Cancer on Canvas

Aiming to make sense of life and disease, scientists often look for patterns in groups of genes, or examine patient data found across the globe. Some take a completely fresh perspective. In this oil painting, “Looking forward”, cancer researcher Dhruba Deb, shares his interpretation of the spread of the disease. At the centre, healthy cells (green) send chemical, paracrine signals to invading red-coloured cancer cells. The scene captures the irony of cancer progression – immune cells (blue) aim to destroy the cancer, while the body tries to accommodate the cells’ demands – developing new blood vessels to support the cancer (known as angiogenesis, bottom left). The struggles between tumour cells and their environment present a puzzle that often weighs heavy on researchers’ minds. Perhaps few turn to fine art, but most are never far from a notebook and pen – scribbled diagrams that are as precious for clarity as the latest data analysis.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

Writer

A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Artwork by Dhruba Deb, Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
• Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
• Copyright held by Dhruba Deb ©2016. Reproduced with permission.
• Profile published in PNAS, January 2018