Reindeer Science Art

Science Art of Reindeer for the cover of Cell Press. — Cover art for Cell Press by Nicolle R. Fuller, SayoStudio.

Happy Holidays from SayoStudio!

We’re so happy to wish you all a Happy Holiday Season! Our reindeer science art arrived just in time to be featured in the December 2022 edition of Cell Press. We had the pleasure of working with the Biernaskie lab (UCalgary) to represent their research, by co-lead authors Sarthak Sinha and Holly Sparks, on how the immune response drives scar formation.

Researchers are studying antlers and wound healing. Most cuts on our bodies will scar, but antlers go through an annual shedding and heal completely. Scientists think this is due to fibroblasts, which initiate the immune response. On the body, the immune response is much like our own, adult bodies. The resulting wound heals, but a scar is left behind. In contrast, the skin on the antlers is similar to infants. The velvet antler’s fibroblasts direct a different kind of immune response, leaving pristine, unscarred tissue. Scientists believe there may be a way to replicate the incredible healing of velvet antlers.

Congratulations to the Biernaskie lab of the University of Calgary, and to co-lead authors Sarthak Sinha and Holly Sparks. Read more on antlers, fibroblasts and wound healing in the journal Cell.

Our Creative Director Nicolle went through many iterations of this art before the final was chosen for the cover. Which is your favorite? Creating cover art can be quite a journey. Read more about some of the benefits of hiring an illustrator, even if your art isn’t chosen for the cover.