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Wellcome Image Awards 2015 Taking It In
03 April 2015

Taking It In

Resembling a landscape of sprawling mountains, roaring volcanoes and deep canyons, this image of a brain cell is suitably dramatic for the pioneering technology it illustrates. The chasm in the middle of the cell is an incision made by researchers working on novel methods of drug delivery, to allow them to observe the uptake of nanotubes, shown here in red and brown. Only nanometres [billionths of a metre] long, these particles are essentially minute scaffolds of carbon atoms, onto which other molecules, such as drugs or genetic material, can be attached. As they can be engineered to be readily absorbed by cells, nanotubes can then be used to carry these useful molecules into target cells. Being able to intervene in specific cells in the brain would be especially valuable, raising the possibility of delivering treatments to fight neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases.

Written by Emmanuelle Briolat

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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