Four images made by Imperial scientists have been shortlisted in the British Heart Foundation's (BHF) Reflections of Research competition.

The winner chosen by a panel of judges will be announced on Friday, but a BHF Supporters’ Favourite will be decided by a public vote. To take part, visit the BHF’s Facebook page.

Seeing is believing, by Dr Graeme Birdsey (National Heart and Lung Institute, NHLI) Above

This image shows the intricate network of newly-formed blood vessels in the retina of a mouse eye. Understanding how blood vessels grow is an important part of understanding cardiovascular disease.

No smoke without fire, by Dr Neil Dufton (NHLI)

This picture shows a blood vessel that doesn’t work properly and is leaking. The blood vessel is seen in red, with the leaks seen in grey. Maintaining healthy blood vessels is vital to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Lifelines, by Dr Francesco Iori (Aeronautics)

Using the same computer modelling programmes that engineers use to design aeroplanes, BHF-funded scientists can now precisely model the blood flow in our blood vessels. These models can be used to design better techniques for dialysis that limit the disruption to a patient’s natural blood flow.

Scaffolding, by Dr Anne Géraldine Guex (NHLI)

BHF-funded scientists use scaffolds containing microscopic holes to grow healthy heart cells that could potentially be implanted into a patient’s damaged heart after a heart attack.