Winner of Nikon Small World photo competition is headache-inducing closeup of brain tumor
By Adam Waring,
1 days ago
The winners of the 50th annual Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition have been announced, and this year’s overall winner is an incredible microscopic image of brain tumor cells by Dr. Bruno Cisterna of Augusta University (with assistance from Dr. Eric Vitriol).
The competition is run by Nikon Instruments, the arm of Nikon that manufactures microscopes and other scientific imaging equipment, and celebrates five decades of excellence in microscopy and digital imaging. In all, Nikon Small World recognized 87 photos out of thousands of entries from scientists and artists across the globe.
The groundbreaking winning image shows differentiated mouse brain tumor cells, highlighting the actin cytoskeleton, microtubules, and nuclei. In essence, it reveals how disruptions in the cell's cytoskeleton – the structural framework and 'highways' known as microtubules – can lead to diseases like Alzheimer's and ALS.
About Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition
(Image credit: Nikon Small World)
The Nikon Small World Competition is open to anyone with an interest in photography or video. Participants may upload digital images and videos directly to the website. Entry forms for Nikon’s 2025 Small World and Small World in Motion Competitions are now available.
Dr. Cisterna's patience and determination were crucial in capturing his image. "I spent about three months perfecting the staining process to ensure clear visibility of the cells. After allowing five days for the cells to differentiate, I had to find the right field of view where the differentiated and non-differentiated cells interacted. This took about three hours of precise observation under the microscope to capture the right moment, involving many attempts and countless hours of work to get it just right.”
“I’m deeply passionate about scientific imaging; I’ve been following the Nikon Small World contest for about 15 years. It's an incredible contest that highlights the beauty of photomicrography but also inspires continued exploration and innovation in the field."
Eric Flem, Senior Manager, CRM and Communications at Nikon Instruments, shares a similar perspective on the competition. “At 50 years, Nikon Small World is more than just an imaging competition – it’s become a gallery that pays tribute to the extraordinary individuals who make it possible. Sometimes, we overlook the tiny details of the world around us. Nikon Small World serves as a reminder to pause, appreciate the power and beauty of the little things, and to cultivate a deeper curiosity to explore and question.”
Electrical arc between a pin and a wire; image stacking for the pin and wire combined with long exposure for the electrical arcs (Image credit: Dr. Marcel Clemens / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition)
Second place was awarded to Dr. Marcel Clemens for his image of an electrical arc between a pin and a wire, produced by applying a potential difference of 10,000 volts.
Leaf of a cannabis plant. The bulbous glands are trichomes. The bubbles inside are cannabinoid vesicles (Image credit: Chris Romaine / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition)
Third place was awarded to Chris Romaine for his image of a cannabis plant leaf. The bulbous structures are trichomes, or hair-like plant appendages, and the bubbles inside are cannabinoid vesicles, fluid-filled, blister-like structures.
A full-color calendar of the 2024 winners will be produced. Scroll through a gallery of the remaining Top 20 images below.
Image 1 of 17
Section of a small intestine of a mouse (Image credit: Dr. Amy Engevik / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 2 of 17
Cluster of octopus (Octopus hummelincki) eggs (Image credit: Thomas Barlow & Connor Gibbons / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 3 of 17
Slime mold (Cribraria cancellata) (Image credit: Henri Koskinen / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 4 of 17
Cross section of European beach grass (Ammophila arenaria) leaf (Image credit: Gerhard Vlcek / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 5 of 17
A neuron densely covered in dendritic spines from the striatum of an adult rat brain (Image credit: Stephanie Huang / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 6 of 17
Pollen in a garden spider (Araneus) web (Image credit: John-Oliver Dum / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 7 of 17
Spores of black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) (Image credit: Jan Martinek / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 8 of 17
Slime mold on a rotten twig with water droplets (Image credit: Dr. Ferenc Halmos / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 9 of 17
Wing scales of a butterfly (Papilio ulysses) on a medical syringe needle (Image credit: Daniel Knop / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 10 of 17
Eyes of green crab spider (Diaea dorsata) (Image credit: Paweł Błachowicz / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 11 of 17
Recrystallized mixture of hydroquinone and myoinositol (Image credit: Marek Miś / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 12 of 17
Isolated scales on Madagascan sunset moth wing (Chrysiridia ripheus) (Image credit: Sébastien Malo / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 13 of 17
Two water fleas (Daphnia sp.) with embryos (left) and eggs (right) (Image credit: Marek Miś / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 14 of 17
Stonewort algae (Chara virgata) reproductive organs - oogonia (female organs) and antheridia (male organs) (Image credit: Dr. Frantisek Bednar / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 15 of 17
An insect egg parasitized by a wasp (Image credit: Alison Pollack / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 16 of 17
Seed of a Silene plant (Image credit: Alison Pollack / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition) Image 17 of 17
Early stage of mouse glioblastoma cell differentiation (actin, microtubules, and mitochondria) (Image credit: Dr. Bruno Cisterna & Dr. Eric Vitriol / Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition)
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