Unseen Images: Second place

The competition's second place goes to Lauren Gordon from the University of Liverpool with her piece titled 'Gut Microbiome Interactions'.

"In everyday life, gut microbes and their host coexist in peaceful harmony. But when external forces disrupt this balance, chaos ensues. This drawing is set within the gut, imagined as a battlefield to reflect the turmoil that arises when peace is broken. The two opposing sides—microbes and host—are caught in conflict. Antibiotics are visualised as smoke grenades, disrupting the microbial ecosystem and wiping out much of the bacterial community in the gut lumen. Amid the destruction, one resilient bacterium survives, equipped with a gas mask symbolising a protective adaptation. In a moment of defiant resilience and cooperation, this bacterium passes a gas mask to a line of courier phages. These messengers dutifully transfer the genetic blueprint for this adaptation to other bacteria, ensuring the survival and recovery of the community." - Lauren Gordon