The School of Chemical Sciences has announced the winners and finalists in the 2025 SCS Science Image Challenge. Three images submitted by researchers in the Department of Chemistry were selected as finalists.
The three chemistry finalists are Noam Gamburg, an undergraduate student in the lab of Joomyung (Vicky) Jun, assistant professor of chemistry; Jusung An, a postdoctoral researcher, in the lab of Liviu Mirica, professor of chemistry; and Yupeng Li, graduate student in the lab of Emad Tajkhorshid, faculty affiliate professor in chemistry.
The School of Chemical Sciences invites everyone in SCS, chemistry and chemical and biomolecular engineering to celebrate the winners and finalists and to view the winning images during an Awards Ceremony on Monday, March 16, 2026, at 3:30 pm in the Chemistry Library, 170 Noyes Laboratory. SCS Director and ChBE Professor Paul Kenis will deliver remarks and recognize the winners and finalists at 4:00 pm.
"Encapsulated Potential" by Noam Gamburg
Description: Inspired by viral systems that transport nucleic acids within membrane envelopes, a stylized nanoscale carrier is designed to encapsulate therapeutic protein drug cargo within lipid nanoparticles. Its architecture illustrates how biological design principles can be adapted for controlled intracellular transport.
"Constellation of a Diseased Brain" by Jusung An
Description: This multicolor brain section displays amyloid-rich plaques scattered across neuropil. Like star clusters in a night sky, staining these deposits with small-molecule fluorophores reveals their distinct patterns and progression, transforming an otherwise uniform tissue slice into a spatial map of Alzheimer’s disease pathology.
"Lipid on the Move" by Yupeng Li
Description: Gram-negative bacterial outer membrane (OM) forms an impermeable protective barrier. Depicted is the LetABmediated transport of a key OM building block, phospholipid, from inner membrane towards OM. The lipid (yellow) is extracted and elevated by LetA (cyan), then positioned for entry into LetB (blue) to shuttle across the periplasm.
2025 Science Image Challenge Results
Main Category Winner — "Microscale Wonders: Hidden Emerald Shores" by Sanghyun Jeon, ChBE
Description: Printed conjugated polymers can assemble into fiber-like aggregates. By controlling the printing conditions and flow dynamics, we observed wave-like features reminiscent of shorelines. The image was taken under linear polarized microscopy, and each domain exhibits different brightness and color depending on its alignment.
Main Category Finalists
Noam Gamburg, Jun Lab, Department of Chemistry
Yupeng Li, Tajkhorshid Lab, Department of Chemistry and Center for Biophysics & Quantitative Biology
Jusung An, Mirica Lab, Department of Chemistry
Xiao Huan, Diao Lab, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Deborah Schmitt, Su Lab, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Priyotosh Bairagya, Diao Lab, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Cover Art Winner by Xiao Huan, Diao Lab, ChBE
Description: Recent progress in printable structural color. An illustration representing printable structural colors. Inspired by the chameleon’s natural coloration, the image shows how additive manufacturing can recreate nature’s color through nanoscale structural design rather than pigments.