Three fine art students studying in the East Midlands have won awards in the 2010 Healthcare and Bioscience iNet Art competition.

Chosen from seven finalists, they are Martin Bonney, Martha Glazzard and Kathryn Holdsworth of Nottingham Trent University, whose artistic interpretation of scientific themes impressed the judges and sponsors 3M Health Care, Vectura Group plc and the Healthcare and Bioscience iNet. Each received a prize of £250 during the Awards reception held at BioCity Nottingham and attended by over 70 business, art and charity guests.

Martha Glazzard's work, Autoclave, received the 3M Health Care award in the category 'safeguarding health by preventing infection'. Her knitted design with interwoven circuit board, producing a colour-changing effect, expresses the sterilising properties of heat on bacteria-covered agar plates. Martha's work will be on permanent display at the 3M Health Care offices in Loughborough.

The Vectura award in the 'Innovation in Healthcare and Bioscience' category went to Martin Bonney for The Modern Goddess Gown, a silk velvet dress richly embroidered and crystal-encrusted to symbolise the professionally-tailored woman diagnosed with cancer. His work was modelled on the night for guests to appreciate the full impact of the piece.

'Pockets of Protection' secured Kathryn Holdsworth the iNet award in the 'Innovation in Healthcare and Bioscience' category. A series of fine-gauge wire knitted pockets are filled with clear glass shot-through by red pigmentation to symbolise spreading infection, and its containment, by the healing properties of the bandage.

The finalists also included students from Loughborough University School of Art and design with works exploring the bioscience of learning, the power of the microscope and a hand hygiene campaign. Making up the finalists was a piece based on the epidermis submitted by a Nottingham Trent University student in textile design and innovation.

Emma Jenkins, Marketing Manager, Infection Prevention Division, who judged the awards on behalf of lead-sponsor 3M Health Care said: "It was fascinating to see the different creative interpretations of scientific concepts put forward by the finalists, and it made for some difficult judging decisions. The pieces of artwork are technically and visually stunning, and we are delighted that we will be able to showcase one of them in our company headquarters in Loughborough."

This is the second year that Vectura Group plc has sponsored the awards. Sandy Munro, Director of Respiratory Development said: "Once again, it has been a great pleasure to be involved in this competition. I think a great many people get into science because they see it as both creative and practical; although there may not be an obvious connection, many scientists have a great affinity for the creative arts. To me this competition is a fantastic embodiment of both art and science. This year, I was particularly impressed with the entry from Martin Bonney. "The Modern Goddess Gown" demonstrates beautifully to me that we need to extend the boundaries of what constitutes art beyond what we traditionally hang on a wall. In this case, a unique gown with all its intricate embroidery is just as much a work of art. Combined with the wearer, it has movement and drama and creates a powerful and memorable image".

The Healthcare and Bioscience iNet is funded by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) to stimulate business innovation through an advisory, training and events service. Bringing art and science together in this way is one means of stimulating creativity to generate new business ideas and concepts.

Commenting on this year's competition and award winners Dr Ian Barr, Director of the Healthcare and Bioscience iNet said: "Art and science have grown apart in modern society because of the demands of specialisation. Drawing these two disciplines closer together will stimulate the flow of new and creative ideas on which all innovation is based".

The finalists' artwork will be exhibited at BioCity Nottingham, the UK's largest bioscience innovation and incubation centre, and may be viewed by appointment.