Celebrating Cajal: A Legacy in Line, Light, and Thought

The 173rd birthday of Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852–1934) will occur on May 1,  2025.

I celebrate his birthday as he continues to influence brain science through both his groundbreaking scientific work and his remarkable visual  creativity.

For over a decade, I’ve explored the intertwined relationship between art, identity, and science through the legacy of Cajal. My first encounter with his drawings—those haunting, gestural renderings of neurons—was nothing short of transformational. I wasn’t yet aware of his stature in neuroscience. I simply saw drawings that felt alive, breathing in implied space, extending thought through line. What struck me was not just their anatomical accuracy, but the deep perceptual observation embedded within them. Unlike the topographical containment of Camillo Golgi’s work, Cajal’s drawings seemed discovered, not designed—a collaboration between eye, hand, and wonder.

This journey led me across disciplines and continents, including a Fulbright España Senior Research Fellowship at the Instituto Cajal in Madrid. It also shaped my long-term visual art project Aesthetic Instincts: The Intersection of Art and Science in the Life of Santiago Ramón y Cajal—a body of work that fuses historical research, observational drawing, surreal imagery, and personal interpretation.

Santiago Ramón y Cajal, drawing of the spinal cord of a newborn dog, in contrasting colors, ink, and graphite on paper, 1894, 12 × 15 in. The drawing uses colors that differ from those of the stains in the original histologic specimens. This drawing was reproduced (SR Cajal 1895) with the following color codes: neuroglia in brown, nerve cells in blue, fibers that cross the gray substance in red, and the collaterals and fibers of the white substance in black. Ependymal cells are also colored in brown. Image courtesy of the Archivo científico Fernando de Castro.

I'm honored to have two recent publications that explore these ideas:

"Art, Intuition, and Identity in Ramón y Cajal" — published in The Neuroscientist (Vol. 31, Issue 2, April 2025), co-authored with Javier DeFelipe, Arpan R. Mehta, and Bevil R. Conway. This essay examines how Cajal’s artistic training and aesthetic choices were central to his scientific legacy. His self-fashioning through drawing and photography, his use of metaphor and allegory, and his Dürer-inspired visual strategies all reveal a man who did not separate science from selfhood. Read the article here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10738584241234049

"Drawn To, Drawn From Experience" — featured in the newly released book Circulating Now, Full Circle, published by Virginia Tech and the National Library of Medicine. My essay (pp. 229–235) explores my first encounter with Cajal’s drawings and the phenomenological experience of discovery—what it means to see something new not through data, but through presence. It’s part of a larger conversation about how historical archives can ignite both research and imagination. 

As Cajal once wrote, "Only artists devote themselves to science." He believed that beauty and intuition were not embellishments, but essential instruments of discovery.

His life reminds us that seeing—truly seeing—is an act of synthesis. It draws on memory, biology, curiosity, and love.

On May 1st, I will, as every year, celebrate Cajal not only as the father of modern neuroscience, but as an artist of perception, and as a kindred spirit whose drawings continue to shape the contours of my own work, both in studio and in scholarship.

Portrait of Santiago Ramón y Cajal from my handmade sketchbook. Pen, ink and collage on paper. 

Circulating Now, Full Circle is available through Virginia Tech Publishing and most major booksellers.

The Neuroscientist, April 2025 issue can be accessed here: Volume 31 Issue 2, April 2025

Follow more of my work at www.dawnhunterartist.com.

Dawn Hunter, Illustration of Cajal’s Information Flow in the Retina scientific drawing, marker and pen on paper, 11" x 14"

The vertebrate retina is another good example of Cajal’s Law of Dynamic Polarization.  Because he knew from which direction the stimulus to the photoreceptors (at the top of the diagram) originated, it was clear that information ought to be transmitted inwards, through axons of the photoreceptors to the dendrites of the horizontal and ganglion cells, and onward into the visual cortex, as noted by the arrows on the diagram above.  In addition to the usual retinal information flow, Cajal illustrated some more unusual directions for information transmission.  He noted information flowing from c to I, along the cell body of a horizontal cell, although this subsequently has not been found to be a viable signal path.  Likewise, visual signals in many amacrine cells, shown to the right of D, need not pass through the cell body, contradicting the apparent intent of Cajal’s arrows. While Cajal may have erred in these two instances, he correctly observed another unusual signaling pathway between G and H: these axons from the visual cortex are returning to the retina and transmitting information to the amacrine cells.  This phenomenon has indeed been observed in present day, but not in all vertebrates; significant centrifugal input is a hallmark of avian eyes in particular.

Social Media for Art and Science

For artists and scientists, social media platforms are essential for communication about one's identity, creative projects, and research. My personal and professional trajectory have been shaped by these platforms, enabling me to engage globally with artists and scientists who are interested in my research on Santiago Ramón y Cajal.

For artists, Instagram often serves as the primary platform, allowing for a visually rich showcase of work. Scientists, conversely, may find X (formerly Twitter) to be more aligned with their needs, offering a space for real-time discussions and academic networking. Both platforms have their distinct advantages, and many professionals in both fields utilize both to maximize their reach.

Instagram provides a curated environment that fosters personalized engagement with audiences, whereas X offers broader reach and instantaneous interaction. Despite these benefits, it is crucial to recognize that no social media platform can replace the importance of a dedicated website. A website functions as a stable, central hub for your digital presence, free from the algorithmic whims that govern social media platforms.

While the algorithms of X and Instagram can shape visibility and engagement in unpredictable ways, it is essential to approach this with a balanced perspective. The ephemeral nature of social media reach should not overshadow the importance of cultivating genuine connections and fostering a vibrant community.

Integrating both Instagram and X into your strategy, while maintaining a robust and well-curated website, is paramount. This triad will ensure a comprehensive and resilient approach to building and sustaining a dynamic presence in the interconnected worlds of art and science.

Beyond IG and X

The scope of social media is not limited to Instagram and X. Statistically, Facebook remains at the forefront for number of users per month, an estimated 3 billion per month. Not bad for a dying platform. How do the other platforms stack up? The estimated users per month are the following for these platforms:

• LinkedIn: 1 billion
• X: 250 million
• Instagram: 2.4 billion
• TikTok: 1 billion
• Snapchat: 800 million

Bigger is not always better

The statistics on Facebook’s monthly users are both surprising and expected. My audience engagement is highest on Facebook, thanks to the synergy between my real-life connections and my networking contacts. While Instagram and X serve as niche platforms for me, they have provided significant opportunities such as international speaking engagements and publication offers—opportunities I wouldn't have had without these platforms. My follower count on each is relatively small, but what truly matters is reach, exposure, and engagement. I've built my audience gradually, balancing growth with genuine interaction and mutual interest.

Many teaching platforms, particularly on Instagram, promise rapid growth with viral videos and thousands of followers in a month. These claims often sound too good to be true, and they usually are. Fast growth strategies often result in "ghost" followers—spam accounts that may have a celebrity picture, no followers, and follow many others. While not as harmful as bot accounts, these ghost followers still negatively impact your engagement and reach.

Removing ghost followers can enhance your Instagram engagement. The platform prioritizes interaction and active followers over follower count. If your account has low engagement, Instagram might flag it as uninteresting, reducing your visibility.

Distinguishing between fake/bot followers and inactive followers is crucial. Fake or bot accounts should be removed since they cannot interact, learn, or purchase from you, ultimately lowering your engagement rate. However, if an inactive account belongs to a real person, I choose not to remove them. Many followers may not engage visibly but still hold potential as clients. In fact, several clients I've gained through Instagram never interacted with my content before signing on.

Luckily, Instagram has made it easy to delete ghost or spam accounts. Recently, I was able to delete 75 such accounts in less than five minutes. So, instead of spending time deleting ghost followers, you can focus on creating high-quality content tailored to your ideal clients. This strategy will attract new, more engaged followers.

How to Remove Potential Spam Accounts from Your Instagram Followers

Reviewing Potential Spam Accounts

Instagram automatically filters accounts that are likely to be spam into a separate list within your Followers tab. Follow these steps to review these accounts:

1. Tap Your Followers List:
   • Go to your profile and tap on your followers.
2. Access the Spam List:
   • At the top, you will see headings such as Followers, Following, Subscriptions, and Flagged.
   • Tap on "Flagged."
3. Review and Manage Flagged Accounts:
• Instagram will offer the option to delete the entire list. Alternatively, you can go through the list to check for genuine followers who might have low follower counts but follow many people.
• If you find a genuine follower, notify Instagram that they are real to keep them as a follower. This helps Instagram better distinguish between genuine and spam accounts.

Adjusting Your Spam Filter

You can toggle your spam filter on or off in your settings. Follow these steps to adjust the spam filter:

1. Access Your Profile:
   • Tap your profile picture or the icon in the bottom right corner.
2. Open Settings and Activity:
   • Tap the menu icon in the top right corner, then select "Settings and Activity."
3. Adjust the Spam Filter:
• Tap "Follow and Invite Friends."
• Toggle the switch next to "Flag for review" to turn the filter on or off.

Conclusion

Navigating social media requires a strategic balance between building genuine connections and leveraging platform-specific features. Understanding the nuances of each platform can significantly enhance your reach and engagement. You can cultivate an engaged community by prioritizing quality content and authentic interactions over follower count. Reviewing and managing your followers, mainly by removing spam and ghost accounts, will ensure your audience remains genuine.

Legacy and Insights: Celebrating Santiago Ramón y Cajal Through Art and Science

Part 1: Celebrating Santiago Ramón y Cajal on the 172nd Anniversary of His Birth

May 1, 2024, marks the 172nd anniversary of Santiago Ramón y Cajal's birth. To commemorate this occasion, I am sharing my latest drawings from the Cajal Inventory, created during a recent trip to Madrid. These include a portrait of Cajal and a composite caricature of visitors at the National Museum of Natural Sciences. The museum currently hosts an exhibition titled "The Historical Legacy of Santiago Ramón y Cajal," featuring his workspace with original furnishings and personal items. This exhibition also displays over 28,000 artifacts from the Cajal Legacy, maintained under the supervision of the CSIC.

Santiago Ramón y Cajal's contributions include his progression from a Licentiate in Medicine to various professorships, ultimately securing a chair in Histology and Pathological Anatomy in Madrid. His notable publications include the Textura del sistema nervioso del hombre y de los vertebrados among over 100 journal articles. Cajal received numerous awards, including the Nobel Prize in 1906, memberships in royal academies, and honorary degrees from universities such as Cambridge and Clark. His influence extends beyond his lifetime, highlighted by ongoing recognitions such as the publication by the Caroline Institute on his centenary.

Portrait of Cajal by artist Dawn Hunter, marker and pen on paper, 11" x 14."

Scientific Publications: He published significant works on histology and anatomy, notably the Textura del sistema nervioso del hombre y de los vertebrados, and contributed over 100 articles to scientific journals.

Recognition and Awards: He received numerous awards, including the Nobel Prize in 1906, was a member of several royal academies and societies, and received honorary degrees from universities such as Cambridge and Clark University.

Influential Lectures: Cajal was invited to deliver prestigious lectures, including the Croonian Lecture in London and lectures at Clark University in the USA.

Enduring Impact: His work continues to be celebrated, evidenced by publications and honors in his name, like the volume published by the Caroline Institute on his centenary(Acta Physiol. Scand., Vol. 29, Suppl. 106).

Portrait of artist Dawn Hunter at the Cajal exhibition, Museo Nacional de Ciencas Naturales, Madrid, Spain.

Caricature portraits of visitors to the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain. Marker and pen on paper, 11" x 14."

Part 2: Updates on Scholarly Pursuits and Exploration of Cajal's Work

“The histologist . . . has two important adversaries the smallness and the colorless”, wrote Cajal in Recuerdos de mi vida (1917, p. 337, translated here by DeFelipe).

I am pleased to announce the publication of Art, Intuition, and Identity in Ramón y Cajal in the History of Neuroscience section of The Neuroscientist. I extend my gratitude to my coauthor, Javier DeFelipe, for his pivotal insights on Cajal and to Bevil Conway for his mentorship in scholarly writing. Arpan Mehta of the Cajal Embroidery Project also played a crucial role in the success of our collaboration, starting with our initial six-hour discussion in 2021.

Our essay examines Cajal's legacy, emphasizing his artistic skills alongside his scientific innovations. Cajal's methodical use of the Golgi method, complemented by various histological dyes, provided deep insights into brain structure and function. He adeptly combined his artistic talent with scientific research, using techniques like photography to enhance public engagement with his anatomical sketches. This blend not only solidified his professional image but also left a lasting impact on both the scientific and cultural landscapes.

Read the entire essay, here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10738584241234049

Photo by Dawn Hunter of the Cajal Exhibition at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain.

Santiago Ramón y Cajal, undated multiple self-portrait photos printed by Cajal.