Takatoshi Maeda, featured ILCS liquid crystal artist, January 2019

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Name: Takatoshi Maeda
Position: Ph. D. student
Institution: Department of Chemistry, Graduate school of engineering science, Osaka University
Research group: Naota laboratory in Osaka University and RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS)
Current research object: Controlling release of photo-responsible nematic liquid crystalline microcapsules.
Email: maeda-t@soc.chem.es.osaka-u.ac.jp
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Liquid crystal texture mimics biological cells, packed in a hexagonal manner by using 5CB liquid crystalline shells. The 5CB shells were designed to be confined between inner and outer PVA aqueous solutions by utilizing a homemade microfluidic device and spun onto a glass substrate. After breakage of the shells, the texture was observed. Picture width is 700 μm.
Jury comment: This picture artistically makes a beautiful connection between liquid crystals and biological cells.