The circles of my (mice's) mind - from Cheryl Penn

[Marie Wintzer]

This title must sound rather puzzling to you, but let me try to explain. A few months ago when I just met Cheryl she asked me what (on earth) I was doing in Japan. I told her a little bit about my job which, in a very small nutshell, consists of drawing circles around mouse brain cells after they have been in a square or in a round box. A tiny drop in the huge sea of the research going on in the field of learning and memory. I think we are both fascinated by the way memory is encoded in our mind, and more generally by how our "inner world" is physically represented in the cells of our brain. I promised her at the time that I would make some "art" with my data, but my inspiration has gone downhill ever since. This is Cheryl's way of gently pushing me to work on it and starting me up on that project.

What Cheryl did here is really quite amazing. She used X-rays from long-time sick friends (correct me if I'm wrong here, Cheryl) and gave them a new life. I can't quite describe how it feels to hold this in my hands.
"How Does A World Function Under The Skin?"
Being a biologist AND a massive hypochondriac, I think there is not a day passing without me asking myself this question. What is going on now under my skin? How can this amazingly complex machine keep functioning day after day after day? What happens when it actually doesn't?
Thank you for sending me such a precious and FAB work, Cheryl. I don't think I can ever come up with anything half as good as this with my mice's circles, but I will be sending you something for sure.

 

[De Villo Sloan]

Wonderful crossover between art and science. Marie, I hope you pursue the idea of integrating things from your research work.

[Bifidus Jones]

Great topic for exploration. The poetry of bones brought to the surface--nicely done

[cheryl penn]

Hey Maire - great blog - your photographic skills are AMAZING - do you have a macro lens??? I am in the process of deciding what to buy - I just do NOT want to look like one of those sports reporters at big matches - my word, their cameras are bigger than them... The x-rays - o - friends in high places :-) I have another friend who knows someone - you know the story and she collected a whole lot more x-rays for me on Friday - so there is going to be more of this!!! But yes - this was my friend Andy's wrist... I didnt know they recyecled the x-rays for silver?  Some were head scans - I can SEE the memory and experience threads.  She said I couldn't, but I can :-)