Cells to Canvas: Molecular Biology Meets Art
Date Published: 18.06.2026
In the last week of Trinity term, Francesco Licausi, our Professor of Molecular Plant Physiology, explored the synergies between the arts and sciences at an exhibition showing the connections between art and plant molecular biology.
Dr Besiana Sinanaj and Professor Francesco Licausi at the exhibition, ‘Cells to Canvas: Molecular Biology Meets Art’, with some of Dr Sinanaj's artworks.
The exhibition, ‘Cells to Canvas: Molecular Biology Meets Art’, included pieces by four artists, who gave accompanying talks about their work. When introducing the speakers, Professor Licausi noted how art has been crucial for making plant anatomy more widely available and accessible for centuries. Paintings, such as ‘Fruit in a landscape ’ by Giovanni Stanchi reveal details of watermelon anatomy in the XVII century and show how selective breeding changed this fruit over time. The four artists explained how art continues to further their research today.
Dr Besiana Sinanaj, a member of Professor Licausi’s research group and an artist/scientist gave a talk on ‘Where Art, Nature, and Science are Woven Together’. She considered the question of why is art important to science and molecular plant biology? Besiana explained how her responses - that it facilitates visual learning, allows communication of complex concepts and creates a connection between us and our environment - are explored further in her paintings.
Dr Jodie Armand, University of Sheffield, gave a talk on ‘Bioforms’, describing how she makes physical depictions of what had previously only existed on a computer by creating leaf pores sculptures. Some of the sculptures, which Jodie makes by knitting wire, have been displayed to advance public outreach. One such model, a 3D sculpture of the Arabidopsis Carpel, is part of the Pollen Through Space and Time exhibition at the Festival of the Mind in Sheffield.
Dr Hsuan Pai , the Sainsbury Lab, is interested mainly in 2D digital work. Pai was inspired, as the only scientist in her family, to use drawings and illustrations to convey complex ideas in an accessible way. She often uses uses human characteristics to make the images more relatable, and her work has appeared on a number of scientific journal covers.
Dr Nick Desnoyer, the Sainsbury Lab, described how he applies his research in plant biology and genetic engineering approaches to create unique flowers, with bespoke structures and colour-changing properties, to increase public engagement and to inspire future plant biotechnologists.
Professor Francesco Licausi concluded the event with a reflection on how events that connect art and science demonstrate the synergy between art and plant science, bringing people to appreciate the marvels of nature at different scales and providing opportunities to develop new and optimize existing forms of art.
A display of Dr Hsuan Pai's work at the 'From Cells to Canvas' exhibition.
Ornamental Arabidopsis flower varieties created by Dr Nick Desnoyer on display at the exhibition.
Arabidopsis carpel mid-pollination - a prototype of a new scuplture that Dr Jodie Armand is working on currently.
Drs Besiana Sinanaj, Jodie Armand, and Hsuan Pai respond to questions from the audience after their presentations.
Dr Jodie Armand gives a presentation on creating stomata scupltures by knitting wires together freehand, without use of needles.
A plant physiology game for visitors at the 'From Cells to Canvas' exhibition.
Dr Besiana Sinanaj - University of Oxford
Besiana's background is in plant-fungal interactions, but she is interested in all types of applicable plant science and is currently working on a project which aims to deliver whole synthetic plastid genomes to an elite potato variety. Outside the lab, she makes fine art and scientific illustrations which can be commissioned through her art company ‘BESIANA.’
Dr Jodie Armand - University of Sheffield
Jodie completed her PhD in stomatal morphodynamics and describes herself as an aspiring science-artist. She knits wire sculptures to bring microscopic 3D images to life, and her work has been on display at universities worldwide and the Science Museum in London.
Dr Nick Desnoyer - The Sainsbury Lab
Nick is interested in plant biology and genetic engineering approaches to enhance plant traits. His research is focused on repurposing immune receptors as tools for synthetic biology and applying basic research to create ornamental Arabidopsis flower varieties as a means of public outreach and art.
Dr Hsuan Pai - The Sainsbury Lab
Pai's current research involves testing strategies to improve CRISPR/Cas-mediated targeted knock-in efficiency. Her training at Cambridge School of Art in Children’s Book Illustration (CSACBI) blends her background in biology with a passion for art. She is interested in using illustrations to communicate scientific concepts and some of her sci-art illustrations have been published as covers for scientific journals.