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Title
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Window of Connection
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Description
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With over a trillion synapses, the brain is a complex tapestry of relationships. Often overlooked, the immune system also makes synapses, transiently joining with other cells to share a moment of insight. My research lives in the space of exchange between these two systems: I study how gut-brain communication; specifically, how intestinal disease affects the brain’s immune system. Using a burgeoning technique called spatial transcriptomics, this snapshot of a brain during intestinal inflammation features a portal that peers beyond gross morphology into the molecular underpinnings of brain cells. The multicolor blobs delineate individual cells, while the small dots indicate signal from a selection of RNA molecules we think facilitate neuro-immune gut-brain communication. Previously, cells would have needed to be dissociated from one another for analysis, but this technique keeps cells in their native environment so we can more fully appreciate their connections with each other. Respected for centuries in traditional medicine, modern scientists like me have just begun to investigate this robust mind-body connection. In a similar way, this image captures a beautiful art-science intersection, emphasizing their complementary, rather than adversarial, nature. I hope it inspires you to ponder overlooked connections in your own being and harness them for good.
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Date
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2026-01-21
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Creator
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Murphey, Michaela
