LJI announces winners of 2025 Student Art Competition

San Diego County students shared stunning artworks—and impressive research skills—in this year’s “Wonders of Immunology” Student Art Competition. The annual competition, hosted by La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), encourages local students to think about science in a creative way. Students in grades 5 to 12 are welcome to use any medium they wish to depict an aspect of health or medical research. 

LJI is very pleased to announce this year’s winners:

Junior Immunologist Winners

The winner of the Junior Immunologist category, for grades 5 to 8, was middle school student Yuuki Ishizaka, who takes art classes through CVArt Studio in Sorrento Valley. Ishizaka used tools in Procreate, a digital drawing app, to create a piece titled “Defender of Health.”

Ishizaka’s colorful piece depicts a syringe-wielding figure fighting off viruses. The viruses are shown as fiery meteors hurtling toward the Earth. Ishizaka says the goal was to show viral infections as an attack. “Viruses, like the flu or COVID-19, attack our bodies and make us sick,” says Ishizaka. “Scientists say stress can weaken our immune system, which makes it easier for viruses to spread.”

The second place winner in the Junior Immunologist category was Grace Wang of Thurgood Marshall Middle School. Wang used colored pencils to create a piece titled “Inhalation.” Wang drew the piece to depict the health effects of inhaling carcinogens through vaping. Her drawing gives viewers a close-up look at how chemicals from vaping interact with tissues and immune cells in the lungs. 

Wang says the art competition was a chance to share what she’s learned about the risks of vaping. “I learned about the chemicals in a vape, such as lead, acrolein, and other carcinogens,” says Wang. “I also learned about the effects of vaping, such as ‘popcorn lung’ and alveoli bursting, and that vaping may be connected to cancer.”

Senior Immunologist Winners

The winner of the Senior Immunologist category, for grades 9 to 12, was Ishanvi Patel of Del Norte High School. Patel used oil pastels and colored pencils to draw a piece titled “Cells of Us.”

“My piece aims to display immunology on a cellular level,” says Patel. “The woman’s skin is comprised of skin cells, stained purple, similar to that of a laboratory cell sample. Traveling up the page, these skin cells transform into neurons, painted with a contrasting blue to highlight the electric effect of neuron transmission.”

LJI’s competition judges lauded Patel’s attention to detail and understanding of how cells interact. Patel says the larger-than-life cells highlight how devastating diseases can start small. “Through this piece, I aim to highlight how understanding large medical problems, such as autoimmune skin disorders like psoriasis, begin on a small cellular scale.”

In second place for the Senior Immunologist category was Marion Marsh of Canyon Crest Academy. Marsh used ink and watercolors to create a piece titled “Over the Course of Eternity.” The artwork shows two skeletons covered in green vines and red flowers. The skeletons loom like towering giants.

Marsh says these elements symbolize aspects of autoimmune disease. Marsh also included one skeleton smoking a cigarette, which is meant to symbolize how lifestyle can also contribute to disease risk.

“The skeleton in the front has rheumatoid arthritis, which is a disease where the body’s immune system attacks its healthy tissues by mistake. This can cause pain in the joints, which the red flowers are representing,” says Marsh. “The skeleton on the left has systemic lupus, which is an inflammatory autoimmune condition that can lead to bone loss and fractures. The fractures on the left leg and right arm are being held together by a vine to keep the body stable.”

In third place for the Senior Immunologist category was Chloe Lestyk of Westview High School. Lestyk used acrylic paints and a circular canvas for a piece titled “Immune privileged.” The painting shows an abstract seaside landscape, with a wall built from cells.

Lestyk says the piece was inspired by personal experience. “My grandfather recently had a stroke,” says Lestyk. “Because of this, I was learning about immune-privileged places in the human body such as the brain. I also read about elastic cartilage such as that found in the ear, and when I saw images online of the cartilage, it reminded me of a wall that blocks tides of possible immune response.”

LJI congratulates all winners who placed in the competition and thanks all entrants for sharing their work in the competition. The first place winners in each category will receive a National Geographic microscope, plaque, and be featured in LJI’s Immune Matters Magazine.

This year’s judges were LJI Research Technician Erin Moore, Postdoctoral Fellow Amparo Martínez Pérez, Ph.D., Mentorship Program Coordinator Lizzy Dorner, Director of Communications Jenna Hambrick, Executive Coordinator Sonja Arnold, and Advancement Officer Jessica Chadwell.