On Sunday, September 14th 2025, the NeuVa Art Lab started its Mandala workshop series at Bonn University’s Impulse - House for Innovation and Creativity. The event brought together scientists, artists, and the public to explore the connections between brain research and artistic expression. Together, complex brain structures are resembled in form of mandala artworks, that will be presented in an exhibition by the end of the project. NeuVa Art is a joined project by Prof. Carmen Ruiz de Almodóvar of the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn and textile artist Paula Urrutia.
Insights into current scientific questions and research findings are made available to the public mostly by lectures or newspaper articles. But what about art? ImmunoSensation2 member Prof. Carmen Ruiz de Almodóvar, head of the Institute for Neurovascular Cell Biology at the UKB, and Paula Urrutia, textile artist and operations manager core facilities at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) joined forces to find out. Together, they created the “NeuVa Art Lab”, which invites laypeople to recreate complex structures of the brain using macramé under professional guidance. The artworks crafted will be presented to the public in a final exhibition. The project aims to make the complex content of research on the neurovascular system tangible and understandable through a participatory, artistic approach.
Blood Vessels and the Brain
The afternoon began with a short introduction to the neurovascular unit (NVU), which forms the point of contact between blood vessels and nerve cells in the brain. The NVU plays an essential role in the regulation of blood flow, protection of neuronal cells and the overall maintenance of brain function. Disruptions in this unit can contribute to stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders, making its study essential for understanding brain health. Prof. Almodóvar and her team investigate how blood vessels form, communicate with neurons, and respond to stress or disease. They also investigate how individual cells in the neurovascular unit change over time, using advanced imaging and single‑cell analysis to map structural and functional shifts during aging or injury. With the NeuVa Art Lab the scientists now want to bring their research to the public. “Some years ago, I realized that many people around town do not know much about the amazing science that is being done just around the corner.” artist Paula Urrutia describes the origin of the idea. “Art helps to make science more approachable and perhaps easier to understand for anyone.” In the workshop, structures usually studied under a microscope became visible, sparking conversations about the human brain, it’s complex structure and the beauty of biological processes.
Science woven into Mandalas
After the scientific warm-up, participants picked up yarns and hoops to create their own mandalas using diverse textile art techniques. Guided by artists and scientists, they transformed biological patterns into artworks, stitch by stitch revealing how microscopic neurovascular structures can be interpreted as large-scale sculptures. The collaborative process created a unique atmosphere and encouraged an open exchange of ideas. Participants were able to ask questions and share their own interpretations while creating their mandalas. “We are eager to bring our science closer to society and raise awareness of the importance of studying the basic and fundamental mechanisms of brain formation and function.” Prof. Carmen Ruiz de Almodóvar explains. “Art and science share many things in common, among them the beauty of structures and dynamics of them. Hence we invite the community to engage into the discovery of how blood vessels in the brain interact with neural cells to build a highly precise and sophisticated organ like the brain".
NeuVa Art Lab series
The workshop on September 14th was the kick-off to a three-part series. Two more workshops on September 21st and 28th will build on the momentum, allowing more members of the public to participate and contribute their own textile art mandalas. The next round of workshops will be offered in spring 2026. All finished pieces will eventually become part of a larger collection to be displayed in a public exhibition, aiming to present a vibrant tapestry of community-created art that reflects the hidden architecture of the brain’s vascular system and demonstrating how collaborative creativity can highlight scientific discovery.
Further information and registration
Upcoming Dates: September 21st, 28th; 2:00–5:00 pm
Participation: free of charge, Language: English
Place: Impulse - House for Innovation and Creativity, Adenauerallee 131, 53113 Bonn
Limited number of participants
Contact
Prof. Dr. Carmen Ruiz de Almodóvar
Institute of Neurovascular Cell Biology
carmen.ruizdealmodovar@uni-bonn.de
Dr. David Füßhöller
Science Communication and Public Relations
Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation2
