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Images in the exhibition highlight medical research from labs of UNC School of Medicine scientists.


RALEIGH, NC — A new exhibition at the North Carolina Museum of Art, “The Art of Science and Innovation,” showcases the hidden beauty of biomedical research that could help unlock new, life-saving treatments.

The free exhibition runs through Jan. 14, 2019, and features stunning images from the labs of UNC School of Medicine scientists. The exhibition contains just a few examples of how these researchers use images to better understand the structures that make up an organism, visualize the tissues of the brain that make memory possible, or capture the moment when a cell learns to differentiate itself.

These images may one day rewrite the future of medicine by providing insight into the most basic functions of the body and deepening our understanding of such diverse diseases as cystic fibrosis, heart disease and autism spectrum disorder.

“The images in the exhibition showcase the unexpected beauty found in the life-changing medical and scientific research that happens every day at UNC,” said Dr. Bill Roper, CEO of UNC Health Care and Dean of the UNC School of Medicine. “As North Carolina’s health care system, UNC Health Care approaches medicine through collaboration and creative thinking, striving to deliver high quality care for all North Carolinians. We are incredibly proud of these researchers who exemplify that combination of creativity and scientific thinking.”

“The Art of Science and Innovation is an important example of arts integration,” said Emily Kotecki, manager of Interpretation at the North Carolina Museum of Art. “Integrating the arts helps collapse the walls of traditional subject matter and makes all learners more aware of the interdisciplinary world they inhabit. The NCMA uses this approach in working with teachers and students to make connections, foster creative and critical thinking, and develop awareness of multiple perspectives.”

A Dropbox of the images with descriptions and the researcher biographies is available here.

About UNC Health Care

UNC Health Care is an integrated health care system comprised of UNC Hospitals and its provider network, UNC Faculty Physicians, UNC Physicians Network, the clinical patient care programs of the UNC School of Medicine. Additional hospital entities and health care systems include UNC Rex Healthcare, Chatham Hospital, Johnston Health, Pardee Hospital, High Point Regional Health, Caldwell Memorial, Nash Health Care, Wayne Memorial, UNC Lenoir Health Care and UNC Rockingham Health Care.

About the North Carolina Museum of Art

The North Carolina Museum of Art’s permanent collection spans more than 5,000 years, from ancient Egypt to the present, making the institution one of the premier art museums in the South. The Museum’s collection provides educational, aesthetic, intellectual, and cultural experiences for the citizens of North Carolina and beyond. The 164-acre Museum Park showcases the connection between art and nature through site-specific works of environmental art. The Museum offers changing national touring exhibitions, classes, lectures, family activities, films, and concerts. The Museum opened West Building, home to the permanent collection, in 2010.

The North Carolina Museum of Art is located at 2110 Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh. It is the art museum of the State of North Carolina, Roy Cooper, governor, and an agency of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Susi Hamilton, secretary. More information on the Museum and its programming can be found at www.ncartmuseum.org.

Media contacts:

Kat Harding, North Carolina Museum of Art, 919-664-6795, KHarding@ncartmuseum.org

Alan Wolf, UNC Health Care, 919-218-7103, alan.wolf@unchealth.unc.edu