Dr Chrissy Bolton, MRC Clinical Research Training Fellow and a member of the TRICIA team, recently participated in an image competition and achieved recognition as a runner-up. The competition, open to staff from Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and its affiliated institutes—the NIHR GOSH Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and the University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (UCL GOS ICH)—invited submissions that encapsulate ‘a moment of discovery’ in their research. Additionally, the competition welcomed entries from other children’s hospitals across the UK within the NIHR GOSH BRC Paediatric Excellence Initiative, including Alder Hey, Birmingham, and Sheffield.
Out of numerous submissions, 11 images and GIFs showcasing the breadth of research linked to GOSH were shortlisted and presented to three distinct panels—the GOSH Young People’s Advisory Group for Research (YPAG), NIHR GOSH BRC stakeholders, and the GOSH staff networks. These images offer insights into the diverse research endeavours undertaken at GOSH and its collaborators, aimed at uncovering new treatments for rare or complex conditions, to enhance the lives of seriously ill children and young individuals.
The selection process was highly competitive, culminating in the identification of three standout images. These finalists were then subjected to public scrutiny, with the overall winner determined through social media voting.
The image submitted by Chrissy depicts the cellular composition of a knee joint afflicted by arthritis in a four-year-old. Highlighted in red are the blood vessels infiltrating the tissue, their proliferation indicative of disease progression and the influx of cells instigating joint damage. The outer regions, depicted in yellow and pink, typically constitute a thin barrier for the knee, yet thicken as the joint attempts to mitigate inflammation-induced harm. The green layers signify the presence of scar tissue, exacerbating joint stiffness and impeding mobility.
In the United Kingdom, inflammatory arthritis affects approximately 1 in 1,000 children, predominantly manifesting in large joints. Despite a decade of treatment, many children continue to endure persistent disease activity. Notably, the bulk of arthritis research has historically centred on adults, leaving a gap in understanding regarding the nuances of chronic inflammation in the developing immune systems of children. Ultimately, it was the poignant insights from parents, advocating for their children’s inclusion in the technological advancements driving research, that underscored the imperative to extend these benefits to younger demographics.
