Skip to main content
The William Harvey Research Institute - Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
  1. WHRI
  2. Latest News
  3. 2025
  4. Items

Queen Mary researcher recognised in BHF’s annual science image competition

A dramatic image taken by a Queen Mary University of London scientist has been recognised as one of the top entries in the British Heart Foundation’s annual ‘Reflections of Research’ competition.

Published:
Image: A Portrait of a Fiery Blood Clot, Credit: Sammy El-Mansi, Queen Mary University of London, British Heart Foundation - Reflections of Research

Image: A Portrait of a Fiery Blood Clot, Credit: Sammy El-Mansi, Queen Mary University of London, British Heart Foundation - Reflections of Research

Combining the beauty and mystery of art and science, the annual ‘Reflections of Research’ image competition challenges researchers to put forward the most awe-inspiring images taken as part of their research into cardiovascular health and disease.

Dr Sammy El-Mansi, a BHF funded Postdoctoral Researcher at the Centre for Microvascular Research, William Harvey Research Institute, was recognised for his image titled ‘A Portrait of a Fiery Blood Clot’. The image captures the spectacular moment that a blood vessel is hit with a laser in the lab, and immediately starts the clotting process to repair itself. The damage triggers the release of a protein called von Willebrand factor (vWf), which is shown in blue. This draws in sticky cells called platelets, which appear in green, and attach to the site of injury to stop bleeding and prevent excessive blood loss. The fiery blaze in red shows the generation of a protein called fibrin, which holds the clot together.

Clotting is essential for the body to heal itself, but blood clots can also cause heart attacks and strokes. The team, including Dr Sammy El-Mansi, hope to better understand how blood clots form, which in future may help to prevent dangerous clotting in the body.

Reflecting on the recognition, Dr El-Mansi said: “I am delighted to be recognised in the British Heart Foundation’s Reflections of Research competition with an image of blood vessel repair that is almost cinematic.

“By better understanding clot formation, we hope to find new ways to control the process, and pave the way for new treatments to prevent dangerous localised blood clotting in the body.”

 

 

 

Back to top