinics and other Olympus Life Science customers. For more information about this and other images, you can visit my website at http://www.kgaffphotography.com/

Equipment/Technique
Darkfield Compensated Polarised Light / Olympus BX51, X-Line 10x/0.4, Sony A7 RII


2020: Heartworm Life Cycle for Professionals by Joe Sampson, MA, CMI, Stephen Jones, DVM, and Joe Jones

Joe Sampson MA, CMI
Stephen Jones, DVM
Joe Jones

University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Educational Resources
Athens, Georgia, United States
Heartworm Life Cycle for Professionals


2019: CRISPR-Cas9: Mechanisms and Applications by Fabian de-Kok Mercado and Laura Bonetta

Initial Dog Bite Injuries and Repair Surgery Fabian de Kok-Mercado and Laura Bonetta

HHMI BioInteractive
Chevy Chase, MD, US


2018: C Section "It's a Baby Girl" by David Bishop, BSc

David Bishop, BSc

University College London
London, England, UK
It's a Baby Girl


2017: Virus Explorer by Fabian de Kok-Mercado, Aileen O'Hearn, Laura Bonetta, Dennis Liu, Neil Steinberg, and Ethan Goldstine

Virus Explorer Fabian de Kok-Mercado, Aileen O'Hearn, Laura Bonetta, Dennis Liu, Neil Steinberg, and Etaen Goldstine

HHMI BioInteractive
Chevy Chase, MD, US


2016: Lifecycle of Basidiomycota by Jonathan Bowen

Jonathan Bowen, MS

University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, IL, US
Lifecycle of a Basidiomycota


2015: RCH Education Institute Year in Review by Christine Goerner

RCH Education Institute Year in Review Christine Goerner

The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
Melbourne, Australia


2014: Cell Division by Oliver Meckes and Nicole Ottawa

Oliver Meckes and Nicole Ottawa

Eye of Science
Reutlingen, Germany
Cell Division