Groundbreakingresearch at Penn Medicine improves quality of life for many and saves countlesslives every day, so it is easy to imagine how presenting these critical studiesin journals and to various audiences can always be a challenge.
So,what is the most effective way to display complex medical research discoveriesin journals and in presentations to various audiences?
Theoffice of Biomedical Art andDesign offers that solution to many researchers at Penn Medicine.
Operatingout of a small office in John Morgan Building, Mary Leonard and Anne Pugh offerimportant presentation services to the Penn community.
“We have aunique opportunity in Biomedical Art & Design to help scientists and otherprofessionals communicate their ideas and their science visually,” said Pugh.“We strive to do so in a way that is as clear and sound as possible.”
In2003, as photographer and artist Ken Ray retired from Penn, his art and photoshop turned into the office of Biomedical Art and Design. Since then, MaryLeonard assumed many of Ray’s responsibilities, and, with Pugh, continuehelping researchers present their discoveries in a clear, high-quality,creative manner ever since.
Theartistic duo handles primarily large format poster printing, web design, PowerPoint presentations,and drawings for studies.
Comingfrom a largely artistic background, Leonard continues to build on herpreviously very limited knowledge of science and medicine as clients ask her todesign art for particular studies.
Leonard jumped right into doing art for some of those complexstudies in the 1980s while working for the highly accomplished biophysicist BrittonChance, the former Eldridge Reeves Johnson emeritus professor of biophysics,physical chemistry and radiologic physics at Penn, who passed in fall 2010.
“Hewas a force,” said Leonard. “He definitely was an amazing person.”
Inaddition to learning more about Chance’s studies, he helped shape Leonard’swork style.
“Workingwith Britton Chance, he would often revisit things,” said Leonard. “So, itforced me to be organized.”
Executingthe art design for this research helped Leonard learn more about the oneconducting it.
“WhatI got from Britton Chance was just the most incredible work ethic I had everseen,” said Leonard. “His personal life and work life worked together as oneand so he was working all the time.”
New Technology Constantly Changes Art
Atthe same time Leonard has adapted to the ever-changing world of graphic art.
“Withthe advent of the computer, I re-learned everything digitally,” said Leonard.“Much of what I do now was self-taught using the computer.”
Leonarduses Illustrator daily, along with Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and other programson the job. She also teaches basic Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to post-docsand faculty affairs in the Anatomy-Chemistry building. “Teaching these classes,I want to focus on giving students the skills they need,” said Leonard. “I tryto cram as much information as possible into the limited class time. Theseprograms are complex but can be used simply and easily.”
Leonardacknowledges the clear distinctions in how the office used to operate comparedto now.
“Inthe old days,” says Leonard, “You would submit photographic prints with your paper.Ken would photograph the drawings and make prints of the drawings and thosewould be sent to a journal for submission.”
Tothis day, Leonard and Pugh store Ray’s 3X5 negatives taken decades ago in theoffice. Typically, Leonard would design a chart or similar graphic, and Raywould photographic them.
Stationedin the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, associated with the JohnsonResearch Foundation, the Biomedical Art and Design office is “completelydifferent from when I started to where it is now,” said Leonard.
Constantlyadapting to new challenges, the office does work for researchers, such asLeslie Dutton, PhD, Eldridge Reeves Johnson Professor of Biochemistry andBiophysics and director, Johnson Foundation for Molecular Biophysics.
“Heis the one responsible for constantly pushing me forward,” said Leonard. “Hemight say, ‘now I need you to do web design,’ then I’d have to learn webdesign.”
Typically,those researchers take time and meet with Mary Leonard and go back and forththrough various drafts, sometimes offered a few options in a meeting, until theart is just right.
“It's always fun when our clients get excited to see theirwork, which they know so well, presented in a new way,” said Pugh.
Whilemost of their current projects are for Penn Medicine researchers, the two alsodo work for Penn’s Dental School, Vet School, Monell Chemical Senses Center,Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and more.
Thiswork also includes producing programs, booklets, and other promotionalmaterials for annual events, such as pieces for the annual post-doc symposium(poster, abstract book, and website) at Penn, and designing a logo for a spinesymposium.
Science Trivia
Addingto seminar news already on them, five screens on the second floor of the Anatomy-ChemistryBuilding, and the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors ofStellar Chance now include science trivia questions added by Leonard.
Duringthe last ten years, the questions have become increasingly challenging, andhave been tabulated into a popular sold-out book.
In2009, the office printed a more unique publication, a department cookbookillustrated by Dutton. The book features an eclectic mix of dishes,including a Lemon-Cardamom pound cake recipe from Kim Sharp, PhD, associateprofessor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, a veggie chili recipe by Dutton, anavocado salsa recipe submitted by Ben Black, Ph.D., associateprofessor of biochemistry and biophysics, and much more.
On Dutton’s cookbook art, Leonard says, “Art and science go hand in hand, anddefinitely with him.”
Art and science clearly go hand in hand here.