I took some photos a few years ago when doing research in Oxford. I submitted them to a photo competition which unfortunately I didn’t win. However, they are now being used in a new blog aimed at young non-sciencey types to raise awareness and enthusiasm for science. The following is a copy and paste from the blog, http://bbsrc.tumblr.com, the post from the 3 March 2014.

Lasers light the way to new drugs

Look beyond the pretty lights and lasers and you will see a Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Array; a special type of model microscope that allows for multiple drug tests to be run simultaneously.

The test works by putting a drug and marker proteins inside an artificial cell, and then measures the effect the drug has on the speed that ions move into the cell.

This equipment, although only a concept device, could be key to new drug developments.

Research performed under Mark Wallace: http://wallace.chem.ox.ac.uk.

Images taken by BBSRC-funded James Berridge at Oxford University.

For more BBSRC-funded research go to:http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/home/home.aspx

Or for some images looking down a light microscope go to:http://tmblr.co/ZtJ7bq16-Vzls.