Speakers: Tara Finegan, PhD

Tara Finegan, PhD

Director of the Advanced Light Imaging Core Facility
Faculty Member, Division of Biological Sciences
University of Missouri

 

Dr. Tara Finegan is the Director of the Advanced Light Imaging Core Facility and a faculty member in the Division of Biological Sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia. The Finegan-Bergstralh lab investigates how animal tissues acquire and maintain their shape, working at the interface of biology and physics. Dr. Finegan earned her undergraduate and Master’s degrees in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, specializing in Genetics and yeast biochemistry, respectively. She completed her PhD in Developmental Mechanics with Prof. Bénédicte Sanson, initiating her work on epithelial tissue biomechanics. Her postdoctoral research at the University of Rochester and Syracuse University combined experimental and theoretical approaches to study tissue mechanics, guided by Professors J.M. Schwarz and Lisa Manning. Dr. Finegan’s current work integrates Drosophila genetics, advanced imaging, quantitative image analysis, biophysical micromanipulation, and computational modeling to achieve a multi-dimensional understanding of epithelial tissue architecture. She is passionate about the intersection of science and art, using microscopy to uncover the beauty and complexity of living systems.

 

Form, Function, and Beauty: Visual Narratives from Microscopy

Microscopy provides a window into biological systems, capturing the spatial organization and dynamic behaviors that drive cellular and tissue function. Advanced imaging techniques such as fluorescence confocal and super-resolution microscopy allow us to extract spatial, temporal, and morphological features from dynamic cellular processes. Rigorous data processing and visualization workflows translate complex biological behaviors—such as cytoskeletal organization and cellular heterogeneity—into interpretable models. The thoughtful presentation of microscopy data not only enhances scientific clarity but also underscores the aesthetic beauty inherent in biological systems. This intersection of analysis and artistry provides a powerful framework for understanding how cellular form and function are intertwined, offering new ways to communicate the complexity of living systems through visual representation.