Category: Zooming into research
This category aimed at the visualisation of fascinating insights and/or depicting research findings and hard facts of scientific work, e.g. in form of close-ups, microscopic images, generated by other imaging techniques, from data analysis, etc.
1st place: Window into another world
By Manuel Pristner, doctoral candidate at Institute of Food Chemistry and Toxicology
This photo depicts a view into the electrospray ion source of a mass spectrometer. Mass spectrometry enables the qualitative and quantitative analysis of thousands of different molecules, allowing us to take a closer look into this world of molecules making up the fabric of life. A small amount of blood or tissue is not only sufficient to investigate disease and aid the development of new pharmaceuticals, making mass spectrometry an indispensable tool in biomedical research, it can also provide insights into the exposure to environmental chemicals of an individual, the so-called exposome. At the faculty of Chemistry at the University of Vienna we use mass spectrometry-based technologies with the greater goal to bring the vision of a comprehensive investigation of the chemical environmental exposure closer to reality. (© Manuel Pristner)
Runner-up: Lost in Transparency
By Nina Hochmeister, chemistry master student
Als Chemiker darf man beim Arbeiten nie den Fokus verlieren. Dies gilt besonders bei einem großen Experiment. Sind bei einem Versuch zum Beispiel viele Zellkulturflaschen involviert, kann es passieren, dass man schnell den Überblick verliert. Daher ist es besonders wichtig immer konzentriert bei der Arbeit zu sein. (© Nina Hochmeister)
Runner-up: Cellular Moon
By Yasmin Borutzki, doctoral candidate at Institutes of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry
Foto von Eierstockkrebszellen, die durchs Mikroskop betrachtet werden (© Yasmin Borutzi)
Highly recommended: Blinding Lights
By Martin Schaier, doctoral candidate at Institute of Analytical Chemistry
POV image of me working in our cleanroom lab at night. The photo was taken during a measurement with laser ablation while I was exchanging the sample. In my hand is a histological section of human skin, which has been treated with cobalt nanoparticles. The sample is illuminated by bright red light from the laser's LEDs, which are switched on while a measurement is in progress. In our research, we try to achieve multiparametric characterization of biological tissues using LA-ICP-TOFMS, in this case, to determine the influence of metallic contact allergens such as cobalt on the skin. Using metal-conjugated antibodies, we can quantitatively determine in which skin region (dermis, epidermis, cornea, etc.) the cobalt is located, which cell types (fibroblasts, immune cells, etc.) it interacts with and whether it has caused damage. (© Martin Schaier)
Highly recommended: Photocatalysis
By Nicolas Simonian, postdoc at Institute of Organic Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of molecule transformations at the atomic scale. Unfortunately, these transformations require energy to proceed and we often picture an old chemistry lab full of flasks over flames filled with strange boiling mixtures. But the cleanest, greenest, source of energy could be light. Light is composed of small packages of energy called “photons”, and each of them can trigger a chemical reaction. Use of light in chemistry is done using colourful molecules termed “photocatalysts” which absorb light and make it usable for a chemical transformation. In this picture, two examples of red photocatalysts can be seen in small glass tubes. (© Nicolas Simonian)
Highly recommended: Material engineering is no more than cooking: epoxy nanocomposite foams are prepared same as meringue
By Hande Barkan Öztürk, Postdoc at the Institute of Materials Chemistry and Research
Time to discard toxic and flammable blowing agents: a simple kitchen mixer allows you to foam liquid resins with nanoparticles. The liquid foams can be dispensed and solidified into 3D net-shaped nanocomposites. (© Hande Barkan Öztürk)
In this category, 17 submissions were reviewed by the jury. The jury comprised representatives of all organising partners: Bernhard Keppler, Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry; Christian Becker, Vice Dean / Head of DoSChem; Angelika Menner, Head of SPL Chemie; Peter Lieberzeit, Studienpräses; Giorgia Del Favero, Head of core facility Multimodal Imaging; photographer: Joseph Krpelan / www.derknopfdruecker.com; DoSChem Coordination: Elena Rastew & DoSChem student representation: Philip Verdross; STV representative: Inge Timea Dreyer.