June 3, 2026
Congratulations to the winners of the fourth annual LCIF Image Contest! We are delighted to showcase these outstanding images and celebrate the innovative research conducted by our users. Thank you to everyone who participated and shared their work with us!
Here are the winners of the LCIF Image Contest 2026:
Image Category
First place
Star-shaped astrocytes (red) surround amyloid-beta aggregates (grey), a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.
Second place
Arteries in the cortex of a mouse brain at 63x magnification with 300 um coronal sections. The image shows endothelial cells via isolectin (green), pericytes via CD13 (blue) and RCaMP expressed under the alpha smooth muscle actin promoter (Red).
Third place
Confocal image of a 40µm C57 mouse hippocampal section 7 days post ICV surgery in the CTL group of an AβO Alzheimer’s disease model. Astrocytes (GFAP, green), microglia (Iba1, red), and nuclei (DAPI, blue) illuminate the resilient architecture of stratum oriens and radiatum around pyramidal neurons.
All entries (no order)
Confocal images acquired using a Zeiss LSM 880 (40×) showing human neural progenitor cells dorsal. PAX6 (red) with Nestin (green) highlight early neural patterning and progenitor identity during cortical development.
A cerebellar glomerulus synaptic hub surrounded by green granule cells, showing presynaptic (red), postsynaptic (blue), and a target protein (yellow). Captured via expansion microscopy on a Zeiss LSM 880 Confocal, the tissue was expanded ~4× to resolve its ~40 nm molecular nanoscale architecture.
Branches of a penetrating arteriole in the murine cortex at 63x magnification with 300 um coronal sections. The image shows endothelial cells via isolectin (green), pericytes via CD13 (blue) and RCaMP expressed under the alpha smooth muscle actin promoter (Red).
The image shows astrocytes and their branches (Green) along with amyloid-beta aggregates (Magenta) a driver of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease.
A fluorescent view of the cerebellum’s granule cell layer capturing a synaptic glomerulus hub. Imaged via immunohistochemistry on a Zeiss LSM 880 Confocal microscope, presynaptic proteins (red) and postsynaptic proteins (green) reveal a 150 nm molecular nanoscale architecture.
Confocal images acquired using a Zeiss LSM 880 (40×) showing human dorsal forebrain organoids. FOXG1 (red) with Nestin (green) highlight early neural patterning and progenitor identity during cortical development.
Confocal image of a 40µm C57 mouse hippocampal section after ICV surgery in the CTL group of an AβO Alzheimer’s model. Iba1+ microglia (red) surround DAPI-labeled nuclei within the pyramidal layer and throughout CA1, revealing stratum oriens and radiatum.
Video category
First place
This movie captures neurovascular coupling: an initial decrease in calcium-bound fluorescent signals in ensheathing pericyte (magenta), followed by vessel dilation (green). This process link neuronal activity to changes in vascular tone.
All entries (no order)
syndrome dorsal forebrain organoid. Organoids were stained for MAP2 (red) and DAPI (blue) and imaged with the Zeiss Confocal. A 3D rendition of the imaging was visualized in Imaris.
This movies captures calcium hotspot signals during neurovascular coupling: an initial decrease in calcium fluorescence signals in pericytes allows the vessel to dilate, followed by a brief flash of signal as calcium activity returns to baseline.
Live calcium imaging of a 3-month-old Rett syndrome dorsal forebrain organoid.