X-Therma competed at the Molecular Foundry’s NanoArt Image Contest. The contest is held annually, to celebrate the National Nano Day.

“National Nano Day is an annual celebration on 10/9 to help raise awareness of nanotechnology, how it is used in products that enrich our daily lives, and the challenges and opportunities it holds for the future. “

Under polarized light, ice crystals reveals life saving secrets in a colorful wonderland. A story of “Nice Ice” enables life to thrive in a frozen world. (Top) water freezes into large hexagonal ice crystals; (Bottom) Antifreeze protein from arctic fish alters the ice crystals into dual pyramid shape. (Middle) Nature-inspired, Ice-interactive peptoid XT-ViVo shapes smaller, rounder and safer ice than Nature.

The XT-ViVo peptoid has been used to preserve murine hearts below 0C for greatly extended time periods and return back to life for successful transplants. Further application in human organ transplant will help end the organ transplant wait list and save millions of lives.

The image was taken at the Biological Nanostructures Facility on the Nikon Optiphot-POL polarized microscope w/ X-Therma Cryostage by Xiaoxi Wei, X-Therma Inc., including assistance by Mark Kline, Adam Childs, Mussie Gide, and Andrea Callegari.