Glioblastoma is the most common, yet most deadly form of brain cancer in adults. Despite advancements in research, it remains incurable and the leading cause of cancer-related death in adolescents and young adults.

 

The Centrality of Beauty and Demise captures the lethal beauty of a glioblastoma neurosphere, a lab-grown cluster of cancer stem cells responsible for the propagation and spread of new tumour mass. This piece was inspired by a fluorescence microscopy photograph of the same title, which I took as part of my PhD investigating the role of the immune system in glioblastoma.

 

It is the breakthroughs in clinical research that are often spotlighted in the media, while much of the early, cell-based research goes unnoticed. Hence, this piece aims to raise awareness for glioblastoma research on a microscopic level.

 

Here, I used disruptive lace to replicate the intricate amalgamation of glioblastoma cells under the microscope, a core component of my PhD research. The Centrality of Beauty and Demise perfectly summarises my eight-year journey in science and represents my transition into the design realm, where I can further explore the intersection between science, advocacy and fashion.