Illinois Mobile App Master Calendar

Congratulations to Kerem Catalbas - First Place winner of the 2026 Life Inspiring Art Science Contest.

First Place: Face of Adaptation

Image

Kerem Catalbas, Neuroscience PhD student, Sweeney Lab

This piece blends RNAscope confocal images from the mouse brain with watercolor textures I created by hand, then photographed and digitally layered into a single composition. The biological signals come from the arcuate nucleus, a small but powerful hub that helps the brain sense the body’s energy needs and adjust feeding and metabolism. Here, hunger-promoting AgRP neurons and satiety-promoting POMC neurons sit side by side, constantly negotiating balance. By transforming these cellular patterns into a symmetrical, mask-like face, I wanted adaptation to feel like a presence, something you can “meet,” not just measure. This piece reflects my research on how brain circuits flex in response to changing physiological demands to keep the body in balance.

Catalbas is also in the running for the The People's Artist competition presented by Art Form magazine and Johnny Depp.