Judges' choice winning image: IA: (I)nsightful (A)spirations Towards Merging Human Knowledge with (A)rtificial (I)ntelligence in Cardiology by Mohanad Alkhodari (CVM, RDM, Leeson Group)
In advance of the symposium, judges from across the network assessed the entries on scientific factors such as how well the image fitted the Oxford BHF CRE research themes, and the narrative to accompany it; as well as aesthetic criteria such as clarity, composition and visual impact.
With entries from numerous research groups and using a variety of techniques such as electron microscopy, antibody staining, immunofluorescence, and editor maniuplation with Adobe Photoshop, judges were sometimes divided, and final scores close between a number of the entries.
The winner of the judges' choice was announced as first year DPhil student Mohanad Alkhodari of the Leeson Group. Mohanad, who enjoys graphic design around his studies, produced a thought-provoking manipulated image celebrating the fusion of AI and human intelligence in medical research, as well as two representations of the heart: one using AI to produce artificial neural networks, and the other doppler echocardiography.
The remaining images were displayed at the symposium, allowing the audience to vote for their favourite. At the end of the day, Rebecca-Ann Burton of Pharmacology was announced as the winner for her striikng and extraordinarily clear image of a blood clot, produced using scanning electron microscopy.
Winner of the audience vote: Scanning Electron Micrograph of a blood clot, by Rebecca-Ann Burton (Pharmacology, Burton Group)
Many congratulations to both Mohanad and Rebecca, and thank you to all the competitors for producing so many arresting and interesting images, making for such an exciting competition. We look forward to showcasing other images on our website in the coming weeks.