Submit your work for the Best Image Award 2026

Best Scientific Image Award 2026: Show the World Your Mitochondrial Discovery

Can a single image change the way we see mitochondrial biology?

The World Mitochondria Society (WMS) is pleased to announce the opening of submissions for the Best Scientific Image Award 2026, an international competition celebrating the most outstanding scientific images in mitochondrial research.

From stunning microscopy to innovative scientific illustrations and AI-assisted visualizations, this award recognizes images that combine scientific excellence with visual impact. Every image tells a story, reveals a discovery, and helps communicate the remarkable complexity of mitochondria.

The winner will be announced during the Awards Ceremony of the 17th World Congress on Targeting Mitochondria, to be held in Berlin, Germany, October 21–23, 2026.

Who can participate?

The competition is open to researchers, clinicians, postdoctoral fellows, PhD students, engineers, and imaging specialists from academia and industry worldwide.

What can you submit?

We welcome original scientific images related to mitochondrial biology, including:

• Fluorescence and confocal microscopy
• Electron microscopy
• Live-cell imaging
• Super-resolution microscopy
• Clinical and translational imaging
• Scientific illustrations
• AI-assisted scientific visualizations

How to submit:

Each submission should include a high-resolution image, a title, a short scientific description (maximum 250 words), and the imaging technique used.

mitochondria[at]wms-site.com

Awards

The Best Scientific Image Award 2026 winner will receive:

• An official World Mitochondria Society Award Certificate
• Free registration to the 18th World Congress on Targeting Mitochondria 2027
• Recognition during the Awards Ceremony in Berlin
• International visibility through the WMS website, newsletter, and social media
• Inclusion in the WMS Scientific Image Gallery

New for 2026: People's Choice Award

For the first time, congress participants will vote for their favorite image during the meeting. This special award will recognize the image that best inspires and communicates mitochondrial science to the international community.

Submit Your Image

Submission deadline: September 20, 2026

Whether your work explores mitochondrial dynamics, metabolism, signaling, aging, disease, or therapeutic innovation, we encourage you to share the image that best represents your science.

One image can inspire a discovery. One image can inspire a community. We look forward to seeing yours.

Among the submission for BEST MITOCHONDRIA IMAGE 2026

Image 1: Cellular Constellations: Illuminating the Mitochondrial Redox Landscape of Gastric Cancer

By Sayak Ghosh, M.Sc., Amity University Kolkata, India

Download Full Size image (TIF)

Description : Cancer cells undergo profound metabolic remodeling to sustain their rapid growth and survival under stressful conditions. This confocal fluorescence image illustrates the spatial relationship between mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) production and the cancer stem cell marker CD44 in gastric adenocarcinoma cells. Cell nuclei are stained with DAPI (blue), MitoSOX™ Red (red) specifically labels mitochondrial superoxide, a key indicator of mitochondrial oxidative stress, and CD44 immunofluorescence (green) identifies cells with stemness-associated characteristics.

The heterogeneous distribution of mitochondrial superoxide and CD44 expression highlights the metabolic diversity that exists within the tumor cell population. Elevated mtROS has emerged as an important regulator of cancer cell plasticity, stemness, therapeutic resistance, and metastatic potential by modulating mitochondrial function and redox-sensitive signaling pathways. Simultaneously, CD44- positive cells represent a subpopulation with enhanced tumor-initiating capacity and resistance to conventional therapies. Visualizing these molecular events at the single-cell level provides valuable insight into the interplay between mitochondrial dysfunction and cancer stem cell biology.

This image underscores the importance of mitochondrial metabolism as a central determinant of tumor progression and demonstrates how advanced fluorescence microscopy can reveal the intricate cellular architecture underlying cancer biology. Such visualization contributes to understanding the molecular mechanisms that may guide the development of mitochondria-targeted therapeutic strategies for gastric cancer.

Imaging Technique Used
Immunocytochemistry (ICC) combined with MitoSOX™ Red staining and DAPI nuclear
counterstaining, imaged using a Leica TCS SP8 Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope.

Fluorescent markers:
Red: MitoSOX™ Red (mitochondrial superoxide)
Green: CD44 (cancer stem cell marker)
Blue: DAPI (cell nuclei).

Image 2: ochondria on the move: Characterising extracellular mitochondria using electron microscopy

By Shannon Swart, PhD, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa

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Description: Mitochondria are traditionally regarded as intracellular organelles that serve as central hubs for energy production, redox homeostasis, and programmed cell death. However, under a range of physiological and pathophysiological conditions, mitochondria can translocate to the extracellular environment, either as free organelles or encapsulated within extracellular vesicles.

This electron microscopy image shows an extracellular vesicle containing a mitochondrion alongside other cellular components as cargo. The mitochondrion is distinctly identifiable by its characteristic double membrane and internal cristae. Extracellular mitochondria can originate from diverse cell types and may function as danger signals, mediators of intercellular communication, or functional organelles capable of supporting neighbouring cells with impaired mitochondrial function.

Consequently, extracellular mitochondria are emerging as important biomarkers of health and disease. Electron microscopy enables their precise identification and ultrastructural characterisation, offering valuable insights into mitochondrial biology.

Method: Scanning transmission electron microscopy using an Apreo Volumescope (ThermoFisher, Netherlands) and image acquisition was conducted with ThermoFisher Scientific's xt Microscopy software. Conducted at the Central Analytical Facility at Stellenbosch University.

Image 3: Mitochondrial Landscapes: The Hidden Architecture of a Cell Carrying the FMR1 Premutation

By Arshi Mustafa, University of Californiam, U.S.A.

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Description: This transmission electron microscopy image captures the mitochondrial landscape of an SKNMC cell expressing 95 CGG repeats in the FMR1 gene. Multiple mitochondria are distributed throughout the cytoplasm, revealing their characteristic morphology and intricate internal ultrastructural organization. The high-resolution image provides a detailed view of mitochondrial architecture within a human cell carrying the FMR1 premutation.

Study Context: SKNMC cells expressing 95 CGG repeats serve as a cellular model for investigating the effects of the FMR1 premutation on cellular and mitochondrial biology. This study uses ultrastructural imaging to examine mitochondrial morphology and organization, providing insight into how mitochondria are structured within cells carrying an expanded CGG repeat.

Method: Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to visualize mitochondrial ultrastructure in SKNMC cells expressing 95 CGG repeats. Image acquired with a 1 µm scale bar. (University of California, School of Medicine, Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, U.S.A.).

BEST MITOCHONDRIA IMAGE AWARD 2025 - FINALIST LIST