Yuka Yonemasu Collaborates with MEDICAL FIG. for Cell Metabolism Cover Art

In an exciting artistic collaboration, painter Yuka Yonemasu partnered with MEDICAL FIG., a scholarly figure design service managed by Medical Education, to create the cover art for the prestigious journal Cell Metabolism, published on September 1, 2026. This artwork, featured on Volume 38, Issue 9 of the journal, employs the traditional technique of wood burning, a method where a heated pen is used to scorch the surface of wood to create intricate designs.

Cell Metabolism, renowned for its high impact factor of around 30, stands as one of the leading journals in the fields of metabolism and endocrine research, showcasing groundbreaking results that span from fundamental studies to clinical applications.

The Artistic Journey

The process of creating the cover art started during the sketching phase, where the team initially transformed the concepts from the academic paper into artistic representations. The main theme of the paper revolves around brown adipose tissue, which is activated by cold stimuli and releases a metabolite known as 3-OHSA (3-hydroxy-stearate) into the bloodstream, influencing the liver to mitigate oxidative stress. This crucial discovery suggests that brown fat not only generates heat but also serves as a signaling organ that transmits information throughout the body.

From the acceptance of the research paper, MEDICAL FIG. was involved in conceptual design discussions with the researchers. Throughout these conversations, the term 3-OHSA was often described using phrases like