Understanding fat metabolism
A team of researchers, including Ph.D. student Dimitra Pouli and Professor Irene Georgakoudi of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, created a winning image for the BioArt competition put on by the Foundation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB).
FASEB uses the winning BioArt images as tools for engaging members of Congress and the public at large on issues of research and the importance of federal funding to sustain life science and biomedical investigations.
The team’s winning image, “White fat cells in a mouse,” was based on their research into fat metabolism. They used specialized technology that incorporated light and vibrations into the imaging process, called Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS). Using this approach, researchers can better determine where fats (lipids) are more highly concentrated in tissues, which can help improve treatments for obesity and metabolic syndrome.
The winning BioArt image was created as part of a research project supported by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, to enhance and expand understanding of fat tissues and how they work.
Department:
Biomedical Engineering