But as these stunning images, captured by Cambridge scientists working on the battle against Parkinson's, reveal, beauty can still be found in the unlikeliest of places.
The Parkinson's UK charity, which funds cutting-edge research at Cambridge's Stem Cell Institute, issued the challenge to scientists to submit their most impressive images, for its Picturing Parkinson's competition.
It was won by researcher Philipp Berg for his image Supernova, which shows how he uses stem cells to create a basic brain cell, used to communicate with other parts of the body.
He was also shortlisted in the contest for Neurons Blooming in Nature, which demonstrates his work on proteins.
He said: "To have won this prestigious award is exciting and helps Parkinson's research reach people in a new, engaging and different way.
"After long nights in the lab, it's rewarding to be able to look down the microscope to see such amazing colours and images."
Also shortlisted for the contest was PhD student Lucy Collins, a fellow researcher based at the institute, part of the Wellcome Trust Medical Research Council.
Her image, Tendrils, shows a single brain cell which was transformed into a Parkinson's cell, a crucial process in the development of new treatments.
The annual competition is held in memory of Oxford geneticist Dr Jonathan Stevens, who had Parkinson's and died in 2013 aged 34.
His blog, detailing his experiences of living with the degenerative condition, which cause tremors, slowness of movement and rigidity, was read by thousands around the world.
There are 127,000 people living with Parkinson's in the UK, and there is currently no cure.
Locked away in labs poring over pipettes and petri dishes, medical research may not seem like the most artistic of professions
Supernova
Philipp Berg
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| Stem cells allow us to investigate the genetics involved in Parkinson's. Stem cells from a person with Parkinson's can be turned into a basic brain cell – these cells (with a little time) can produce millions of densely connected adult brain cells. We can see the cell bodies (in blue) and the long tendril like processes, which the cells use to reach out and communicate with other parts of the brain, (in red and green).
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Neurons Blooming in Nature
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These human brain cells (seen here in red) have been made from stem cells. They allow us to study the function and dysfunction of proteins involved in Parkinson's (seen in green). This image shows the proteins gathered at the sites of brain cell communication – the synapses.
Tendrils
Lucy Collins
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| In the middle of this image is a single brain cell. This cell was originally a skin cell and has been turned into the type of brain cell that is affected in Parkinson's. These brain cells have tendril-like processes, which allow the cell to communicate with the rest of the brain. Making these cells is difficult, but they allow for testing of personalised drugs.
http://health.einnews.com/article/299972657/L8FLu2GwC9Qa7w_M
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