The Royal Society of Biology’s annual BioArtAttack competition received a record 362 entries this year, which included digital art, models and paintings, depicting a huge variety of topics from across the biosciences.

Manon Formaggia, aged 16, won the Individual category of the competition with her study of wings, titled A Study of Hidden Beauty in Wings. 

Manon used recycled fabrics and ink to show the variation between birds and insects.

“I’m really delighted as this competition has allowed me to merge my two passions: art and biology!” said Manon responding to news of her win.

A group of 47 students in Year 10 from St Mary’s School, Colchester, won the Group category in this year’s BioArtAttack competition with their piece entitled Human Female Karyotype.

The students learned to finger knit the individual chromosomes during the Autumn term to create their entry, which stands 1.7 metres tall.

The piece is made from black cloth, felt fabric, hot glue and various scraps of yarn, finger knitted.

Their teacher, Alison Tew, said, “I am absolutely thrilled to have the Human Female Karyotype wall-hanging win such an amazing competition.

“Since the girls finished making their chromosomes, I have had this piece in my classroom and have used it in many of my lessons on genetics and DNA.

"It looks beautiful and gives a sense of ownership too. Plus, while making it the pupils not only learned a craft skill, but understood the idea of homologous chromosomes, sex chromosomes and chromosome disorders.

"We had so much fun with it!”

Other entries that were shortlisted are listed below.

Individual submissions:

The Human Eye | Rhian Chohan, The John Lyon School, London

Made from: a polystyrene ball, a polystyrene ring, acrylic paints, foam, cardboard, glue, cocktail sticks, double-sided tape, cling film and felt-tip pens.

Inside the Human Body - An Exploded View | Elle-Mai Foulkes, St Mary's School, Colchester

Made from: an old broken skeleton toy, buttons, hot glue, wool, balloons, modelling clay, canvas, black paint, and crackle glaze.

Neuron Cell | Harry Bulbrook, Cheam High School, Sutton

Made from: clay to form the neuron, painted, and the lid of a box to mount it with lights underneath.

Bones of the Foot | Jack Walsh, Cheam High School, Sutton

Made from: cardboard, newspaper, glue, rope, wood, screws, and paint.

Invader | Lyndsey Cho

Made from: cork sheet, korean paper, plastic dome, copper wire, golf wood tees, cotton swabs, sponge powder, styrofoam, fishing gut, and toy gel.

My Micro Microscopes | Iris Turner, Turo School, Cornwall

Made from: card, watercolour, markers, beach sand, tracing paper, lino cut and ink, pen and acrylic paint.

Light-Up Digestive System | Ana Aslam, Herschel Grammar School, Slough

Made from: polystyrene LED lights, crocodile clips, wires, acrylic paint and PVA glue

The First Life on Earth | Eva Pearson, The Grange School, Northwich

Made from: a shoe box, coloured card, paint, tissue paper and coloured pens.

Purple Chromosome | Regina Olvera Gutiérrez, Harkness Institute, Mexico

Made from: purple yarn

Cross Section of a Heart | Olive Walker, The Grange School, Cheshire

Made from: canvas, thread and a needle

Group submissions shortlist:

Germs | Year 9 art classes, Priory Pembroke Academy, Lincoln

Made from: pencil, acrylic paint, coloured pencil, and biro.

Specialised Cells Patchwork | Ayesha Zaheer, Yadhavi Sutharshan, Narmeen Saleem, Pranati Madhusudana and Vigyathri Neela, Herschel Grammar School, Slough

Made from: felt.

The competition is now closed for another year, but there are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved and be creative, including taking part in activities featured in our Science at Home online festival.