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 Published: 09 Mar 2015 | Last Updated: 10 Mar 2015 12:51:19

Sophie Regnault, currently completing her PhD in the Structure and Motion laboratory under the supervision of Professor John Hutchinson, has been announced as a finalist for the Wellcome Image Awards 2015.

Sophie's image is a micro-computed tomography (micro CT) scan of the skull and front legs of a Tuatara, native reptile to New Zealand and representing a lineage as far back as the Mesozoic Era.

This image is the product of Sophie's work aimed at understanding the evolution of sesamoid bones - small bones within tendons in the limbs - and how they affect animal movement. These bones are often hidden by soft tissues and lost in dissection. Building 3D models from micro CT scans makes them easier to spot without damaging rare original specimens. 

Wellcome Images is part of the Wellcome Trust and seeks to contribute to improvements in health by offering a rich collection of images incorporating biomedical science, medical and social history. Outstanding contributions are selected for the Wellcome Image Awards. 

The overall winner will be revealed on Wednesday 18th March, after which all selected images will be displayed at public galleries and science centres across the UK. For more information you can visit . 

You can also see all images that made the 2015 final selection on the .