What happens when you mix neuroscience with Andy Warhol’s “Marilyn Diptych” and “Eight Elvises”?
Dana Simmons, an art-loving neuroscientist at the University of Chicago, had an opportunity to answer that very question.
With $500,000 worth of sophisticated lab equipment, and Mr. Warhol as a source of inspiration, Dana injected living neurons with special dyes using an incredibly difficult procedure to create artworks that encourages other scientists to explore their creative side.
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“Just as Andy Warhol wanted to show that there is art in everyday objects, I wanted to show that there is art in the brain,” said Dana.
While most brain art are hand-drawn or digitally created, Dana’s approach is unique because she uses actual Purkinje cells, a special group of neurons that reside at the back of the brain. As a result, Dana’s first-of-its-kind images were recently honored when she became a recipient of New England Biolabs Passion in Science Awards®, which recognizes scientists from all over the globe, but not in the traditional sense.
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“The Passion in Science Awards is turning conventional science awards on their heads by showing that science goes beyond just basic research. We often forget that science also has a vibrant culture that parallels the art community, which helps make science more accessible to a wider audience,” said Dana.
Dana isn’t the first person to receive the Passion in Science Awards for her artistic undertakings. In 2014, Tal Danino from MIT was also a winner for using cancer cells and bacteria to create living tessellated art.
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