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4 Headlines F lashes of Brilliance is an initiative run by the Neurological Foundation to showcase the brain's natural beauty and artistry. The images are real snapshots taken under the microscope by those working in the field of neuroscience in New Zealand. We were once again blown away by the stunning visual masterpieces submitted this year. The images were exhibited in the Neurohub at this year's Fieldays in early December. We hope we can bring it to more locations over the coming months, and in the meantime, the full showcase is available to view at www.flashesofbrilliance.org.nz. Dr Helen Murray explains her cosmic like image 'Over the Brainbow': “This is an image of the different types of neurons (brain cells) in the frontal cortex of a neurologically normal individual. My research examines the microscopic changes in chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is a type of dementia linked to repetitive head injuries. We are using a technique called multiplex fluorescent labelling to identify many different types of neurons on a single piece of human brain tissue, to see which ones are affected by this disease. This image was from a pilot experiment to test if labelling would work on tissue from the Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank.” Dr Helen Murray completed her PhD at the University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences in 2017, then worked at the National Institutes of Health in Washington DC from 2018 to 2020. She returned to New Zealand to FLASHES OF BRILLIANCE The secret life of cells Flashes of Brilliance is back and once again will showcase the visually stunning and wondrous complexities of the brain and nervous systems. Held for the first time in 2020, this bi-annual collection of images tells the stories behind the research.