We appreciate the value in combining art with science to reach a broader audience. Below are images from the Dewey Lab which connect these two principles. Keep checking back for new content captured and created by current researchers!

SEM image of fibroblasts secreting MBV
SEM image of fibroblasts secreting MBV

Human fibroblasts secreting matrix-bound nanovesicles- Image featured on the cover of the Journal of Extracellular Biology (Dr. Dewey, 2024)

False-colored scanning electron microscopy image of human fibroblasts secreting matrix-bound nanovesicles (MBV, orange), a type of extracellular vesicle embedded in the extracellular matrix.

P. aeruginosa bacteria on mineralized collagen scaffold
P. aeruginosa bacteria on mineralized collagen scaffold

 

Bacteria cells on a collagen scaffold- Image Featured on National Science Foundation Multimedia Gallery (Dr. Dewey, 2023, UIUC)

Cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (orange), a harmful species of bacteria, are scattered over the surface of a collagen scaffold (blue).

Hyperelastic bone 3D-print
Hyperelastic bone 3D-print

 

Hyperelastic Bone 3D-print- Society for Biomaterials ECTM SIG Sci-Art Image Competition Winner (Dr. Dewey, 2022, UIUC)

This is a false-colored SEM image of a 3D-print fabricated by Dimension Inx LLC (Chicago, IL). This material has been used for bone repair applications as the mineral crystals and unique polymer chemistry allow for flexibility and porosity.

Mineralized collagen crystals
Mineralized collagen crystals

 

Mineralized collagen scaffold showing mineral crystals and collagen fibers- Image Featured on National Science Foundation Multimedia Gallery (Dr. Dewey, 2022. UIUC) 

Electron microscope (SEM) image of a mineralized collagen scaffold showing mineral crystals and collagen fibers. The color was added by researchers.

Hyperelastic Bone 3D-print
Hyperelastic Bone 3D-print

 

Hyperelastic Bone Galaxy- Beckman Institute Graduate Student Image of Research Contest Winner (Dr. Dewey, 2020, UIUC)

This is a false-colored SEM image of a 3D-print fabricated by Dimension Inx LLC (Chicago, IL). This material has been used for bone repair applications as the mineral crystals and unique polymer chemistry allow for flexibility and porosity.

Composite material of PLA and collagen
Composite material of PLA and collagen

 

Mineralized collagen-PLA composite- Finalist for the Graduate Image of Research Contest (Dr. Dewey, 2018, UIUC)

Mineralized collagen scaffolds are soft, porous materials used for bone repair, but are mechanically weak. To better match mechanical properties of bone, a polylactic acid (PLA) 3D-print was embedded within the collagen to create a composite with stiffer properties while still allowing for cell infiltration. This is an SEM image demonstrating the 3D-print (blue) within the collagen (orange).