Project scope

/ILLUSTRATION

Illustrating a research breakthrough developed by scientists at Stanford Medicine.

Context

After a first cover published in Nature Biotechnology, I was contacted by two Stanford Medicine scientists to illustrate their new study for Nature Neuroscience. My role was to translate their discovery into a clear, impactful visual metaphor, turning complex scientific insights into a meaningful image.

My Mission

Illustration

Client

Stanford University School of Medicine

Vivianne Tawfik, MD, PhD
Lauren Janine Donovan, Phd

Concept : The Raiders of the Lost Neurons

The research focused on a part of the nervous system that is difficult to access and often overlooked. I wanted to turn this challenge into a visual narrative: a hidden landscape that scientists must literally explore to reveal what usually remains invisible.
The illustration frames the dorsal root ganglia as an underground world, a cavern carved into the spine, where researchers descend like explorers to uncover the delicate, glowing traces of neuronal senescence. This metaphor allowed me to express both the complexity of the discovery and the beauty of revealing something that was previously out of reach.

NatNeuroCover_fullimage_RGB_Lowres_3000x1750

Execution

I started with pencil sketches to shape the composition and refine the narrative. Once the structure felt right, I moved into Illustrator to build the forms and define the visual balance. The final coloring was done in Photoshop, using soft diffusion brushes to create depth, texture and a more atmospheric feel.

Outcome

Working closely with two brilliant women scientists made the process especially enriching. Their feedback helped refine the illustration at every step, and seeing our work selected as the Nature Neuroscience cover was a shared pride. This project reminded me how much I enjoy working with scientists, and how meaningful it is to bring my visual skills into research.

Details