the moment I stepped in to my father-in-law scrapyard in Albuquerque
father-in-law scrapyard in Albuquerque
father-in-law scrapyard in Albuquerque New Mexico this is an aerial view of
New Mexico this is an aerial view of
New Mexico this is an aerial view of that scrapyard I felt as if I was inside
that scrapyard I felt as if I was inside
that scrapyard I felt as if I was inside a living functional cell the type of
a living functional cell the type of
a living functional cell the type of cell that makes up tissues and organs in
cell that makes up tissues and organs in
cell that makes up tissues and organs in your body now I was inspired by how
your body now I was inspired by how
your body now I was inspired by how similar this is to the work that I do
similar this is to the work that I do
similar this is to the work that I do this was the moment that I realized I
this was the moment that I realized I
this was the moment that I realized I can step outside my laboratory I have a
can step outside my laboratory I have a
can step outside my laboratory I have a new approach to understand my work
new approach to understand my work
new approach to understand my work specifically I’m a cell biologist and a
specifically I’m a cell biologist and a
specifically I’m a cell biologist and a microscopist and as an instructor in
microscopist and as an instructor in
microscopist and as an instructor in medicine
medicine
medicine I teach undergraduates life sciences my
I teach undergraduates life sciences my
I teach undergraduates life sciences my passion is to fully understand how cells
passion is to fully understand how cells
passion is to fully understand how cells work because this determines how all
work because this determines how all
work because this determines how all creatures including you thrive and die
creatures including you thrive and die
creatures including you thrive and die and I want to share the significance of
and I want to share the significance of
and I want to share the significance of cell biology with my students and my
cell biology with my students and my
cell biology with my students and my peers one of my students created this
peers one of my students created this
peers one of my students created this graphic art it demonstrates a true
graphic art it demonstrates a true
graphic art it demonstrates a true connection between the arts and the
connection between the arts and the
connection between the arts and the sciences I believe a captivating graphic
sciences I believe a captivating graphic
sciences I believe a captivating graphic can stimulate the imagination so I
can stimulate the imagination so I
can stimulate the imagination so I reached out to artists and I asked them
reached out to artists and I asked them
reached out to artists and I asked them to illustrate my ideas about science and
to illustrate my ideas about science and
to illustrate my ideas about science and my work and the process of communicating
my work and the process of communicating
my work and the process of communicating these ideas to people who have seemingly
these ideas to people who have seemingly
these ideas to people who have seemingly unrelated disciplines helped me
unrelated disciplines helped me
unrelated disciplines helped me understand my work more Einstein said if
understand my work more Einstein said if
understand my work more Einstein said if you can’t explain your idea to a
you can’t explain your idea to a
you can’t explain your idea to a six-year-old then you don’t understand
six-year-old then you don’t understand
six-year-old then you don’t understand it yourself my work requires the
it yourself my work requires the
it yourself my work requires the expertise of using some of the most
expertise of using some of the most
expertise of using some of the most powerful microscopes in the world this
powerful microscopes in the world this
powerful microscopes in the world this is a picture of a microscope similar to
is a picture of a microscope similar to
is a picture of a microscope similar to what I have them in my laboratory and
what I have them in my laboratory and
what I have them in my laboratory and this is a one-of-a-kind state-of-the-art
this is a one-of-a-kind state-of-the-art
this is a one-of-a-kind state-of-the-art microscope it allows us to see up to a
microscope it allows us to see up to a
microscope it allows us to see up to a hundred times magnification and combines
hundred times magnification and combines
hundred times magnification and combines with modern technology and chemistry
with modern technology and chemistry
with modern technology and chemistry we’re able to visualize single molecules
we’re able to visualize single molecules
we’re able to visualize single molecules single molecules I mean how cool is that
single molecules I mean how cool is that
single molecules I mean how cool is that so I spend hours a day many hours a day
so I spend hours a day many hours a day
so I spend hours a day many hours a day in a darkroom looking through the
in a darkroom looking through the
in a darkroom looking through the oculars on a microscope studying cells
oculars on a microscope studying cells
oculars on a microscope studying cells and what is inside them and importantly
and what is inside them and importantly
and what is inside them and importantly I enjoy doing this so here’s a simple
I enjoy doing this so here’s a simple
I enjoy doing this so here’s a simple example of one a microscope can do there
example of one a microscope can do there
example of one a microscope can do there are three objects in this dish that are
are three objects in this dish that are
are three objects in this dish that are barely detectable using the naked eye
barely detectable using the naked eye
barely detectable using the naked eye but if we use a microscope with 40 times
but if we use a microscope with 40 times
but if we use a microscope with 40 times magnification we’re able to see that
magnification we’re able to see that
magnification we’re able to see that objects in the dish in great detail I
focus intensely on understanding how
focus intensely on understanding how molecules organize themselves and I
molecules organize themselves and I
molecules organize themselves and I translate this organism this
translate this organism this
translate this organism this organization to disease I work to
organization to disease I work to
organization to disease I work to understand how patterns of molecules
understand how patterns of molecules
understand how patterns of molecules result in disease and what I noticed is
result in disease and what I noticed is
result in disease and what I noticed is something called bio symmetry which
something called bio symmetry which
something called bio symmetry which simply means patterns in nature the
simply means patterns in nature the
simply means patterns in nature the persistence of these patterns is
persistence of these patterns is
persistence of these patterns is ubiquitous and sublime and having
ubiquitous and sublime and having
ubiquitous and sublime and having written and published papers on
written and published papers on
written and published papers on organization I began to see by symmetry
organization I began to see by symmetry
organization I began to see by symmetry manifested outside the laboratory I’d be
manifested outside the laboratory I’d be
manifested outside the laboratory I’d be at the market shopping for vegetables or
at the market shopping for vegetables or
at the market shopping for vegetables or out for a jog along the beautiful
out for a jog along the beautiful
out for a jog along the beautiful Charles River or in my garden and my
Charles River or in my garden and my
Charles River or in my garden and my erine flowers and I see that Nature has
erine flowers and I see that Nature has
erine flowers and I see that Nature has evolved and reproduced itself on many
evolved and reproduced itself on many
evolved and reproduced itself on many levels in our plants animals trees and
levels in our plants animals trees and
levels in our plants animals trees and in our skies and as a result of these
in our skies and as a result of these
in our skies and as a result of these observations I became even more
observations I became even more
observations I became even more motivated to explore patterns my goal it
motivated to explore patterns my goal it
motivated to explore patterns my goal it was to become more open-minded much more
was to become more open-minded much more
was to become more open-minded much more open-minded to counteract the tunnel
open-minded to counteract the tunnel
open-minded to counteract the tunnel vision that can potentially coincide
vision that can potentially coincide
vision that can potentially coincide with looking through the oculars so my
with looking through the oculars so my
with looking through the oculars so my solution was to reach out to artists
solution was to reach out to artists
solution was to reach out to artists collaborate with them explain them key
collaborate with them explain them key
collaborate with them explain them key concepts to see what they can come up
concepts to see what they can come up
concepts to see what they can come up with using their creativity talent and
with using their creativity talent and
with using their creativity talent and inspiration
inspiration
inspiration I believe collaborations let’s say
I believe collaborations let’s say
I believe collaborations let’s say between an historian and a physicist or
between an historian and a physicist or
between an historian and a physicist or a musician and an engineer would be
a musician and an engineer would be
a musician and an engineer would be productive
productive
productive for my collaboration with fine artists
for my collaboration with fine artists
for my collaboration with fine artists has resulted in the following works of
has resulted in the following works of
has resulted in the following works of art my experience in that scrapyard in
art my experience in that scrapyard in
art my experience in that scrapyard in Albuquerque New Mexico we’re on a
Albuquerque New Mexico we’re on a
Albuquerque New Mexico we’re on a micro-level
micro-level
micro-level I’m studying cells looking through a
I’m studying cells looking through a
I’m studying cells looking through a microscope and on a macro level I’m
microscope and on a macro level I’m
microscope and on a macro level I’m standing in the desert as if I feel like
standing in the desert as if I feel like
standing in the desert as if I feel like I’m inside of a cell this connection to
I’m inside of a cell this connection to
I’m inside of a cell this connection to me was really illuminating so I wanted
me was really illuminating so I wanted
me was really illuminating so I wanted an image something to reflect on to help
an image something to reflect on to help
an image something to reflect on to help me think outside the cell or inside the
me think outside the cell or inside the
me think outside the cell or inside the cell so I asked an artist to illustrate
cell so I asked an artist to illustrate
cell so I asked an artist to illustrate this and this is this is the art so in
this and this is this is the art so in
this and this is this is the art so in the upper right hand corner in a
the upper right hand corner in a
the upper right hand corner in a scrapyard there’s a piece of machinery
scrapyard there’s a piece of machinery
scrapyard there’s a piece of machinery called a shredder and it shreds metal
called a shredder and it shreds metal
called a shredder and it shreds metal this is similar to what lysozymes do in
this is similar to what lysozymes do in
this is similar to what lysozymes do in cells they shred unwanted material and
cells they shred unwanted material and
cells they shred unwanted material and on the bottom of this art these train
on the bottom of this art these train
on the bottom of this art these train cars are towing metal in and out of the
cars are towing metal in and out of the
cars are towing metal in and out of the scrap yard
scrap yard
scrap yard similar to what vesicles do in cells
similar to what vesicles do in cells
similar to what vesicles do in cells transport proteins and molecules around
transport proteins and molecules around
transport proteins and molecules around and in and out of a cell I asked another
and in and out of a cell I asked another
and in and out of a cell I asked another artist to illustrate bio symmetry that
artist to illustrate bio symmetry that
artist to illustrate bio symmetry that we see on many levels in our world this
we see on many levels in our world this
we see on many levels in our world this represents a mirrored bio symmetry so on
represents a mirrored bio symmetry so on
represents a mirrored bio symmetry so on the molecular level the geometrical
the molecular level the geometrical
the molecular level the geometrical configuration of a lattice of frozen
configuration of a lattice of frozen
configuration of a lattice of frozen water is similar to what you see in some
water is similar to what you see in some
water is similar to what you see in some viruses and it’s similar to what we find
viruses and it’s similar to what we find
viruses and it’s similar to what we find in nature in our honeycombs and you can
in nature in our honeycombs and you can
in nature in our honeycombs and you can even find it in our skies and some
even find it in our skies and some
even find it in our skies and some constellations and a different
constellations and a different
constellations and a different configuration the spiral found in our
configuration the spiral found in our
configuration the spiral found in our own DNA double helix it’s found in the
own DNA double helix it’s found in the
own DNA double helix it’s found in the horns of bighorn sheep and it’s also
horns of bighorn sheep and it’s also
horns of bighorn sheep and it’s also found on conch shells found on our
found on conch shells found on our
found on conch shells found on our beaches and even in our cosmos in our
beaches and even in our cosmos in our
beaches and even in our cosmos in our own Milky Way so the next time you go to
own Milky Way so the next time you go to
own Milky Way so the next time you go to the market take a look in the vegetable
the market take a look in the vegetable
the market take a look in the vegetable section and see if you can spot
section and see if you can spot
section and see if you can spot Romanesco
Romanesco
Romanesco it also has that same spiral geometrical
it also has that same spiral geometrical
it also has that same spiral geometrical pattern and it’s delicious
pattern and it’s delicious
pattern and it’s delicious I asked another artist to illustrate how
I asked another artist to illustrate how
I asked another artist to illustrate how people may seem by Oh symmetry on a
people may seem by Oh symmetry on a
people may seem by Oh symmetry on a micro and macro way but in a different
micro and macro way but in a different
micro and macro way but in a different way so here dendritic cells and tree
way so here dendritic cells and tree
way so here dendritic cells and tree dendritic cells and neurons look like
dendritic cells and neurons look like
dendritic cells and neurons look like tree branches to each of these four
tree branches to each of these four
tree branches to each of these four panels represent how neurons look like
panels represent how neurons look like
panels represent how neurons look like trees and the perception of scale and
trees and the perception of scale and
trees and the perception of scale and structure is defined by our own
structure is defined by our own
structure is defined by our own experiences for example one may see
experiences for example one may see
experiences for example one may see these tree branches looking from the
these tree branches looking from the
these tree branches looking from the canopy down another may see it looking
canopy down another may see it looking
canopy down another may see it looking from the ground up but all of these
from the ground up but all of these
from the ground up but all of these observations in nature have enriched my
observations in nature have enriched my
observations in nature have enriched my view of the world one of my students
view of the world one of my students
view of the world one of my students asked me to further explain innate
asked me to further explain innate
asked me to further explain innate immunity which is how the body defends
immunity which is how the body defends
immunity which is how the body defends itself from pathogens or foreign
itself from pathogens or foreign
itself from pathogens or foreign invaders and my favorite cell the
invaders and my favorite cell the
invaders and my favorite cell the neutrophil is a type of white blood cell
neutrophil is a type of white blood cell
neutrophil is a type of white blood cell that circulates in our bloodstream
that circulates in our bloodstream
that circulates in our bloodstream waiting to be called upon to stop damage
waiting to be called upon to stop damage
waiting to be called upon to stop damage so when the body is under a viral
so when the body is under a viral
so when the body is under a viral infection or attack from bacteria or
infection or attack from bacteria or
infection or attack from bacteria or even as a result of a splinter the
even as a result of a splinter the
even as a result of a splinter the neutrophil is the cell the first one
neutrophil is the cell the first one
neutrophil is the cell the first one there to the scene for damage control so
there to the scene for damage control so
there to the scene for damage control so I asked an artist to illustrate this
I asked an artist to illustrate this
I asked an artist to illustrate this concept so here the superhero
concept so here the superhero
concept so here the superhero represents a neutrophil swimming amongst
represents a neutrophil swimming amongst
represents a neutrophil swimming amongst other blood cells defending itself in
other blood cells defending itself in
other blood cells defending itself in its environment from a foreign invader I
its environment from a foreign invader I
its environment from a foreign invader I use this piece of art as a teaching tool
use this piece of art as a teaching tool
use this piece of art as a teaching tool to initiate conversation which naturally
to initiate conversation which naturally
to initiate conversation which naturally leads to questions being asked and in
leads to questions being asked and in
leads to questions being asked and in the end everyone involved we all have a
the end everyone involved we all have a
the end everyone involved we all have a better understanding of innate immunity
this last piece of art holds a special
this last piece of art holds a special place in my heart because it was the
place in my heart because it was the
place in my heart because it was the first piece that I commissioned it
first piece that I commissioned it
first piece that I commissioned it represents how the micro world is
represents how the micro world is
represents how the micro world is connected to the macro world so in the
connected to the macro world so in the
connected to the macro world so in the micro world we need a microscope to see
micro world we need a microscope to see
micro world we need a microscope to see DNA in cells and viruses and it’s
DNA in cells and viruses and it’s
DNA in cells and viruses and it’s connected to the macro world which we
connected to the macro world which we
connected to the macro world which we need a telescope to see our planets and
need a telescope to see our planets and
need a telescope to see our planets and stars through the Tree of Life and I use
stars through the Tree of Life and I use
stars through the Tree of Life and I use this art to explain to my young children
this art to explain to my young children
this art to explain to my young children how big but yet small our world is the
how big but yet small our world is the
how big but yet small our world is the images and works of art that I’ve shown
images and works of art that I’ve shown
images and works of art that I’ve shown you here today are examples of how an
you here today are examples of how an
you here today are examples of how an artist can create a vision and this has
artist can create a vision and this has
artist can create a vision and this has helped me stay open-minded I’ve learned
helped me stay open-minded I’ve learned
helped me stay open-minded I’ve learned a way to boost my creativity a way to
a way to boost my creativity a way to
a way to boost my creativity a way to think outside or inside the cell and
think outside or inside the cell and
think outside or inside the cell and these imaginative and visual
these imaginative and visual
these imaginative and visual collaborations have formed a bridge of
collaborations have formed a bridge of
collaborations have formed a bridge of understanding a symbiotic relationship
understanding a symbiotic relationship
understanding a symbiotic relationship between an artist and a scientist using
between an artist and a scientist using
between an artist and a scientist using fine artists to illustrate scientific
fine artists to illustrate scientific
fine artists to illustrate scientific ideas has made me a better communicator
ideas has made me a better communicator
ideas has made me a better communicator a teacher a scientist and a thinker and
a teacher a scientist and a thinker and
a teacher a scientist and a thinker and in a world where we are being asked to
in a world where we are being asked to
in a world where we are being asked to narrow our views I believe we should
narrow our views I believe we should
narrow our views I believe we should branch out and collaborate with those
branch out and collaborate with those
branch out and collaborate with those who have seemingly unrelated disciplines
who have seemingly unrelated disciplines
who have seemingly unrelated disciplines so I hope all of you here today leave
so I hope all of you here today leave
so I hope all of you here today leave with a greater feeling of
with a greater feeling of
with a greater feeling of interconnectedness appreciating bio
interconnectedness appreciating bio
interconnectedness appreciating bio symmetry and the patterns of life all
symmetry and the patterns of life all
symmetry and the patterns of life all around you
”
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