Create, observe, think, correct, rethink… Would you say that these steps form part of the work of an artist, or of scientific research?

Of course, it’s difficult to choose without more context. But if we add paintbrushes and statues to the scene, or alternatively pipettes and microscopes, the answer becomes glaringly obvious. So could we say that, essentially, art and science are more alike than we might have thought?

In this latest CaixaResearch Snapshot we’re joined by David Sancho, a researcher from our network at the National Centre for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC), and Guillermo Mora, a visual artist and ”la Caixa” Foundation fellow.

With both of them, we’ll use a scientific image to explore an innovative biomedical discovery whilst also revealing the common ground shared by artistic creation and scientific research. Let’s begin with Guillermo.

Imagine this image were on display at an art gallery. What do you see in it?

G: It looks like a map. I see movement, something that’s separating and shifting. If I had to give it a name, I’d call it “Displacement”.

And which artist could have created this work, do you think?

G: It reminds me of certain works by the British artist Karla Black. Her installations, made from cosmetic products such as talc and powdered make-up, are presented as abstract landscapes, inviting us to rediscover space.

Guillermo Mora, visual artist and ”la Caixa” Foundation fellow.

You see, David, as Guillermo says, your image could easily form part of an art exhibition. But what are we actually looking at?

D: We can see the staining of the arteries at the base of the aorta. The reddish areas show the fatty plaques typical of atherosclerosis that build up on its walls. If these plaques come loose, a thrombus forms that can block the blood vessels and cause a heart attack or stroke.

Can you explain the discovery that lies behind this image?

D: We’ve discovered that certain immune system cells, called type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1s) can activate other cells, T lymphocytes, which contribute to atherosclerosis by forming fatty plaques and inflaming the arteries.

Thanks to images like this, we realised that, when cDC1s were eliminated in animal models, there was also a great reduction in the fatty plaques. Based on that, we developed an experimental treatment in animal models that acts directly on these cells to slow down the disease.

That seems like a discovery with great potential. What impact do you think it will have on healthcare?

D: Atherosclerosis is one of the major causes of death worldwide and it’s currently treated by controlling risk factors such as high cholesterol and blood pressure.

Our discovery paves the way for a new generation of more effective, safer therapies which, instead of focusing solely on cholesterol, act on the immune-related origin of the disease. This could improve the lives of millions of people, especially those who don’t respond well to the current treatments or suffer from side effects. It also lays the foundations for developing personalised treatments capable of precisely modulating the immune system in cardiovascular diseases.

CNIC researchers. From left to right: Sarai Martínez, Marcos Femenía, Elena Hernández, Vanessa Núñez, Manuel Rodrigo, Miguel Galán (first author), Iñaki Robles, Alberto Benguría, David Sancho and Almudena Ramiro.

We can’t end this interview without asking a vital question. Guillermo, what’s the link between art and science, do you think? 

G: I believe they come together in the idea of a laboratory. For me, an artist’s studio is very much like a lab: there’s searching, experimentation, trial and error in both settings. 

Curiously, Guillermo perceives displacement in the image. David also sees displacement but from a different perspective: the plaques coming loose in the arteries. That’s what happens when art and science take a moment to look at the same thing: each brings a new and unique way of understanding reality.