Caffeine crystals (Annie Cavanagh)
False-colored scanning electron micrograph of caffeine crystals. Caffeine is a bitter, crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks, enjoy great popularity, and 90% of adults consume caffeine daily.

Loperamide Crystals (Annie Cavanagh)
False-colored scanning electron micrograph of loperamide crystals. An antimotility drug used for diarrhea, loperamide works by slowing down the movement of the intestine and reducing the speed at which the contents of the gut pass through. Food remains in the intestines for longer and water can be more effectively absorbed back into the body. This results in firmer stools that are passed less often. The crystal group measures about 150 microns.

Microneedle vaccine (Peter DeMuth)
The image shows an array of “microneedles,” micron-scale needles, formed out of a biodegradable polymer. The researchers have recently shown these materials to be useful in painlessly, and safely penetrating the outer layers of the skin upon topical application for the delivery of vaccines and therapeutics to the epidermis.

The image was taken to characterize the geometry and dimensionality of a prototype microneedle array. These parameters, specifically needle height, base diameter, and tip diameter, are variables which effect the ability of microneedles to penetrate skin to the proper depth to avoid the capillary blood supply and dermal pain receptors, while accessing resident skin immune cell populations. By optimizing these variables we have designed a platform capable of specifically delivering vaccine-components and other therapeutics to immune-compentent cells in the skin while eliminating the risk of blood-born pathogen transmission, and rendering potential vaccine delivery inherently painless.

Moth Fly (Kevin MacKenzie, University of Aberdeen)
Scanning electron micrograph of a moth fly (Psychodidae), also known as a drain fly.

Chicken embryo vascular system (Vincent Pasque, University of Cambridge)
The vascular system of the developing chicken embryo was revealed by injecting fluorescent dextran. The image is a composite of two different images taken with an upright fluorescent dissecting scope.
Fluorescence microscopy 2009

Diatom Frustule (Anne Weston, LRI, CRUK)
False-coloured scanning electron micrograph of a diatom frustule. Diatoms are unicellular organisms and a major group of algae. Diatoms are encased within a hard cell wall made from silica (glass) known as a frustule. Diatom communities are often used to measure environmental conditions, for example water quality.
Scanning electron micrograph 2011

Connective Tissue (Anne Weston, LRI, CRUK)
False-coloured scanning electron micrograph of collagen/connective tissue removed from a human knee during arthroscopic surgery.
Scanning electron micrograph 2011