Astonishing footage of abnormal cell movement in lungs wins 2026 Nikon video microscopy prize

A stunning video capturing intricate cell movement in a child living with a rare genetic disorder has won the 16th annual Nikon Small World in Motion competition.

Using an advanced microscopic imaging tool, Ning Xu of Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, observed the abnormal beating of airway cilia — hairlike structures that protrude from cells within the human body — in a child with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD).

Typically, cilia line the airways and beat in coordinated waves that clear mucus and debris from the lungs.

However, in a person with PCD, those threadlike structures can beat abnormally, hindering airway clearance and contributing to recurrent respiratory infections.

"To understand this disease, you need to observe around 10 seconds of motion, not just a still image," Xu, an optical engineer who develops advanced imaging systems to aid scientists in better understanding complex cellular structures through motion, said in a press release Wednesday.

"When people watch cilia beating, they immediately understand that something beautiful and important is happening inside us," Xu added. "I think this competition turns microscopy into a shared language."

Launched to celebrate technological progression in microscopic photography, the Nikon Small World in Motion competition welcomes entries from anyone with an interest in photography or video.

This year, the video contest received 347 entries from 40 countries, judged by a panel composed of specialists in science and advanced light microscopy.

"Xu's work, and the work of all our winners, reflects the competition's enduring purpose to inspire wonder, fuel discovery, and showcase the artistry inherent in scientific exploration," Eric Flem, senior manager, communications and CRM at Nikon Instruments, said in the release.

The second place prize was awarded to Nguyen Nam Nhat for his video of a minuscule roundworm and a single-celled Dileptus, while third place went to Benedikt Pleyer for his video of jellyfish larvae suspended in water droplets.

Fourth place was awarded to Andrew Moore, who captured the synchronized cell division in neighboring cells, and the fifth place winner was Patrick Hickey, whose video exhibited the dynamics of mitochondria (green) and chloroplasts (red) in turtle vine leaf cells.

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