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Reflections of Research, 2005-2024: Reflections from former winners
“When combined, art and science can help us see things in a way that words alone can rarely match” - Dr Jasmine Pradissitto FRSA – Artist, Scientist and Reflections of Research Judge, 2014
The BHF’s Reflections of Research (RoR) competition, which showcases the cutting-edge cardiovascular science of BHF-funded researchers through their creative, engaging and inspiring images, has been a fixture in the BHF calendar since 2005, surviving even the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst the Judging Panel, and research landscape, may have changed over the years, what has endured is the dazzling creativity and imagination of the BHF’s research alumni community. Together, their beautiful images help to tell the story of BHF-funded science. To revisit just some of its chapters, we went on a hunt for some of Reflections of Research’s previous winners, to find out more about their creative process, where their career has taken them, and why this competition is so important…
‘Feeding the Heart’ by Professor Nic Smith – winner in 2011
Nic, who was Head and Professor of Biomedical Engineering at King’s College London in 2011, is now Vice-Chancellor of Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington, in his native New Zealand.
1. ‘Feeding the Heart’ was crowned the Judge’s Winner in 2011 when you were based between King’s College and Oxford. Tell us a little about your journey since then.
It was through that work, which started at Oxford and carried through to King’s College, that we brought the fields of mathematics and physiology into medicine. One of the exciting parts was that we got to see how this beautiful theoretical framework could have a human impact. That work has carried on in London, with a number of those who were my students, now academics in their own right, continuing to work at the interface between computer science, mathematics and cardiology.
I went in a different direction and, in some ways, I was sad to leave research. One of the things I loved about that research was the multidisciplinarity of it and, as I have moved into leadership roles at universities, it is the same fundamental approach. The spread of ways in which you can seek to understand the world, and the richness of the problems and the perspectives that come up, are incredibly stimulating in a different way, but you’re still looking at how to take things that can be quantified, whether that’s resources, money or time, and connect them with people’s aspirations and ambitions, both within an organisation, and in the role that organisation plays in society.
2. What encouraged you to enter Reflections of Research?
It’s really important that researchers invest in connecting what they do to the impact that it has on the public. I think that’s true for a couple of reasons. One is that our whole purpose is trying to improve understanding and discover knowledge which is going to advance our short- and long-term goals. The other is that if you look at what I think is one of our existential problems in society, you see it in health but also in climate change and social cohesion, the challenge is not just understanding the research, or the data, or the expertise, it’s also how do we mobilise society in ways that are going to engage people, and help us move forward. I think the limitation is often that failure to generate engagement or excitement beyond the research, not the research itself.
3. Why are initiatives like Reflections of Research, which asks researchers to think creatively about their work, important?
Social licence and having people interested in what we do creates value, not just for the researcher in terms of indicating the directions to go in, but in the people themselves. That is played out in how we deal with crises of obesity, diabetes, microvascular disease, neuro-degenerative disease. The more we can inform people and encourage them to inform themselves, the better conversations we’ll have and the better we’ll be at making effective decisions.
4. Are you still committed to sharing research with the public?
Yes, and it is a high priority. Sharing is a good word, but I think sometimes we think of sharing as one-way communication, i.e. 'here is what I have done and I’d like you to listen to it’. We have an obligation to present our research in a way that encourages dialogue and discourse, and that means we need to listen as much as we talk. Presented in the right way, research can be a wonderful place for starting conversations where researchers, scientists and university members can learn and ultimately think about what we do in ways that are far bigger, because of the input that we’ve had. We used to have that with our patients –they would often come in and say, ‘can you show me what it is, I’d never thought about it’, or ‘now I know what you’re doing, I’m going to take my drugs and do my exercises’. I used to get very excited because I am amazed by the human body and how exquisitely it does things. When you can share that joy, I think it makes a difference in terms of the way people engage with their treatment, but it also motivated us.
‘Peacock Feathers’, by Dr Evie Maifoshie MBA – winner in 2012
Evie was a BHF-funded PhD Student at Imperial College London when she won the Mending Broken Hearts award. Her image was also voted as "Image of Day" in The New Scientist. She’s now Director of Clinical Partnerships at Aria Health, in Cyprus.
1. Where has your career taken you since winning Reflections of Research in 2012?
After my PhD, where I fell in love with the power of images and data, I was unsure whether I wanted to stay in academia. So, I took a chance, and transitioned to GlaxoSmithKline for 4 years. I enjoyed the diversity of projects and focus in Pharma, and learned a lot. I then took a break to go travelling in Australia and Southeast Asia. I had applied for an MBA scholarship so, quite unexpectedly, I ended up doing my MBA while travelling. I wanted to combine my scientific skillset with business, so the MBA was extremely useful.
I didn’t know what was next for me; I didn’t want to return to academia, but I loved science and innovation. After managing health-related European consortia leading research and communication, I landed my next role as a Health Solutions Specialist in Oncology in Novartis, Cyprus, where I worked between commercial, medical and market access teams to attract new customers. Through this role I met the founder of Aria Health, a small start-up with a big vision I aligned with very strongly and where I knew I could make a difference. Here, I lead areas such as Product Innovation, Commercial Strategy, Hospital Relationships and Research Projects, and Business Development. We have a small and fantastic team, where everyone brings something to the table. Life in a start-up is not always easy, but when there is a will there is a way!
2. You were a PhD Student when you entered. Any advice for current PhD Students?
You don’t always know if the next move is the “right” one. In fact, there is no right or wrong, you just got to follow your heart or intuition and, if you don’t like it, you can always do something else. I felt like this moving to Industry. I had a strong desire to stay in academia, but that changed on the way. Another aspect is that I learned a lot more about time and project management after my PhD, tips and tricks I wish I knew earlier, such as the importance of planning in everything!
One thing that many of us PhD students learn is that failure is just re-direction. Keep that mindset in every aspect of your life. Also, when you go out into the “real world”, you might notice that your scientific skills are not as appreciated as your business skills, but don’t believe a word they say! Your scientific mindset is a powerful toolkit.
Finally, don’t forget to look after your mental health. Almost every friend I had, including myself, struggled during those PhD years. Don’t struggle in silence, reach out to friends and professionals.
3. Why are initiatives like RoR, which asks researchers to think creatively about their work, important?
We don’t naturally think of science and innovation going hand-in-hand with creativity. But creativity is a crucial part of innovation, and the key metric in both of them is value creation for business or society. Activities like Reflections of Research remind you that creativity is within you, and science is an environment in which it can flourish. Beliefs that only particular people are creative are myths: everyone has creative abilities.
Also, science is not something that should be shared only in the form of research papers, for other researchers. Young scientists should engage in public engagement and these types of activities teach the importance of communicating with non-specialist audiences. Science is, after all, often funded by taxpayers, so isn’t it wonderful when you get to communicate your work to those who support your research? Maybe you get to inspire more people to follow a path of value creation via science and innovation.
4. Is there an element of communicating with the public about research in your current role?
Yes! Firstly, the team come from such diverse backgrounds, communication is integral, otherwise we can be lost in translation. I also get to speak with doctors, researchers, IT specialists, software engineers, AI specialists, the public and patients as we drive different initiatives via our Health Advocates Program. Communication is an underestimated skill, that everyone can learn. It also encompasses listening, empathy and intellectual honesty. Once you learn how to communicate with intellectual honesty (and science is a great teacher for that), you will make a horrible career politician, but you will make an excellent politician!
‘The Broken Heart’, by Emeritus Professor Gillian Gray, Harris Morrison, and Dr Megan Swim – winner in 2013
Emeritus Professor Gillian Gray
A Reader in Cardiac Pharmacology at the University of Edinburgh when the team were crowned the Judge’s Winner, Emeritus Professor Gillian Gray has recently retired from the University.
1. What inspired ‘The Broken Heart’, a 3D structure of a mouse heart, and how did you, Megan and Harris go about creating it together?
The technique used to create the image, optical projection tomography, was developed at the MRC Human Genetics Unit (now Institute of Genetics and Cancer) in the University, where they were using it to create 3D maps of immunostained developing embryos. I wondered if we could apply it to the mouse heart where we were studying repair after myocardial infarction. Harris from the OPT lab was keen to give it a go, and when Megan approached me to do a research project as a part of her MSc, this seemed like an ideal opportunity. They worked very well together, adapting and optimising the technique to create wonderful images including the one that won the competition.
2. Can you share some highlights from your career, since then?
We were unable to use the OPT technique for staining the heart as the tissue proved too difficult to penetrate with antibodies, but we did show that it can provide a novel 3D method for infarct size determination1, and we used it, alongside other imaging techniques, to look at early post-natal heart growth with a BHF funded PhD student2. We also made some key discoveries on mechanisms involved in heart repair after MI, including an essential role for eosinophils, and a detrimental role for prolonged steroid regeneration in heart cells after MI. The latter led to further funding from a BHF Translational Award with AstraZeneca, the Wellcome Trust and Heart Research UK, the positive results of those studies are about to be published.
3. In what other ways have you worked to share your research with the public?
I have presented our work at the Edinburgh Science Festival, at local festivals and schools, to Brownies for their 'Healthy Heart' badge, and to BHF fundraisers who run the shops in Scotland. The files from the generation of our winning image were used to make a larger 3D printout that can be passed around in engagement sessions.
4. You’ve recently retired from research. What advice would you give to ECRs who are keen to engage lay audiences with their work?
Take engagement seriously. Being able to explain your work to a lay audience makes you think about and see its value it in a different way, people often ask interesting and unexpected questions, and you might even inspire the next generation of scientists.
5. Do you have a copy of your image on display, or have you used it in presentations?
I have a copy on display in my downstairs loo! It's also featured on the website of the Edinburgh Centre for Cardiovascular Science. I have often used the image, and another showing an infarcted heart, to introduce my research. It's been pleasing to see it on the BHF website and, at a recent conference in the US, I came across someone else using it to introduce their own research!
Dr Megan Swim won in 2013, alongside Professor Gillian Gray
Megan, who was an MSc Student at the University of Edinburgh when ‘The Broken Heart’ took home the RoR trophy, completed a PhD in Cardiovascular Science at the University of Bristol. She is now a Principal Scientist at Creyon Bio in San Francisco.
1. Where has your career taken you since you were crowned the Judge’s Winner?
After my MSc, I moved to Bristol and completed a PhD with BHF Professor Massimo Caputo. While I loved living abroad, I missed my family and subsequently moved back to California. There I took a post-doc at University of California San Diego (UCSD) before deciding to move into industry. My current role as a principal scientist at a start-up has been the most exciting. The mission to create a platform for safe, effective medicines that are cost-effective is one of the reasons I love science. I also get to use what I learned about imaging during master’s studies, and still challenge my mind by learning something new every day.
2. Why are activities/initiatives like Reflections of Research, which asks researchers to think creatively about their work, important?
Personally, I can forget to think about the bigger picture and the larger goals of my projects. As a researcher, these initiatives remind me of the importance of not getting lost in minutia. They also include the community, which is ultimately who the research will benefit.
3. Is there an element of public engagement in your current role?
Our company greatly values mentorship. This is an important aspect of my work, mentoring younger scientists in the lab and the community. On the research side, our work is patient focused, partnering with patient advocacy groups and disease organizations.
4. Do you have a copy of your image on display, and do you still follow the competition?
My mother framed the heart for me, and it is on display in my home. As the BHF was a large part of my life for a number of years, my alumni community keeps me informed on not only Reflections in Research, but also ongoing projects and research.
‘The Clot Thickens’ and ‘Getting to the Heart of the Matter’ by Dr Fraser Macrae – winner in 2014 and 2017
Fraser was a Research Technician and PhD Student at the University of Leeds when he was crowned the Judge’s Winner. Still based at the University, which is a recent recipient of a BHF Accelerator Award, Fraser is now Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Research Fellow, and teaches PhD Students on the BHF’s 4-year PhD programme.
1. You’re unique in that you’ve won Reflections of Research twice! Your brilliant, pun-tastic images won in 2014 and 2017: what inspired these images?
The inspiration for both images came from my research focused on understanding how blood clots form and how alterations in this process can increase the risk of developing heart attacks and strokes. ‘The clot thickens’ is a section of a much larger image used to explore the distribution of blood components within a thrombus removed from a patient. ‘Getting to the heart of the matter’ is an image of a blood clot we formed in the lab as part of experiments exploring alterations to clots that make them harder to break down. Understanding the difference between the formation of deadly clots in patients with cardiovascular disease and clots which help us when we've been injured will help us to design new drugs that remove damaging clots or prevent their formation, ultimately saving lives.
2. Why are initiatives like RoR, which asks researchers to think creatively about their work, important?
RoR and other public engagement initiatives help bridge the gap between scientific communities and the public. They can make complex research more accessible, which can spark interest and curiosity in science among people of all ages and backgrounds. Additionally, thinking creatively about how to present research can lead to new ways of thinking about the research itself. This can sometimes foster innovation and novel approaches.
3. You now teach PhD Students on the BHF’s 4-year course. What advice can you offer them on creating their own image, or video?
When choosing an image or video, think about what will capture the interest and imagination of the public. If it wasn’t your image from your research, would you stop and look and read about it? When explaining your image remember that your audience may not have a scientific background. Use simple language and clear explanations to make your work accessible. Finally, highlight which problem your research hopes to solve.
4. How else do you go about communicating your research with lay audiences?
We try to share our research through social media platforms. I was recently interviewed on the “Probably Platelets” podcast talking about my science career. I have also been involved in multiple patient and public involvement sessions to help ensure my research is aligned with the needs and perspectives of patients and the public.
5. Do you still have a copy of your image on display anywhere?
Yes, both my images are on the wall in our institute (see pictures). A copy of ‘The clot thickens’ was also presented to Prince Philip at the BHF Annual Reception in 2015. I never got to ask Prince Philip where he would be hanging his image. In the downstairs loo at Buckingham Palace perhaps?
‘Recreating Heart Blood Vessels’ by Dr Elisa Avolio – winner in 2020-21
Elisa, who was a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Bristol when she won the competition, has entered a number of times, entering ‘Heart to Heart’ in 2018. She remains in Bristol, and is now a BHF Intermediate Basic Science Research Fellow.
1. ‘Recreating heart blood vessels’ was crowned the Judge’s Winner in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic and the BHF’s 60th Anniversary year. What inspired the image, and did the pandemic affect your process?
To be honest, in 2020, after 3 successful submissions in which my images were shortlisted, with a supporters’ favourite in 2016, I initially decided not to participate in the competition. I was feeling emotionally down due to the long lockdown, and I thought it was not the best moment to engage with the public. Then, in May, I had the privilege of returning early to lab work to start carrying out research on COVID-19 (later funded by BHF), while my colleagues were still in lockdown. Being in the lab on my own was hard but, at the end of one long day spent doing microscopy imaging, just a few days before the RoR entry deadline, I realised how lucky I was to be able to do the job I love, simultaneously giving my little contribution to researching the pathogenic mechanisms of COVID-19. I returned home and started preparing the image for submission, as I wished, once again, to show lay audiences the research we do. Because I was studying how the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein damages heart blood vessels by disrupting the interaction between the heart vascular cells - endothelial cells and pericytes - I decided to submit an image in which these cells are cultured together to mimic the formation of blood vessels in vitro (even if the image was generated during an experiment for a different, parallel project).
2. Why are activities/initiatives like RoR, which asks researchers to think creatively about their work, important?
I think there is some sort of art hidden in all the research we do. Curiosity and creative thinking are essential tools for researchers to develop new ideas that can bring important discoveries. Using fantasy to describe our work to a lay audience with simple words can make us think about what we do from a different perspective, and even inspire new prospects for our research. On the other side, it is important to involve the public in our research, and we need to do it in a way that people without a scientific background can understand, so being creative is the best way to reach our audience. I think that for charity-funded research, engaging with our supporters is also a matter of respect.
3. Do you still have a copy of your image on display anywhere?
I still use it as wallpaper on my PC and as my profile page picture on LinkedIn!
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