Ning Xu wins Nikon microscopy prize for footage of abnormal lung cell movement

Ning Xu of Tsinghua University has won the 16th annual Nikon Small World in Motion competition for a video capturing abnormal cell movement in the lungs of a child with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD).

Using advanced microscopic imaging, Xu observed the irregular beating of airway cilia. In healthy individuals, these hair-like structures move in coordinated waves to clear mucus and debris from the lungs, but in patients with PCD, abnormal movement hinders airway clearance and leads to recurrent respiratory infections.

The competition, which received 347 entries from 40 countries, aims to celebrate technological progress in microscopic photography and scientific exploration.