Hannah Ball, 2021 Microscopy Photo Contest Winner

2021 was our third annual MCB microscopy photo contest. This photo contest is open to our graduating seniors and the winning photo, or photos, are used on the MCB commencement program and on the MCB website. 

Our 2021 winner is Hannah Ball. Hannah is a senior majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology. She has worked in Dr. Daniela Zarnescu’s for three years studying the role of glycolysis in the progression of ALS. After graduation she will be starting a PhD program at Northwestern University to continue researching neurodegenerative diseases. In her free time she enjoys baking, going to concerts, and spending time with friends and family. 

Hannah captured this stunning photograph of a synapse of a TDP-43 overexpression model of ALS staining endogenous phosphofructokinase (PFK) in green with the axons shown with magenta. PFK has been shown to be neuroprotective in the TDP-43 model.