Showcasing Science from the Dunn Lab: The MGRI Image Awards

Each year, the Mass General Research Institute (MGRI) hosts an image awards contest where researchers are asked to submit photos displaying their work. This contest encourages scientists to view their research in a new way and helps share the incredible research that takes place at Mass General with the public. The Dunn Lab submitted images from our work on the STRONG Study in each of three categories: Humans of MGRI, A Closer Look, and Science as Art. These three images have been recognized by the MGRI, and we wanted to share them with you!

This image of Dr. Erin Dunn as the Science Tooth Fairy was taken by Joris Munier at the Cambridge Science Festival, where children and families could come learn about science and research conducted around the Boston area. At the Dunn Lab booth, children learned about how baby teeth develop, what happens when you lose a tooth, and how scientists can learn about your past experiences through looking at teeth. This image was selected as a finalist in the “Humans of Mass General Research Institute” category, as it shows a fun, personalized side of our research process.

The next image that was recognized captures a section of one of our STRONG teeth embedded in resin. This image, taken by our post-doctoral fellow Mona Le Luyer, was submitted in the “Science as Art” category, and was selected to be displayed at the MGH Charlestown Navy Yard 2023 Art Show. The image will be on display all year in the first-floor lobby of the Charlestown Navy Yard research campus.

Our post-doctoral fellow, Simone Lemmers, captured this image of a cross-section of a tooth using a high-powered microscope. At this level of magnification, you can see the microstructure inside the tooth, where records of past life events can be found. The information we can gain from these internal structures is central to our analysis of teeth in the STRONG study. This image was recently highlighted on the Mass General Research Institute’s social media accounts as their “MGRI Image of the Week.” 

The Dunn Lab is so proud that images of our work on the STRONG study were recognized by MGRI and the greater Boston community.

We invite you to check out all of the MGRI image award finalists here.