Hidden Dangers of Salmonella wins SfAM Image Competition

The Society for Applied Microbiology (Sfam) has named the overall winner of its annual image competition 2015 as Dr Paula Bourke. Chosen from 12 finalists, the winning entry "What Lurks Beneath" submitted by Paula Bourke and Dana Zuizina, Dublin Institute of Technology, is an amazing scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of Salmonella internalised in lettuce stomata.

The image illustrates the challenge faced by many food retailers selling salad labelled "ready-to-eat" as the Salmonella residing within the lettuce stomata is protected from many types of processing and decontamination treatments. Strains of Salmonella not only cause food poisoning, but may also lead to illnesses such as typhoid and paratyphoid fevers.

Dr Bourke is based in the School of Food Science and Environmental Health at the Dublin Institute of Technology and is named on more than 50 scientific publications.

In a statement SfAM Chief Executive Dr Lucy Harper said of the winner: "Paula's image is a vivid display of the science behind the headlines. This stunning representation of salmonella which has escaped decontamination treatment, reminds us all of the need to wash pre-packed salad"

The 2nd and 3rd placed images were also announced:

Runner-up, Howbeer Muhamadali, a PhD researcher at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology submitted a stunning ‘Charlie Chaplin' made by carefully streaking the bacteria Streptomyces lividans in a petri dish. The bacteria is known to produce a naturally occurring red coloured antibiotic as part of its life cycle.

In third place "I never promised you a mould garden' is a colourful display of the many diverse species of fungi that grow in the form of tiny multicellular filaments called hyphae. The image was submitted by Charmaine Mitchell from the food research organisation, Campden BRI Technology Ltd.

Now in its seventh year, the SfAM Image Competition annually presents innovative and striking images from the vast discipline of microbiology. Free to enter and open to all microbiologists, it is an exciting portrayal of this branch of science in the world of science communication.

The awards' international judging panel is comprised of esteemed scientists and the competition offers incredible exposure and recognition not only to its winner, but also those on its shortlist. The 2015 awards attracted record-breaking entries for the Society, with 1012 images submitted from 61 countries, confirming its position as the UK's largest microbiological photography competition.

SfAM 2016 Image Competition

The Society is looking for innovative and striking images that represent applied microbiology. This could be an image of your favourite bugs, an arty laboratory shot, an image of a particular environment that supports microbial life e.g. hot springs and methanotrophs, or something that you feel represents a global challenge that SfAM are working to solve such as antimicrobial resistance.

Send us your images for a chance to win £150, a FREE one-year membership at no cost and have the image featured in the SfAM 2017 Calendar.

There will also be one overall winner, chosen from the 12 winning entries, who will win £150 GBP. Entries to be submitted byMonday 25^th July 2016

For further details contact communications@sfam.org.uk or visit www.sfam.org.uk