The liver is a remarkable organ that deactivates toxins, aids in the digestive process, and can regenerate after a loss of as much as 75 percent of its tissue. Liver fibrosis is a condition in which liver tissue is chronically inflamed, resulting in scarring that can lead to liver cancer or liver failure. Researchers are studying the growth pattern of liver cells in different microenvironments to understand how to better treat this condition.

In this image, liver cell growth patterns were used to recreate the myth of Prometheus in the style of a Greek Laconian vase painting. As a punishment for bringing the innovation of fire to humankind, Prometheus was held captive as his liver was consumed by an eagle each day, recovering each night only to be consumed once again. This image draws a line between a knowledge of bodies that stretches back millennia and the modern scientific goal to convert suffering to healing.