infocus Magazine - Issue 67, September 2022 by Royal Microscopical Society

1 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022 Plus...News, Calendar, Reviews, Reports ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022 Searching for Terrestrial Analogues for Mars; Applications for Scanning Electron Microscopy Microscopy LIVE! Leafy landscapes under the microscope X-ray Microscopy Focussed Interest Groupor the ‘X-ray FIG’ for short

4 Searching for Terrestrial Analogues for Mars; Applications for Scanning Electron Microscopy

The 34th European Cytoskeletal Forum Meeting, Hannover, Germany

ELMI 2022,Turku, Finland (double report)

24 Microscopy LIVE!

Imaging Venus with a Scientific SWIR camera INTERM 2022, Oludeniz,Turkey

1 reportscontentsandother features

Francesca Willcocks

Leafy landscapes under the microscope

features

X-ray Microscopy Focussed Interest Group -

The commemorative TEM grid from 1989 anniversary celebrations

Magazine set to go online in 2023

Owen Morton

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Scientific Editor

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Leandro Lemgruber, University of Glasgow, UK Editor

Susan Cox, King’s College, London, UK Rebecca Higginson, Loughborough University, UK Emily Eden, University College London, UK Laura Fumagalli, University of Manchester, UK Rhiannon Heard, University of Oxford, UK Maadhav Kothari, Zeiss Microscopy, UK Hilary Sandig, Cancer Research, UK Trevor Almeida, University of Glasgow, UK

As you may already be aware, from March 2023 the magazine is set to become a digital publication – something many of you also called for in your survey responses, though opinion was inevitably split. We hope this will secure a sustainable future for infocus –reducing both our impact on the environment and production costs. The virtual format also opens up new possibilities in terms of what we can do with the magazine, and we will continue to work hard to keep bringing you – our readers – great content and fantastic images.

FROM SCIENTIFICTHE EDITOR

Talking about the virtual world, this issue contains an interesting piece from Microscopy LIVE! – an exciting outreach initiative at the University of Plymouth using scanning electron microscopy to bring the general public closer to scientists and their work. Meanwhile, Francesca Willcocks and colleagues show us how they are using SEM to study Martian meteorites and comparing them to terrestrial volcanic rocks - generating new ideas in spacecraft design. Coming back down to earth, we also have Michael Gibson demonstrating how a simple technique can provide outstanding images of leaves.

Not only infocus, but also the wider RMS changes and adapts to new techniques and activities. One way of doing this is through Focused Interest Groups – one such being the recently established FIG – on X-ray microscopy. We find out more about some of its members and their interests in this issue.

Slàinte! Lemgruber

Leandro

Leandro Lemgruber

For our readers in the northern hemisphere, I hope you have enjoyed the summer break; for those in the south, I hope you had a nice winter and are making preparations for spring.

Since our last issue we have welcomed two new board members to the infocus team – Trevor Almeida (RMS Engineering and Physical Sciences section) and Hilary Sandig (RMS Flow Cytometry section). They are great additions to our fantastic editorial board, expanding our breadth and pushing this magazine forward.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part in our recent Readers Survey. As well as providing a wealth of helpful suggestions for improving our content, the exercise showed just how highly valued infocus is by RMS members, and we were overwhelmed by the number of positive comments respondents chose to submit.

Dear Readers,

COVER IMAGE: The Biological Pasta, by Andrea Falqui, University of Milan. In a small surgical sample, a clot could be observed near the cut. The red blood cells are a kind of orecchiette, the fibrin forms the spaghetti, and the cell residues constitute the ragout. Zeiss Merlin Scanning Electron Microscope. Magnification 7.0 kX.

Applications for Scanning Electron Microscopy

Image courtesy of NASA image library

Searching forTerrestrialforAnaloguesMars;

F. M. Willcocks, N. R. Stephen & S. T. Grimes – University of Plymouth

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Earth has seen abundant large-scale basaltic volcanism throughout its geological history, and through orbital and lander space missions this type of volcanism has been identified on Mars. Comparisons between this volcanism on Earth and Mars have been limited because we have a lack of direct samples from the Martian surface, unlike Apollo samples retrieved from our Moon. Martian meteorites are the best samples from the Martian surface that we have available to us on Earth, and they are volcanic in origin – similar to those we find on Earth! Comparing these meteorites to terrestrial volcanic rocks can help us find terrestrial analogues for Martian volcanism, and allows testing of future spacecraft design & function without going off world. Scanning electron microscopy is a powerful tool for this purpose as it is non-destructive and can allow for these comparisons down to microscopic resolution unlike the metrescale observations made using satellite imagery.

Figure 1. Aerial images displaying the larger scale of (a) Mars’ Olympus Mons, Tharsis compared to (b) Earth’s Kilauea, Hawaii, (Source: Zimbelman et al., 2015 and NASA Earth Observatory, 2006)

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Since the 1960s, when NASA’s Mariner 4 mission sent the first close-up images of Mars to us on Earth (Howell, 2012), Martian space exploration has been ever growing, with six space agencies to date successfully sending orbiter and lander spacecraft to Mars (Howell, 2021). The increased accessibility to imagery from the Martian surface allowed for the identification of basaltic volcanism on Mars, occurring at much larger scales to that on Earth (Figure 1). In fact, through satellite imagery from NASA’s Thermal Emission Spectrometry (TES) camera aboard the Mars Global Surveyor, scientists have been able to separate the surface of Mars into two lithological groups: Group 1 (basalt) and group 2 (andesite)both volcanic in nature (Bandfield et al. 2000). More recently however, group 2 has been found to instead comprise of weathered basalt (Wyatt & McSween, 2002). The large shield volcano Olympus Mons is just one example of Martian volcanism and is not only the largest volcano on Mars, but also that we

Basaltic volcanism has been abundant across Earth’s geological history, with intraplate basaltic volcanism producing island arc volcanoes like Hawaii and largerscale provinces known as flood lavas. Flood lavas can cover millions of cubic kilometres and are generally erupted in less than three million years (Carlson, 1991), forming provinces that can be associated

Terrestrial analogues can be either physical samples or geographical locations, and aim to be chemically and/or physically similar to another planetary body. In this study, the search for analogues continued through petrological and geochemical analyses using non-destructive Scanning Electron Microscopy; basalts from Earth (including a basalt already commercially used by the European Space Agency) and meteorites from Mars were directly compared, to find more accurate terrestrial analogue samples for Martian volcanism. We found that whilst the basalt from the European Space Agency was similar in bulk geochemistry to the Martian meteorites, another sample was much more similar to individual mineral chemistry and petrological observations across these meteorites, and is therefore more analogous to Martian volcanism.

Basaltic Volcanism in our Solar System

with mass extinction events. These lavas are the product of mantle plumes composed of hot, less dense magma resulting from instability at the base of the mantle and rising, partially melting the shallow lithosphere and causing volcanism. Not only have flood lava eruptions occurred on Earth, evidence of these lavas has also been observed on Mars.

Terrestrial analogues can be samples or geographical locations and aim to be chemically and/or physically similar to another planetary body such as the Moon and Mars. These samples can be widely grouped into four different categories: Chemical, biological, geological and mechanical (Foucher et al. 2021).

A meteorite is a solid, natural object that has landed on Earth’s surface after travelling through space and surviving atmospheric entry (Alexander, 2021). Meteorites are broadly grouped into two categories: Chondrites (non-differentiated) and Achondrites (differentiated), with primitive achondrites falling between these two groups (Hibiya et al. 2018).

Terrestrial Analogues in Space Exploration

Martian meteorites are achondrites as Mars is differentiated into a core, mantle and crust (Witze, 2021). We can tell a meteorite is from Mars because trapped glasses within these meteorites contain the same concentrations of noble gas isotopes that have been recorded in Mars’ atmosphere by NASA’s Viking 1 and 2 missions (McSween Jr, 2015).

terrestrial samples to Martian meteorites.

know of in our Solar System! Satellite imagery has allowed for metre-scale observations of Martian flood lavas, comparing stepped features on these lava plains to those of terrestrial flood lavas (Keszthelyi & McEwen, 2007). Mars doesn’t have plate tectonics (Carr, 2006) and this - alongside morphological similarities between terrestrial and Martian flood lavas - suggests areas of intraplate volcanism on Earth could host accurate terrestrial analogue samples for Martian volcanism (Hughes et al 2019).

Martian Meteorites

Martian meteorites are more representative of the geology future spacecraft might face on the Martian surface compared to surface data. This is because of the lack of andesite compositions within the Martian meteorite collection unlike what has previously been observed by surface observations (Bandfield et al. 2000) and the direct origin of these samples. The lack of directly returned samples from Mars means these meteorites are the only direct samples that we have available to us on Earth, therefore, are incredibly useful when looking for terrestrial analogue samples.

Geological analogues in particular are most widely used across space exploration (Foucher et al. 2021), and aim to be petrologically (similar mineralogy and textures), chemically (similar bulk and individual mineral chemistry) or physically (similar grain size and density) similar to another planetary body (Foucher et al 2021; ESA, 2021). Having accurate analogue samples means we can test components for future spacecraft that are aiming to interact with another planetary surface, to ensure their functionality can meet mission objectives and sustain future, longer term space missions. An example of how space agencies are doing this is in NASA’s Mars Yard designed by NASA’s Mars Technology Programme (Karl et al. 2021) where robotic prototypes that will be used in research and flight projects for future Mars missions (such as the Perseverance rover) are tested in terrain that model the Martian surface (NASA Science, 2020). Geological analogue samples can also aid in the understanding of another planetary body’s formation through comparisons of known features from terrestrial samples to observations of satellite and meteorite data. In this study, we looked for geological terrestrial analogue samples for the Martian surface. This was carried out by comparing

There are five groups of Martian meteorites separated by their mineralogy and textures: Shergottites, nakhlites, chassignites, orthopyroxenites (ALH 84001), and polymict breccias. Shergottites can generally be subdivided into three subgroups: Olivine-phyric, basaltic and poikilitic. Olivine-phyric and basaltic shergottites are volcanic in origin and are most similar to basalt lavas on Earth (Filiberto et al. 2014); these differ to poikilitic shergottites that are intrusive (i.e. not erupted at the surface) in origin.The similarity of olivine-phyric and basaltic shergottites to basalts on Earth meant these meteorites were the main focus of this study. Shergottites are the most abundant Martian meteorite on Earth to date, and so are most representative of Martian volcanism.

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Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) was the chosen analytical technique for this study as it is non-destructive and allows for the same, high-resolution observations of petrology and major element geochemistry across terrestrial and extra-terrestrial samples. Data was collected using the JEOL-7001F field emission SEM equipped with an Oxford Instruments 50 mm2 X-Max EDS detector and Oxford Instrument’s AZtec software. Greyscale Backscatter Electron (BSE)

Figure 2 - Ai) BSE image of NWA 7397, Aii) EDS image of NWA 7397 displaying olivine (olv), pyroxene (pyx), plagioclase (plg) and chromite (chr) in a non-poikilitic texture. Bi) BSE image of NWA 1110, Bii) EDS image of NWA 1110 displaying zoned olivine antecrysts and unzoned olivine microphenocrysts surrounded by pyroxene and plagioclase. Chromite, apatite (apt), ilmenite (ilm) and pyrrhotite (pyr) are present in the groundmass, Ci) BSE image of Tissint, Cii) EDS image of Tissint displaying zoned olivine antecrysts and unzoned olivine micro-phenocrysts, surrounded by pyroxene and plagioclase. Chromite is present as inclusions in olivine antecrysts, and in the groundmass alongside ulvöspinel (ulv), pyrrhotite and apatite. All EDS images follow the same key: red = Mg, green = Fe, teal = Ca, dark blue = Al, purple = Cr, blue = P, yellow = S, pink = Ti

Methodology

When picking which terrestrial lavas to use it was important to find samples that formed in a similar geological setting to the volcanism on Mars. The lack of plate tectonics on Mars meant samples of intraplate volcanic origin were chosen. Two samples from Hawaii (H-001 and H-002) and an analogue sample already commercially used by ESA (ESA01-A) were chosen. One sample from New Mexico (NM-001) that formed in an intra-rift setting was also selected for a broader comparison. When choosing Martian meteorites, two olivine-phyric Shergottites (NWA

1110 and Tissint) were selected and one poikilitic Shergottite (NWA 7397) for wider comparison.

images and EDS X-ray element maps were collected using 9 nA probe current, 20 KeV acceleration voltage at 10 mm working distance.

H-001

NWA 7397 consisted of olivine, distinct grains of unzoned pyroxene and unzoned plagioclase within a non-poikilitic texture (Figure 2Ai & 2Aii). Pyroxene and plagioclase were intergrown which suggests they crystallised together. NWA 1110 (Figure 2Bi & 2Bii) and Tissint (Figure 2Ci & 2Cii), however, displayed olivine antecrysts and olivine micro-phenocrysts. Antecrysts are crystals that crystallised earlier in the magma chamber before remaining there until they are re-introduced into the melt (Balta et al. 2015). These often have an irregular, corroded shape (Shearer et al. 2008) which is different to the regular shape often displayed by phenocrysts. Both NWA 1110 and Tissint displayed inclusions of chromite in their antecrysts, as well as ulvöspinel around antecrysts and in the groundmass. Tissint also had ilmenite and apatite present in the groundmass. Both NWA 1110 and Tissint had a groundmass composed of unzoned plagioclase and zoned pyroxene that was finer in than the olivine micro-phenocrysts, suggesting it cooled faster (Papike et al. 2009). NWA 1110 and Tissint displayed finer grain sizes compared to NWA 7397, likely due to their extrusive origin. NWA 7397, NWA 1110 and Tissint are all tholeiitic in composition plotting in the basalt/trachy-basalt regions on a TAS diagram. This suggests that for a terrestrial sample to make an accurate analogue they should also be tholeiitic in composition, plotting within these regions. Olivine antecrysts in NWA 1110 and Tissint displayed Mg-rich centres that become Fe-rich towards the rims. In both samples, the olivine micro-phenocrysts surrounding these antecrysts were Fe-rich and similar in composition to the antecryst rims. Olivine in NWA 7397 was un-zoned and Fe-rich similar to olivine microphenocrysts in NWA 1110 and Tissint. Pyroxene in NWA 1110 and Tissint displayed zoning of two

H-001 is a tholeiitic basalt and was analogous to the bulk geochemistry of the Martian shergottites in this study. Olivine in H-001 was unzoned and displayed Mg-rich compositions. When compared to the Martian meteorites, olivine in H-001 was most similar to the Mg-rich cores of antecrysts in NWA 1110 and Tissint. This indicates that H-001 could make an accurate geological analogue for individual olivine compositions in olivine-phyric shergottites, however it is not analogous to poikilitic shergottite NWA 7397. Pyroxene in H-001 was augite in composition, similar to NWA 7397, NWA 1110 and Tissint. Despite this, pyroxene compositions in H-001 were limited with no pigeonite present across the sample. Overall, pyroxene in H-001 was analogous to Martian shergottites in this study but was not a perfect match. Plagioclase in H-001

H-001 was collected on the flanks of Kilauea in 2017 and is associated with the Eastern Rift Zone (ERZ), forming in an intraplate environment. H-001 had abundant gas bubbles (vesicles) and displayed a porphyritic texture of rare plagioclase, pyroxene and olivine micro-phenocrysts in a glassy groundmass (Figure 3Ai & Aii).There was an absence of accessory minerals across the sample. H-001 had a finer grain size than H-002 suggesting it crystallised quicker (Haldar & Tišljar, 2014). The glassy groundmass, absence of accessory phases and scarcity of olivine and plagioclase across H-001 is very different to NWA 1110, NWA 7397 and Tissint. This indicates H-001 would not make a good petrological analogue for Martian volcanism.

different compositions; pigeonite and augite. In NWA 7397 however, pyroxene didn’t show zoning and instead displayed distinct grains of pigeonite and augite. On average plagioclase across NWA 7397 is composed of An52. Plagioclase compositions within NWA 1110 are similar to those of NWA 7397, averaging at An53. Compositions in Tissint display anorthite compositions at a much higher average of An64.

The Martian Meteorites

Results & Discussion

H-002 was sampled from the flanks of Kilauea in 2013 and is associated with the ERZ, forming in an intraplate environment. The sample has abundant vesicles and is a porphyritic basalt with olivine and plagioclase macro- and micro-phenocrysts (Figure 4Ai & Aii). The sample has a fine-grained plagioclase and high-Ca pyroxene groundmass indicative of fast cooling (Haldar & Tišljar, 2014). Olivine macrophenocrysts contain inclusions of chromite. When compared to the Martian shergottites in this study, the presence of olivine macro-phenocrysts and their inclusion of chromite was similar to NWA 1110 and

Tissint. Despite this, the abundance of vesicles and size of plagioclase relative to olivine differed greatly. This suggests that whilst there are some similarities between H-002 NWA 1110 and Tissint, H-002 is not the best analogue for these shergottites. Textures shown by H-002 were also very different to NWA H-0027397.

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displays a calc-alkaline composition different to the tholeiitic compositions displayed by the Martian shergottites in this study, and so isn’t the best analogue for their bulk geochemistry. Olivine macro-phenocrysts in H-002 were weakly zoned, displaying Mg-rich centres that become Fe-rich towards the rims. Olivine micro-phenocrysts are most similar in composition to the Fe-rich rims of the olivine macro-phenocrysts. Both olivine macroand micro-phenocrysts in H-002 are most similar to core compositions of olivine antecrysts in NWA 1110 and Tissint, but are not similar to those in NWA 7397, suggesting it is an accurate analogue for olivinephyric shergottites in this study. Plagioclase across

H-002

displays compositions reaching an average of An69. Whilst the average composition is similar to plagioclase in Tissint, the range of anorthite content in H-001 reaches much higher concentrations than NWA 7397, NWA 1110 and Tissint. This indicates it is not the most analogous sample to the Martian shergottites compared to other terrestrial samples analysed.

Figure 3 - Ai) BSE image of H-001 displaying the presence of vesicles, Aii) EDS image of H-001 displaying olivine, pyroxene and plagioclase microphenocrysts surrounded by a glassy groundmass. Key: red = Mg, green = Fe, teal = Ca, dark blue = Al.

Figure 4 - Ai) BSE image of H-002 displaying the presence of vesicles, Aii) EDS image of H-002 displaying a porphyritic texture of plagioclase and zoned olivine macro-phenocrysts, unzoned olivine and plagioclase micro-phenocrysts surrounded by a very fine groundmass of pyroxene and plagioclase. Chromite was present in some olivine macro-phenocrysts. Key: red = Mg, green = Fe, teal = Ca, dark blue = Al, purple = Cr.

Hawaii 2 had an average composition of An61. These compositions are more similar to Tissint than those in H-001 and overlap with plagioclase compositions in NWA 7397 and NWA 1110. This indicates that H-002 is a more accurate analogue for plagioclase in the Martian shergottites than H-001.

ESA01-A was coarser in grain size compared to H-001 and H-002 suggesting it crystallised relatively slower than these samples. The coarser groundmass of ESA01-A was more representative of the Martian shergottites in this study than H-001 and H-002, however, the intergrown ilmenite and ulvöspinel, and lack of olivine macro-phenocrysts across ESA01-A differs greatly to NWA 1110 and Tissint. Plagioclase zoning that is abundant in ESA01-A is also absent across all Martian shergottites in this study. Overall, ESA01-A is not petrologically the most representative sample for NWA 7397, NWA 1110 or Tissint.

NM-001

ESA01-A is the product of the intraplate volcanism that produced the North Atlantic Igneous Province. ESA01-A is aphyric in texture and displayed no vesicles unlike H-001 and H-002. The sample contains olivine and a groundmass of intergrown ilmenite, ulvöspinel, zoned plagioclase and pyroxene (Figure 5Ai & Aii).

plagioclase (An16-100), averaging at An55. This is very different to the Martian shergottites in this study and suggests that ESA01-A is the least accurate analogue for plagioclase compositions within NWA 7397, NWA 1110 and Tissint in this study.

NM-001 was analysed for a wider comparison as it formed in an environment differing from H-001, H-002 and ESA01-A. NM-001 is a product of intraplate volcanism associated with the Rio Grande Rift in New Mexico; the formation of this rift zone has been associated with the subduction of the Farallon plate (Ricketts et al. 2016), producing an intra-rift tectonic setting.This setting is not analogous to what is expected on Mars. NM-001 contained vesicles and displayed a distinct texture of olivine macrophenocrysts and olivine micro-phenocrysts. Olivine macro-phenocrysts also contained small inclusions of chromite. These were surrounded by plagioclase laths and a microcrystalline and glassy groundmass of olivine, plagioclase and pyroxene (Figure 6Ai & Aii). NM-001 displayed evidence of magma mixing with zoning present in olivine macro-phenocrysts, and olivine reaction rims around plagioclase laths. The fine, glassy nature of the groundmass indicates crystallisation was relatively quick, similar to H-001 and H-002. When compared to Martian shergottites in this study, the texture of zoned olivine macrophenocrysts and unzoned olivine micro-phenocrysts across NM-001 was strikingly similar to the texture of zoned olivine antecrysts and un-zoned olivine micro-phenocrysts in NWA 1110 and Tissint. The inclusion of spinel in olivine macro-phenocrysts and abundance of plagioclase in NM-001 is also similar to NWA 110 and Tissint. Whilst the Martian shergottites didn’t display evidence for magma mixing like NM-001, NM-001 is most petrologically similar to olivine-phyric shergottites in this study. NM-001 displays a calc-alkaline composition different to the tholeiitic compositions displayed by the Martian shergottites in this study, and is not analogous to their bulk geochemistry. Olivine macro-

ESA01-A is a tholeiitic basalt and was analogous to the bulk geochemistry of the Martian shergottites. Olivine compositions of ESA01-A are Fe-rich and are most analogous to olivine micro-phenocrysts in NWA 1110 and Tissint. Additionally, ESA01-A is the only terrestrial sample that is analogous to olivine in NWA 7397. This indicates that ESA01-A is an accurate analogue for olivine compositions in the olivine-phyric and poikilitic shergottites in this study. Pyroxene in ESA01-A is diopside in composition, differing greatly to NWA 7397, NWA 1110 and Tissint. This indicates that ESA01-A is not an accurate analogue for individual pyroxene compositions across the Martian shergottites in this study. Additionally, the zoning of plagioclase across ESA01-A is extensive, resulting in plagioclase compositions ranging from Na-rich to Ca-rich

ESA01-A

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phenocrysts in NM-001 displayed a similar trend in zoning of Mg-rich centres and Fe-rich rims also seen in NWA 1110 and Tissint. The macro-phenocryst rims in NM-001 were also similar to the surrounding Fe-rich olivine micro-phenocrysts. Whilst the zoning patterns are similar, all olivine compositions in NM001 are most analogous to olivine antecrysts in NWA 1110 and Tissint. This suggests NM-001 is an accurate analogue for olivine-phyric shergottites in this study. Across the terrestrial samples, NM-001 displays the largest range of pyroxene compositions with an abundance of hedenbergite and presence of augite and pigeonite. Hedenbergite is not present in the Martian shergottites, however, the inclusion of augite and pigeonite in NM-001 is similar to NWA 7397, NWA 1110 and Tissint. Overall, NM-001 is analogous to individual pyroxene compositions across Martian meteorites in this study, but is not a perfect match. Plagioclase compositions in NM001 have an average of An56. This average is very similar to those observed in NWA 7397 and NWA

Conclusion

Figure 5 - Ai) BSE image of ESA01-A displaying strongly zoned plagioclase, Aii) EDS image of ESA01-A displaying an aphyric texture of olivine, and intergrown plagioclase, pyroxene, ulvöspinel and ilmenite. Key: red = Mg, green = Fe, teal = Ca, dark blue = Al, purple = Cr, pink = Ti.

1110, indicating NM-001 is an accurate analogue for plagioclase compositions in Martian shergottites in this study.

Large scale basaltic volcanism has been abundant in the geological history of Earth and Mars, and on Mars is often observed at metre scales through satellite imagery. Martian meteorites are the closest samples we have from the Martian surface available to us on Earth, and can provide an insight into the volcanic processes Mars has experienced at much higher resolution. With the preparations for future Martian space travel underway, the importance of testing spacecraft designs is ever growing and accurate geological terrestrial analogue samples are useful for this. The comparison of petrology (mineralogy and textures) and geochemistry (bulk and individual mineral compositions) in terrestrial intraplate basalts to Martian meteorites allows us to search for more of these analogues, and aid the

Figure 6 - Ai) BSE image of NM-001 displaying small vesicles and zoning of olivine macro-phenocrysts, Aii) EDS image of NM-001 showing a porphyritic texture of zoned olivine macro-phenocrysts and unzoned olivine micro-phenocrysts, surrounded by plagioclase laths and a fine-grained pyroxene, plagioclase groundmass. Chromite is present in olivine macro-phenocrysts. Key: red = Mg, green = Fe, teal = Ca, dark blue = Al, purple = Cr.

ESA01-A was the only sample that displayed olivine compositions analogous to poikilitic shergottite NWA 7397 and olivine micro-phenocrysts in NWA 1110 and Tissint. H-001, H-002 and NM001 were analogous to olivine antecrysts in both NWA 1110 and Tissint, suggesting that all terrestrial samples are accurate analogues for individual olivine compositions in Martian shergottites in this study.

In this study, NM-001 was most petrologically similar to olivine-phyric shergottites displaying a texture of olivine macro-phenocrysts and olivine microphenocrysts alike the olivine antecrysts and olivine micro-phenocrysts in NWA 1110 and Tissint. None of the terrestrial samples were analogous to NWA 7397, likely due to their extrusive origin relative to the intrusive origin of poikilitic shergottites.

H-001 and ESA01-A were both tholeiitic in composition and displayed the most similar bulk geochemistry to NWA 7397, NWA 1110 and Tissint. This means these samples were the most accurate analogues for bulk geochemistry for Martian shergottites in this study.

Acknowledgments

technological developments of spacecraft ready for these missions. SEM-EDS is a useful tool to search for these analogues as it allows for the same, nondestructive data collection on both terrestrial and Martian samples.

NM-001 and H-001 were most analogous to individual pyroxene compositions in Martian shergottites in this study, with NM-001 displaying a wider range of compositions including augite and pigeonite, whilst H-001 exhibited a more limited range but of augite compositions like those seen in NWA 7397, NWA 1110 and Tissint.

Biography of the Author

meteorites. We did however find that of all the samples analysed, NM-001 is the best match for the shergottites analysed in this study, in particular for olivine-phyric shergottites - even more so than commercial analogue ESA01-A.The similarity of NM001 compared to ESA01-A for these meteorites in this study indicates that we should also be looking for terrestrial analogues outside of strictly intraplate settings, particularly in intra-rift tectonic settings. Shergottites are the most abundant Martian meteorite that we have on Earth, and the similarity of these to NM-001 suggest NM-001 is the most representative analogue for Martian volcanism in this study.

Finally, both NM-001 and H-002 displayed similar plagioclase compositions to Martian Shergottites in this study, with NM-001 more similar to NWA 1110 and NWA 7397 whilst H-002 is most similar to FromTissint.this study it is clear that no terrestrial sample analysed was a perfect match for the Martian

Thank you to Plymouth Electron Microscopy Centre for facilitating this study including all the technicians for their help when using the instruments.

Francesca has recently completed a ResM in Planetary Geological Sciences at the University of Plymouth and is currently working as a technician at Plymouth Electron Microscopy Centre.

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Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 73, 7443-7485

McSween, Jr, H.Y. (2015),‘Petrology on Mars’, American Mineralogist, 100, 2380-2395

Ricketts, J. W., Kelley, S. A., Karlstrom, K. E., Schmandt, B., Donahue, M. S., van Wijk, J. (2016), ‘Synchronous opening of the Rio Grande rift along its entire length at 25-10 Ma supported by apatite (U-Th)/He and fission-track thermochronology, and evaluation of possible driving mechanisms’, GSA Bulletin, 128, 397Shearer,424 C. K., Burger, P.V., Papike, J. J., Borg, L. E., Irving, A. J., Herd, C. (2008), ‘Petrogenic linkages among Martian basalts: Implications based on trace element chemistry of olivine’, Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 43 Witze,,1241-1258A.(2021),

Alexander, C, M, O’D. (2021), ‘Meteorite’, available at < https://www.britannica.com/science/meteorite >, (Accessed: 01/09/2021)

Howell, E. (2021), ‘A brief history of Mars missions’, available at < mars-missions.htmlhttps://www.space.com/13558-historic->(Accessed:03/12/21)

‘First peek inside Mars reveals a crust with cake-like layers’, Nature, 589, 13 Wyatt, M. B. & McSween Jr, H. Y. (2002), ‘Spectral evidence for weathered basalt as an alternative to andesite in the northern lowlands of Mars’, Nature, 417, Zimbelman,263-266J.

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F., Hickman-Lewis, K., Hutzler, A., Joy, K. H., Folco, L., Bridges, J. C., Wozniakiewicz, P., MartínezFrías, J., Debaille, V., Zolensky, M., Yano, H., Bost, N., Ferrière, L., Lee, M., Michalski, J., SchroevenDeceuninck, H., Kminek, G., Viso, M., Russell, S., Smith, C., Zipfel, J., Westall. (2021), ‘Definition and use of functional analogues in planetary exploration’, Planetary and Space Science, 197, 105162 Haldar, S. K. & Tišljar, J. (2014), ‘Chapter 4 – Igenous Rocks’, in Haldar, S. K. & Tišljar, J. ‘Introduction to Mineralogy and Petrology’, Elsevier, 93-120

Carlson, R.W. (1991), ‘Physical and Chemical Evidence on the Cause and Source Characteristics of Flood Basalt Volcanism’, Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 38, Carr,525-544M.(2006), ‘Volcanism’ in Carr. M., ‘The Surface of Mars’, Cambridge University Press, Chapter 3, 43-47 ESA (2021), ‘ESA2C Collection’, Available at < https:// sacf.esa.int/sacf-home/esa2c-collection/ >, (Accessed: Filiberto,13/01/21)

Howell, E. (2012), ‘Mariner 4: First Spacecraft to Mars’, available at < https://www.space.com/18787mariner-4.html > (Accessed: 03/12/21)

Karl, D., Cannon, K. M., Gurlo, A. (2021), ‘Review of Space Resources Processing of Mars Missions: Martian simulants, regolith bonding concepts and additive manufacturing’, Open Ceramics, 100216

References

Keszthelyi, L. & McEwen, A. (2007), ‘Comparison of flood lavas on Earth and Mars’, in Chapman, M., ‘The Geology of Mars: Evidence from Earth-Based Analogs’, Cambridge University Press, Chapter 5, 126-145

NASA Science: Mars Exploration Program (2020), ‘Test Rover Moves to Mars Yard’,Available at < (2009),Papike,observatoryearthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/43182/mauna-loa-LoaNASAmars-yard/mars.nasa.gov/resources/25245/test-rover-moves-to-https://>,(Accessed:13/01/21)EarthObservatory(2006),‘MaunaOberservatory’,availableat<https://>,(Accessed:10/12/21)J.J.,Karner,J.M.,Shearer,C.K.,Burger,P.V.‘SilicatemineralogyofMartianmeteorites’,

Hibiya, Y., Archer, G. J., Tanaka, R., Sanborn, M. E., Sato, Y., Lizuka, T., Ozawa, K., Walker, R. J., Yamaguchi, A., Yin, Q-Z., Nakamura, T., Irving, A. J. (2018), ‘The origin of the unique achondrite Northwest Africa 6704: Constraints from petrology, chemistry and Re-Os, O and Ti isotope systematics’, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 245, 597-627

R., Garry, W. B., Bleacher, J. E., Crown, D. A. (2015), ‘Volcanism on Mars’, in Sigurdsson, H. ‘The Encyclopedia of Volcanoes (Second Edition)’, Elservier, Chapter 41, 717-728

Hughes, S.S., Haberle, C.W., Nawotniak, S.E.K., Sehlke, A., Garry, W.B., Elphic, R.C., Payler, S.J., Stevens, A.H., Cockell, C.S., Brady, A.L., Heldmann, J.L., Lim, D.S.S. (2019), ‘Basaltic Terrains in Idaho and Hawai’i as Planetary Analogs for Mars Geology and Astrobiology’, Astrobiology, 19(3), 260-283

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ANALYZERS FOR ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

The right angle for better analysis

We are very pleased to be making a return to in-person events this year, although we will continue to organise a number of virtual events where appropriate, in order to maximise accessibility and provide opportunities to those who might not otherwise be able to attend.

11September2022–15AbercrombieMeeting

5January2023(Online)–6EM-UK2023 –

5 – 6 Flow Facilities Meeting 2023 – London, UK 9 – 10 UK Light Microscopy Facility Meeting 2023 – Cambridge, UK

Our online calendar includes all the details about forthcoming talks in the International Microscopy Lecture Series – a joint, online initiative established between the RMS, and a number of international societies. You can also sign up for the popular Imaging ONEWORLD talks covering all aspects of microscopy and imaging. These take place on Mondays at 1pm (BST).

For further information on all these events, please visit our Event Calendar at www.rms.org.uk 2022 –Oxford, UK – 16 Flow Cytometry Course 2022 – York, UK Microscopy: Advances, Innovation, Impact 2022 – incorporating RMS AGM & Section AGMs – London UK and Prep Workshop 2022 London, UK

2April–6Botanical

mmc2023: Microscience Microcopy Congress 2023 (incorporating EMAG 2023) – Manchester, UK – 12 Light Microscopy Summer School 2023, York, UK – 14 Getting the most from your Confocal Course 2023

Microscopy Meeting 2023 –Norwich, UK (non-RMS event)

The following information was correct at the time infocus went to print but could potentially be subject to change in the coming weeks. Please visit our event calendar at www.rms.org.uk for the latest updates.

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If you have any questions about a booking you have already made for an event, or need any help or advice, please contact us at info@rms.org.uk

19OctoberVirtualFIB

17 – 23 Spring School in Electron Microscopy 2023 – Leeds, UK

4July–6

The series of Abercrombie meetings have been held since the death of Michael Abercrombie

This meeting will be the fifth one-day meeting in the Microscopy: Advances, Innovation, Impact series, having previously taken place in 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2021.

12.30pm - AFM & SPM Section, Data Analysis In Imaging Section, Early Career Section

1pm - Outreach & Education Section, Electron Microscopy Section, Engineering and Physical Sciences Section

Scientific Organiser: RMS President

Scientific Organiser: Dr Alex Ball, Natural History Museum; Professor Pippa Hawes, The Pirbright Institute; Professor Paul Verkade, University of Bristol

www.rms.org.uk

in 1979. Michael was a pioneer in the field of investigating cell behaviour using timelapse microscopy. Abercrombie meetings are held only every five years and therefore offer an excellent opportunity to review the major advances in our understanding of cell motility and look to the new emerging concepts in the field.

EM-UK 2023

This meeting is free to attend and will take place across the afternoons of the 5 and 6 January 2023.

The Society’s AGMs are free to attend for both members and non-members.

29 September, London UK

11.30am(BST):-The RMS Annual General Meeting

Professor Grace Burke, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA

The AGM's will be taking place at the following times

The RMS Annual General Meetings (AGMs) are set to take place on 29 September 2022. Places to attend in-person will be limited, however, the AGM's will also be streamed on Zoom and it will be possible to attend virtually. The afternoon will also include a number of short talks, which will not be accessible virtually.

Featured RMS events

The EM-UK community meetings are designed to be an open forum for discussion of the

11 – 15 September, Oxford, UK

A number of scientific talks will be given in the afternoon and this will be followed by a drinks reception. The programme for the day will be added to this page soon.

Scientific Organisers: Dr Brian Stramer, King’s College London; Dr Gaudenz Danuser, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; Professor Ewa Paluch, University of Cambridge

Microscopy: Advances, Innovation, Impact 2022 – incorporating RMS AGM & Section AGMs

www.rms.org.uk

We invite all our members to join us to reflect on the year and plan for the future.

www.rms.org.uk

latest developments and challenges in the field, suitable for both academic and commercial microscopists.The meeting will include Techno Bites, talks and discussions about training.

5 – 6 January, London, UK

Abercrombie Meeting 2022

Scientific Organiser: Mr Derek Davies, The Francis Crick Institute; Dr Peter O’Toole, University of York

organised facility groupings in the UK if not indeed the world.

5 – 6 January, London, UK

humble beginnings, we have grown to a much more significant and influential community of facility managers. Numbers of attendees have grown 10-fold since the first meeting in 2006 as more and more facilities have opened. We now represent one of the best

UK Light Microscopy Facility Meeting 2023 UK Light Microscopy Facility Meeting 2023

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Following on from previous years, you can expect to find out more on the latest developments in UK Bioimaging and how we can feed into wider international groups that are starting up. We will also discuss some of the basic elements (funding, impact measures) of running a core facility as well as the latest technological and application developments that affect ourselves and our users. Once again, we will include Crib talks from attendees. www.rms.org.uk

Scientific Organisers: Dr Peter O’Toole, University of York; Dr Alex Sossick, University of FromCambridgevery

9 – 10 January, Cambridge, UK

Flow Facilities Meeting 2023

themes, and circumstances within the community. We will also focus on new and emerging technologies as well as operational aspects of running, and working in, a core. We will include presentations from current core facilities (Crib talks) and also from our industry colleagues (Techno bites). www.rms.org.uk

As in previous years, the meeting is aimed at all those who run or work in a Flow Facility and seeks to address common subject matters,

Mica | The world‘s first imaging Microhub. This changes everything. Discover true simultaneous 4-color widefield, confocal resolution and AI-supported analysis united in a sample-protecting incubator. All at the single push of a button! > Access for all > No constraints > Radically simplified workflows

label-free imaging. I was pleasantly surprised that a whole session was dedicated to data management and ethics, which presented good data annotation and sharing practices to improve data accessibility and sharing across the community. The session also showcased European Bioimaging facilities, which are available to researchers starting at the earlycareer level. The absence of parallel sessions meant that everyone could attend the whole meeting together, giving the opportunity to ask questions live. The programme also involved six companyrun workshops, which demonstrated the newest microscopy kits and image analysis software. I really valued the effort that was put into making this conference work as a hybrid event – the

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After two consecutive years of disruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic, ELMI returned as an in-person event in 2022, and kicked off with a lot of excitement. The meeting was held in Turku, a medieval city on the southwest coast of Finland, of which it was once the capital. With its fame as the oldest city in Finland,Turku was built along the River Aura, which passes next to a medieval castle, some traditional museums and many lovely cafes and restaurants (“ravintolat”). In Finland, June is the start of the ‘endless summer’, when the sun never sets, and the city streets and cafes were buzzing with life. Every morning we enjoyed a warm walk in the sunshine to the conference venue Logomo, an old railway machine shop very close to Turku’s train station, which is easily reachable by foot from the rest of the Thecity.

conference kicked off with a keynote talk by Edward Boyden from MIT, focussing on expansion microscopy as a tool for “democratising microscopy”. The keynote was followed by a music performance by a traditional Finnish acapella group, as well as a dinner reception to celebrate the official start of the conference. The programme for the rest of the conference involved two sessions each morning, spanning various fields such as super-resolution microscopy, image analysis and

REPORT

21st International European Light Microscopy Initiative Meeting (ELMI)

Turku, Finland, 7th - 10th June 2022

This was my second-ever in-person conference, and I was thrilled to present a poster to share my research. The poster session also gave me the chance to learn new techniques and applications from fellow early-career researchers, with whom I had many interesting discussions. The occasions for networking and socialising were multiple, with two coffee breaks and a long lunch break every day, but the organisers outdid themselves by organising a gala dinner in Naantali, a neighbouring city on the archipelago (and home to the Moomin World theme park!). The venue Naantalin Kaivohuone (“Naantali’s Well Room”) was gorgeous, and had a beautiful view of the river. The evening started with a live classical music performance and drinks, and ended with a DJ party which involved a lot of dancing and laughing.

Beatrice Bottura University of Strathclyde

I am very grateful to the Royal Microscopical Society and to the Microbiology Society for awarding the grants that funded my attendance at this amazing conference.

sessions were recorded and all the questions were

brought back the first in-person ELMI meeting since ELMI2019 while still accommodating remote attendants with a hybrid approach. More than 400 on-site and 100 remote participants attended the meeting, hosted in Finland’s oldest city Turku, located beside the beautiful archipelago between Finland and Sweden. Having previously worked as a research engineer in the imaging facility in Turku, I was now attending ELMI in my first year of PhD studies in Marseille, ELMIFrance.provides an environment for communication among scientists and equipment manufacturers working in the field of light microscopy. It strikes a sweet balance where the applications are well highlighted so that scientists can continually learn new approaches that may even benefit them in their work. The sessions in this year’s meeting were divided into topics including super-resolution imaging, organismal and tissue imaging, image analysis, data management and ethics, and label-free Theimaging.presentations were excellent and included a keynote presentation from MIT neuroscientist Edward Boyden on expansion microscopy and optogenetics.We also listened to EMBL group leader Anna Kreshuk presenting image segmentation with AI models by using the Bioimage Model Zoo to

REPORT

The topic of label-free imaging was of great interest to me and it was fascinating to see the novel developments.While multi-photon microscopy using second and third harmonic generations is commonly known, Pekka Ruusuvuori from the University of Turku showed how unstained histological samples can be imaged and then computationally labelled with neural networks. Another label-free approach was shown by David Albrecht from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, illustrating how confocal interferometric scattering microscopy (iSCAT) can visualise tag-free subcellular structures such as microtubules. Also, Alex Persat from EPFL demonstrated another use of iSCAT to visualise the highly dynamic movement of pili in bacteria.

21st International European Light Microscopy Initiative Meeting (ELMI2022)

On a different note, it was inspiring to hear TengLeong Chew from the Janelia Advanced Imaging Center present the ‘Africa Microscopy Initiative’. The imaging centre based at the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, provides free use of advanced commercial microscopes and helps to support the development of sustainable imaging centres in Africa. Further to this, we were told some inspiring stories about using simple mobile phone microscopes that can aid with the treatment decisions for patients suffering from river

Turku, Finland, 7th - 10th June 2022

test different AI models. Remarkable research has also been conducted by Gail McConnell's group at the University of Strathclyde where her lab images millimetre-sized volumes at subcellular resolution using light-sheet mesoscopy.

ELMI2022

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A final highlight and personal achievement for me was to win the Jury prize image competition hosted by FocalPlane. My winning image will feature on the cover of the Journal of Cell Science in the first August issue.

blindness. A simple approach that can plant the seed of scientific discovery in the minds of people and prove research does not begin with the use of the latest cutting-edge scientific instrument.

If this sounds interesting to you, feel free to reach out. The poster session provided very fruitful ideas and discussions to further develop my studies and connected me with people with whom I could also collaborate in the future. I think the poster session and interactions with other colleagues highlighted the core of what has been missing during the past few years due to covid-19; unplanned random side conversations that have limitless potential and create exciting ideas and collaborations! The big social event was the Gala dinner which was hosted

I also presented a poster titled ‘Revealing cellular microtubule repair at the nanoscale’. In my PhD studies at the Neurocyto lab, I have been examining microtubule repair inside epithelial cells using microinjection and 3D multicolour STORM. The main aim of my research is to investigate the possible role of this microtubule repair in the emergence and maintenance of neuronal polarity.

Lastly, I would like to especially thank the Royal Microscopical Society and Anatomical Society for the financial support that allows me and other researchers to travel to conferences and events to learn, share and network with the research community.

in the nearby town of Naantali. Following a nice meal, the conversations were respectfully put to the side to make way for music and dancing on a fun and energetic dance floor which continued until the very last moment before we had to hop on the very last bus back to Turku.

Ciarán Butler-Hallissey NeuroCyto Lab, Institute of Aix-MarseilleNeuroPhysiopathologyUniversité, France

Our audience is largely members of the general public but Microscopy LIVE! is open to everyone,

Microscopy LIVE! has a different theme each month, often chosen by popular demand of our attendees.We aim to cover as many topics as we can, and we’ll never do the same sample twice! Since starting in October 2021, Microscopy LIVE! has focused on...

Electron Microscopy and its uses can often seem shrouded in mystery to those not directly involved with it but, Microscopy LIVE! is a chance to peek through the curtains, allowing anyone and everyone in on the secret. Microscopy LIVE! is a free monthly public outreach event designed to make science - and in particular electron microscopy - more accessible, giving a more human experience to some of the more technical aspects of science.

• Geology: An introduction to some of the analytical techniques used for mineral identification, using a complex rock sample from a mine in South Africa;

• Marine micro-organisms: Showing how high magnification analysis of samples can be helpful for species identification of micro-organisms in our

False-colour image of marine micro-organisms collected during Microscopy LIVE!

Hosts Lorelei Robertson (left) and Dr Jen Mitchell (right) with the JEOL NeoScope benchtop SEM system used for Microscopy LIVE!

Microscopy LIVE!

The idea for Microscopy LIVE! was developed by Dr Natasha Stephen before being taken over by Dr Jen Mitchell, Lorelei Robertson, and the rest of the team at Plymouth Electron Microscopy Centre, evolving it into a fully-fledged bi-monthly event series with a different theme every other month. Audience participation is highly encouraged, and we invite all attendees to direct us to the parts of the material being analysed that are of interest to them. We do our best to answer every single question we get during the session, be it about the electron microscope, a particular technique we are demonstrating, or about the sample we’re looking at. Our goal is to make sure that everyone involved has an hour of casual (yet entertaining) science learning, and everyone who registers gets access to a recording of the session as well as a summary booklet of all the data we collect, so nobody misses out.

and we definitely enjoy having fellow scientists join us. We have had extremely positive feedback so far and are immensely grateful to everyone who attends. Following our initial success, we’re pleased to announce that Microscopy LIVE! has partnered with JEOL UK Ltd, who are helping us bring the Microscopy LIVE! to more people and supporting us in creating the best events we can.

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• Winter: The last Microscopy LIVE! of 2021, looking at a range of festive samples including holly leaves and reindeer hair;

Layered element map of a mine sample from the first Microscopy LIVE! event.

• Art: Art and Science are not usually two subjects that mix, so we decided to change that.We’ll be looking at different artists’ tools and figuring out what makes up the several types of mediums that different artists use.

Layered element map of a mine sample from the first Microscopy LIVE! event.

• Pollen: Diving into the world of plants, we

forwards, Microscopy LIVE! will stay online so we can provide free science events to a wider range of people. However, as we are reaching a point where in-person events are a possibility again, we’ve set ourselves the goal of taking Microscopy LIVE! on the road. PEMC recently acquired a JEOL JCM-7000 NeoScope Benchtop SEM (and an accompanying sturdy trolley) which will allow us to physically bring Microscopy LIVE! to schools, external events, showcases and so on. This bit of kit is also extremely user friendly so anyone can take control of analysis, no matter their experience level.

From left to right, Jen, Lorelei, and Dr Natasha Stephen greet the audience for a special Microscopy LIVE! all about the Winchcombe meteorite.

Lookingjob.

• Leaves: A whirlwind tour of various tree leaves revealed just how diverse they are! We thoroughly enjoy presenting Microscopy LIVE! It's an hour where we can sit down and have some fun learning about all manner of material, whilst also sharing our knowledge and interacting with our attendees. If Microscopy LIVE! provides some insight and clarity to our audience and shows how cool and useful electron microscopy is, then we’ve done our

• Animal Fur: We compared a variety of animal hair from sheep to horses, cats to dogs, and wolves to tigers;

• The Winchcombe Meteorite: Celebrating 1 year after the fall of the Winchcombe meteorite, we held a dedicated Microscopy LIVE! event to look at the piece being analysed by the planetary researchers based at Plymouth Electron Microscopy Centre (PEMC), showing how the data collected from the electron microscope can be used to help figure out the origin of the meteorite and what it can tell us about the solar system;

• Insects: Using our JEOL Neoscope, we found out just how hairy moths are;

Our next event dates and topics are on our website. If you’d like to get involved, head on over to our website at www.plymouth.ac.uk/emc and register for free.We hope to see you there!

coastal waters that cannot be seen with the naked eye;

Jen and Lorelei investigate paint brush bristles using their JEOL NeoScope benchtop SEM.

explored flower and tree pollen in a springthemed event;

REPORT

Kasteel Vaalsbroek, Vaals, Netherlands, 8th to 12th May 2022

At PICO2022, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the invention, function and publication of the first aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope (AC-TEM). Four founders of this innovation were invited. One of them, Professor Knut W. Urban, shared their work over the past three decades. Listening to how they concurred multiple challenges and finally transformed theories into practice, more specifically, how they applied

spherical aberration corrector to transmission electron microscope to advance resolution to subångström level, I felt so moved and inspired: seeing leads to scientific advancement, understanding and engineering. The field in which I studied and conducted research for more than seven years would not exist if it were not for them. Their achievements have made it possible for the more recent development and function of new materials. They have been and will continue to be substantial to not only material science but also biological medical science. Attending PICO with these founders of the field, I felt more dedicated than ever to contributing my future academic work to the blueprint that Professor Urban has pictured.

Moreover, there were many principal investigators (PI) presenting novel findings from their groups. My supervisor Professor Peter Nellist was one of them. He was one of the scholars who made fundamental contributions to the development of correctors for the inherent aberrations of electron lenses and used for the three-dimensional imaging of materials. He introduced electron ptychography application in beam sensitive materials in the first session of PICO. The presentation given by Prof Sandra Van Aer (Antwerp) and Prof David Muller (Cornell) was also impressive. They talked about their recent progress on developing the quantitative EM methodology while presenting their latest data and the high spatial resolution images. These exciting findings made me

PICO2022 - The Seventh Conference on Frontiers of Aberration Corrected Electron Microscopy

From the 8th to 12th of May 2022, I attended the conference PICO2022. PICO is the unit for 1 x 10-12m, and this name well fits the topic of our conference – how to apply fundamental electron optics in advanced transmission electron microscopy techniques to study solidstate research phenomena and life sciences. PICO, from my perspective, is certainly a unique conference experience for all, because it has the characteristic that all speakers are invitation-based and all 190 participants are at least junior microscopists from 25 countries throughout the world. This format made every minute of my PICO experience count. It offered me the opportunity to listen to, talk to, and learn from the most admirable scholars in the field.

think about my current work and I knew they would be helpful for my own research. In the session about the application of cryoEM to biomedicine, Professor Peijun Zhang (Oxford) presented a series of experimental cryoEM images that were used to investigate cornorovirus and develop vaccines. From their video made with the cryoEM images, we

I presented my poster in the first poster session of the conference. The topic of my poster is “Atomicscale determination of cation and magnetic order of the triple perovskite”. It presents a study of ab initio calculations that provides physical insight into cation order and magnetic coupling in perovskite oxides at the atomic level. I explained to the audience: how ACTEM and density functional theory calculations were performed to determine the magnetic ground states and exchange parameters of the newlydiscovered triple perovskite phase. I could say that to the best of our knowledge, this triple perovskite we found has not yet been reported before.

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were able to clearly observe how coronavirus was greatly weakened, damaged, broken down, and killed. In addition, Dr Christopher Russo (Cambridge) shared his developments of new instruments and methods for imaging biological molecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins at atomic resolution. As I work with imaging at atomic resolution often, this presentation was indeed memorable to me.

Attending PICO2022 confirmed my passion for this academic path. Seeing colleagues’ excellent work and receiving pioneers’ kind encouragement motivated me to work harder. Looking back, I was honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with Professor Urban before. We published a Physical Review B paper on the topic of atomic electron magnetic circular dichroism in 2017. It was one of my few publications on theoretical work and thanks to his generous guidance, I learned so much. Thinking about the present and the near future, I am so grateful for my supervisors’ guidance and my peers’ company. I will continue developing my professional skills and devoting to knowledge production at the University of Oxford.

Ping-Luen Baron Ho

I would like to thank the Royal Microscopical Society for providing funding which allowed me to attend this conference. Hopefully, I will see these scholars and friends soon so that I can learn from them again and sharpen my skills along with them.

Thickness profiling of electron transparent aluminium alloy foil using convergent beam electron diffraction

clear picture of how profile of a thin sample should look like, advanced microscopes were used where the electrons are concentrated in very narrow areas over

In areas where only one KosselMӧllenstedt (K-M) minima fringe was

You can read the latest Early View papers online at www.journalofmicroscopy.org

They Microscopyinclude:Journalof

The Journal of Microscopy publishes top quality research articles, review articles and Hot Topic papers covering all aspects of microscopy and analysis. This includes cutting-edge technology and innovative applications in physics, chemistry, material and biological sciences.

Artenis Bendo, Masoud Moshtaghi, Matthew Smith, Zelong Jin, Yida Xiong, Kenji Matsuda, Xiaorong Zhou

Convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) was used to profile the thickness of aluminium alloys foils prepared by using the twinjet electropolishing method. The two-beam CBED condition was obtained by exciting the {200} and {111} aluminium diffracted g-vector. The aluminium alloy foil thicknesses were calculated at different distances from the sample hole edge.

obtained, the thickness was determined by matching the experimental with simulated convergent beam diffraction pattens. In areas far away from the sample edge, the thickness of foils was high enough to generate at least two (K-M) minima fringes, required for linear regression fitting.

Samples Being Thin Enough for Achieving Atomic Scale Magnification: To achieve highest possible magnification with the highest resolution and observe electronbebegetthinsamplesimportantaluminummicrostructurefeaturesnanometer-scaletheoftheinalloys,itistoobtainwhichareasaswepossiblycanto.Thesamplesmustsothinthattheycantransparenttothebeam.Tohavea

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3D shape reconstruction of normal and cancerous red blood cells using digital holographic tomography: Combination of angular spectrum method and multiplicative technique

Dahi Ghareab Abdelsalam Ibrahim

Fluorescence fluctuation based super resolution microscopy, basic concepts for an easy start

Since the red blood cell shape affects the oxygen transport, so a robust method to reconstruct the 3D shape of an RBC from different projections is presented. A robust one-piece polarizing holographic microscope setup is used to record inline holograms of normal and cancerous red blood cells (RBCs) with high stability. The inline holograms are corrected by flat fielding and windowed Fourier filtering methods to mitigate the zero-order and the defocused twin image due to the inline recording configuration to the least measure. The corrected inline holograms are then reconstructed by the angular spectrum method to extract the 2D wrapping phase-contrast images. The 2D wrapping phase-contrast images are then unwrapped using the graph cuts algorithm to extract the continuous 2D phase-contrast images. The continuous 2D phase-contrast images are reconstructed at different projections by the multiplicative technique to extract the 3D shape of the normal and the cancerous RBCs. Experimental results show that any deformation in the shape of the normal and the cancerous RBCs can be seen clearly at any rotational angle in 3D. This method, which is based on the degree of deformation from the best fitting, can be used as an alternative method of counting method for discrimination between normal and cancerous cells and hence diagnoses the disease easily.

Due to the wave nature of light, optical microscopy has a lower-bound lateral resolution limit of approximately half of the wavelength of visible light, i.e., within the range of 200 to 350 nm. Fluorescence Fluctuation based Super Resolution Microscopy (FFSRM) is a term used to encompass a collection of image analysis techniques which rely on the statistical processing of temporal variations of the fluorescence signal. FF-SRM aims to reduce the uncertainty of the location of fluorophores within an image, often improving spatial resolution to several tens of nanometers. FF-SRM is suitable for live-cell imaging due to its compatibility with most fluorescent probes and relatively simple instrumental and experimental requirements, which are mostly camera-based epifluorescence instruments. Each FF-SRM approach has strengths and weaknesses, which depend directly on the underlying statistical principles through which enhanced spatial resolution is achieved. In this review,

the basic concepts and principles behind a range of FF-SRM methods published to date are described. Their operational parameters are explained and guidance for its selection is provided.

THEMED ISSUE ARTICLE

the sample. The electron beam going through the sample, experiences a physic phenomenon known as diffraction, which is recorded below the sample, and thickness is calculated out of it. By concentrating the electron beam to different points over the sample, thickness profile was reconstructed. This is imperative for building up reference profiles for check and compare of samples used in transmission electron microscopy.

Alma Alva, Eduardo Brito-Alarcón, Alejandro Linares, Esley Torres-García, Haydee O. Hernández, Raúl PintoCámara, Damián Martínez, Paul Hernández-Herrera, Rocco D’Antuono, Christopher Wood, Adán Guerrero

Towards super-resolved terahertz microscopy for cellular imaging

The phase image of tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (TM-AFM) contains energy dissipation, which is related to the sample information on the physical properties such as the sample Young’s modulus, adhesion, surface morphology and subsurface morphology. When TM-AFM is used for sample measurement, the frequency near the first resonance peak of probe is usually selected to drive the probe vibration. When the probe vibration is driven by the frequency, the probe has a high amplitude sensitivity, but the phase sensitivity is relatively low. In this paper, the frequency at the probe phase resonance peak was selected for driving the probe vibration to measure the sample, which improved the image resolution. Phase imaging was performed on three uniform photoresist samples with different thicknesses and the same structure. When the scanning parameters were fixed and the probe setpoint value was changed alone, it was found that with the decrease of setpoint value the horizontal resolution of the phase subsurface image was decreased, and the depth sensitivity was increased first and then decreased. The result shows that TMAFM working at the phase resonance peak can better realise the subsurface imaging of samples at different depths. Phase subsurface imaging at the resonance can be used to quantitatively obtain subsurface phase images of different depths.

Rocco D’Antuono, John W. Bowen

Biomedical imaging includes the use of a variety of techniques to study organs and tissues. Some of the possible imaging modalities are more spread at clinical level (CT, MRI, PET), while others, such as light and electron microscopy are preferred in life sciences research.The choice of the imaging modalities can be based on the capability to study functional aspects of an organism, the delivered radiation dose to the patient, and the achievable resolution.

Baishun Sun, Liang Cao, Chenchen Xie, Zhengcheng Lu, Mengnan Liu, Miao Yu, Zhengxun Song, Zhankun Wen, Zuobin Wang

Subsurface phase imaging of tapping-mode atomic force microscopy at phase resonance

THEMED ISSUE ARTICLE

32 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022

In the last few decades, spectroscopists and imaging scientists have been interested in the use of terahertz (THz) frequencies (30 μm to 3 mm wavelength) due to the low photon energy associated (E∼1 meV, not causing breaking of the molecular bonds but still interacting with some vibrational modes) and the high penetration depth that is achievable. THz has been already adopted in security, quality control and material sciences. However, the adoption of THz frequencies for biological and clinical imaging means to face, as a major limitation, the very scarce resolution associated with the use of such long wavelengths. To address this aspect and reconcile the benefit of minimal harmfulness for bioimaging with the achievable resolving power, many attempts have been made. This review summarises the state-of-theart of THz imaging applications aimed at achieving super-resolution, describing how practical aspects of optics and quasi-optics may be treated to efficaciously implement the use of THz as a new low-dose and versatile modality in biomedical imaging and clinical research.

The stereometric and fractal concepts are crucial tools to analyse, to verify, to report 3-D microtexture of thin film surfaces on the nanometre scale and thereby to generate useful topographic characteristics for better understanding and steering them toward further improvements and rational use in modern applications. At first, the present work aimed to prepare hematite α-Fe2O3 thin films with (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 wt%) of Cu doping by using the air pneumatic spray method. Subsequently, the obtained pure α-Fe2O3 and Cu-doped α-Fe2O3 thin films were characterised by XRD device, which determines their polycrystalline nature with the rhombohedral hematite structure. Analysis by UV-VIS absorption showed that the transmittance of the thin films is extinct in the wavelength from approximately 500 to 800 nm, revealing that the films have good optical absorbance in the visible region. The obtained bandgap values varied between 2.23 and 2.21 eV. At second stage, the stereometric and fractal analysis are applied on 3-D image data of pure α-Fe2O3 and Cudoped α-Fe2O3 thin films, which in prior generated using AFM device. Accordingly, the obtained statistical parameters such as surface roughness, density distribution of peaks, depths etc. were used to

Search for Journal of Microscopy on the App Store or Google play and access your personal or institutional subscription wherever you are, whenever you want. Submit to the Journal Microscopyof 1. No submissions fees 2. No page or colour charges 3. No page limit 4. Simple online submission 5. Helpful, friendly editorial team 6. Average time from submission to first decision is less than 50 days 7. High readership figures 8. Online tracking system – authors can easily check the status of an article in production and receive emails at key stages 9. Rapid publication with Early View papers published online in advance of print, significantly shortening time from acceptance to publication 10. Free electronic offprints

Available

33 Submit online at https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jmi View the Guidelines for Authors and full submission details online www.journalofmicroscopy.orgat:

Journal of Microscopy App for iPhone and Android

Faouzi Ghribi, Ştefan Ţălu, Fethi Chouikh, Yazid Bouznit, Samah Boudour, Alia Méndez-Albores, Gabriel Trejo Cordova

Microtexture analysis of copperdoped iron oxide thin films prepared by air pneumatic spray

understand the influence of Cu doping on the 3D microtexture of pure α-Fe2O3 and Cu-doped α-Fe2O3 thin film surfaces.

“Our main goal was to develop a better understanding of the mechanisms of irradiation damage, which will be an important factor in the design of magnets for fusion reactors”– co-author Yatir Linden

Energy demand has grown exponentially since the second half of the 20th Century and raises pressing questions about future energy resources.

PublishedGrovenor in the April 2022 issue (Vol 286-1).

34 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022 Analysing neutron radiation damage in YBa2Cu3O7–x Y.superconductorhigh-temperaturetapesLinden,W.R.Iliffe,G.He,M.Danaie,D.X.Fischer,M.Eisterer,S.C.Speller, C.R.M.

Fusion energy is an option for addressing the long-term future of electricity generation, but the current designs of fusion power plant pose tough

MicroscopyJournalof

Highlighted paper

engineering problems. Not least is the issue of the radiation resistance of the superconducting magnets which are vital components of these reactors since they will be bombarded with a high flux of energetic particles. Since the first report of high-temperature superconductors in 1986, the scientific literature has

Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) has been used extensively in Materials Science studies for decades. In that time, TEMs and the associated computational techniques have improved, giving almost endless capabilities to investigate the fundamental structures of many classes of materials. In our paper, we show these two worlds are complementary and, when fused together, can help address the problem of quantifying radiation damage in superconducting materials.

been flooded with publications on the outstanding potential of a particular family of complex ceramic compounds known as REBCO (REBa2Cu3O7, where RE is a rare-earth element like Y, Gd or Eu). However, there are concerns about the ability of REBCO to sustain high electrical current densities in the harsh environment associated with fusion reactors. The microstructural evidence for exactly what happens when energetic neutrons interact with REBCO was scarce and unsatisfactory. Therefore, the authors’ main goal was to develop a better understanding of the mechanisms of irradiation damage, which will be an important factor in the design of magnets for fusion

Advancedreactors.TEM

Yatir Linden, University of Oxford Michael Eisterer, TU

Susannah Speller, University of Oxford

fusion reactors. Future work will include direct measurements of the superconducting performance under in-situ ion irradiation, and analysis of how the choice of rare earth element (Y, Gd, Eu etc.) in REBCO may alter the rate at which the properties degrade under different kinds of irradiation damage.

William Iliffe, University of Oxford David Fischer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

techniques can easily provide direct evidence for ~10 nm amorphous collision cascades created by neutron-irradiation, but these alone cannot explain the change in overall superconducting properties. Our challenge was to extract hidden information on lattice damage between these cascades that causes only subtle changes to TEM images. We decided to explore the use of techniques well known in the fields of image processing and computer science. Combining and tailoring these approaches to extract numerical data from TEM images allowed us to translate information that is hidden even to the trained eye, into a simple number that represents the extent of irradiation damage in a given image. Our innovative approach is easy to implement and requires no special knowledge. It offers a new method to quantify small changes in the crystal lattice perfection in a TEM image, and can readily be applied to large batches of images. Because it is a generic approach to image analysis, it can be applied to a wide range of situations outside radiation damage, including ordering transformations and crystallisation phenomena. The research teams are continuing to study radiation damage effects in REBCO materials in order to suggest ways to mitigate the problems that will be particularly severe in magnets for small

As many readers will already be aware, infocus Magazine is set to become an online publication from 2023, with printed copies no longer being sent out to RMS Members.

The decision has been made in order to secure a sustainable future for the magazine, reducing both the environmental and financial costs associated with producing a printed publication. The digital version of infocus is already available for members to read on our website, and we plan to further develop the online features and range of content for our readers. Our aim is to bring you the same great mix of articles, reports, news and reviews in a brand new digital format.

RMS Chief Executive Allison Winton said: “infocus has been issued to RMS Members in physical form since 2006, and as the ‘Proceedings of the RMS’ since 1966. We’re proud of the publication’s history, and the role it continues to play as a forum for scientists, technologists and enthusiasts spanning all branches of microscopy and cytometry. While we will miss seeing the magazine in print, we feel this is a really positive move, and are hugely excited about the opportunities that going online opens up for the infuture.”

36 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022

infocus Magazine set to go online in 2023

focus Scientific Editor Leandro Lemgruber added: “Our recent Readers Survey revealed that many readers do still value their printed copy, however, yet more raised concerns over the environmental impact of a printed magazine, and the associated financial costs to the RMS. Ultimately we share those concerns, and feel that going fully online is the right call for 2023 and beyond. Going digital also unlocks the potential to do so much more with the magazine, in terms our ability to present content in new and engaging ways. We’re currently developing those plans, while also ensuring that we continue to deliver the familiar range features that we know our readers value.”

If you have not already done so, please take a look at infocus online (www.rms.org.uk). If you are an RMS member, you simply need to log into the website and then you can access all the content contained in our latest issue. We hope you enjoy our new digital format, and we will be working

“I do enjoy perusing the printed copy over coffee” “I can't help but think there is quite a big environmental impact with making such a “Ifmagazine”moving on-line, an opt-in paper copy should be “Doconsidered”anonline version and save trees” “Would be nice to have an online only subscription” “Seems a bit of a waste to get a physical copy” “I love the fact that it's a hard copy” A range of views on the future of infocus was expressed by readers in our recent survey. By going online, we hope to secure a sustainable future for infocus and present content in new and engaging ways.

MuchUniversity.ofmy

As this turned out, it was another of Peter’s inspirations. He had approached Philip Smethurst, who was the UK principal supplier of grids, to produce another special RMS Anniversary memento. Philip had been operating for some time from Agar Aids at Stanstead, which accounts for my original thought.

viewed with low power transmitted light microscopy.Myearly

I was browsing again through the Interview with Dr Peter Evennett published in infocus magazine about a year ago. He succeeded in getting the Post Office to produce a set of four stamps depicting iconic images in the history of microscopy, one showing the familiar RMS snowflake emblem. That occasion in 1989, being the Society’s 150th Anniversary, reminded me of another memento of that event that I obtained, and I recently came across it amongst my collection of microscope slides. It was a special electron microscopy specimen grid that I first thought might have been devised by Alan Agar, the owner/manager of Agar Aids Ltd (now Agar Scientific), from where many accessories for electron microscopy were obtained.

I have not had the advantage of using instruments that are commonplace in laboratories today.

Remember these?

I joined the RMS in 1966 as did Peter himself. I wonder how many other current members who were around at that time (1989) are still with us and may still remember/ employ TEM grids.

38 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022

The commemorative TEM grid from 1989 anniversary celebrations

I am long retired now, and many of the newer forms of microscopy were then in their infancy.

encounter with electron microscopy was on a Siemens Elmiskop at Aeon Laboratories in Egham in 1960, with Alan Agar himself showing me how to align and operate the machine, in preparation for the delivery of one to my laboratory in Birmingham

Dr Leslie Franchie FRMS

This memento is a standard 3.2mm copper TEM grid, but with the Society’s snowflake emblem and the dates 1839-1989, in place of the usual square or hexagonal lattice pattern. The grid (RMS members were each sent one, along with the current copy of Proceedings), as illustrated here, has been mounted on a microscope slide in the typical fashion for light microscopy, with resin and coverslip, and thus is protected as a permanently preserved, if unusual, ‘specimen’. The detail on the grid is clearly shown

collaborative research at Birmingham University involved correlative light and electron microscopy, sometimes employing high resolution autoradiography of sites of tritium-labelled uridine and thymidine uptake in developing mammalian oocytes; using immunogold-labelled antibodies in studies on nuclear histones; and on the sites of fast and slow myosin interchange following experimental in vivo stimulation of skeletal muscle. Thin sections of on bare grids could be differentially labelled on both sides of a section using two particle sizes of colloidal gold.

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Leafy landscapesunder microscopethe

One simple technique that can be used to obtain a leaf peel involves applying quick-drying, clear nail varnish to a small area of leaf epidermis and, when dry, removing the peel with ordinary Sellotape. Both peel and transparent tape is then transferred to a microscope slide and labelled before observation.

Totechniques.beginwith,

40 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022

Most of the following images were photographed using a combination of Rheinberg coloured filters and oblique (offset) illumination techniques obtained with a phase condenser on a Swiss Wild M20 research microscope coupled to an electronic 5 megapixel USB photo eyepiece attached to my computer.

actual surface features. As always, it’s important to set up the microscope correctly beforehand and in particular, one of the most important adjustments that needs to be made is controlling the substage condenser aperture with the iris diaphragm. Closing the aperture increases contrast but closing the aperture too much will degrade the image due to loss of resolution. In most cases, however, a satisfactory image can be obtained by limiting stray light and closing the aperture by no more than a third of the way in. These effects can be checked visually by first removing the eyepiece and looking directly down the microscope tube while at the same time adjusting the aperture lever.

there are many standard slide preparations of stained epidermal sections taken from leaves as illustrated in figures 1, 2 and 3 which show the detailed internal structure of the epidermal cells and, in particular, the stomata. These are characterised by the bean-shaped guard cells that surround each slit-like opening or pore and which play an important part in controlling gas exchange, specifically water vapour during transpiration, and oxygen and carbon dioxide involved in photosynthesis. However, what many of these slides do not show are the actual surface contours that form part of what I have tried to depict in these photographs as the “leafy landscape”.

By Michael R. Gibson

In the March edition of infocus magazine my article “Microscopy in the Third Age”, included passing reference to this method for examining leaf surface features under the microscope, and here I want to go further by illustrating some more of the results obtained with a variety of leaves and lighting

In looking at acetate leaf peels through the microscope we are in effect obtaining a topographical impression or “print” of the leaf’s

All the images were taken using the Wild M20 microscope with either a x10 or x20 phase objective. The field width (FOV) is approximately 1.8 mm and 0.9mm when using x10 and x20 phase objectives respectively.

41  Stomata – darkfield image  Tradescantia epidermis

 Aloe voigtii epidermis

42 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022

43  Bindweed lower epidermal peel  Bindweed peel

44 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022  Hedera helix (Ivy)  Hedera helix



 Hedera helix Tulip leaf

 Laurel leaf 46 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022

Michael is a retired teacher and remains an active member of various microscopical clubs and societies including the RMS. He works with schools, museums and libraries in promoting microscopy and other science-related activities. One of his favourite quotes, attributed to Charles Darwin, is “I love fools’ experiments - I am always making them”!

 Lily leaf acetate peel  Acetate leaf peel fixed to slide 47

New Member Welcome

Dr Sebastian Aguayo

Mr Lester Siu-Shan AU

Mr Timothy Johnston

Mrs Christine Kimpton

I've adopted a variety of techinques which involve microscopic and cytometric analysis and I was vastly interested in joining a society which offers a wide range of activities which may support me during my research work throughout my PhD.

Ms Sukhveer Kaur Purewal

Mr Raul M. Quiroz

Mr Calum Bentley-Abbot

Tell Us About You?

Mr Ion Ioannou

Mr Peter Heimrath

Dr Matthew Russell

Miss Jessica Snelson

Why did you become a member of the RMS?

If you know of anyone who might be interested in becoming a member of the Royal Microscopical Society and if you would like us to contact them, please send their details to our Membership Administrator, Debbie Hunt – debbie@rms.org.uk

Dr Zeeshan Mughal

Don't forget you can now log into the RMS website and check your membership status, renew and download receipts. If you have never logged into the RMS website, please enter the email address that is linked to your membership and then click 'forgotten password'.

How do you feel being an RMS member benefits you?

Mr Chris Langsdorf

Dr Paul McMillan

Mr Michael Cummings

Dr Igor Kraev

JamieName Cooper

If you have any queries or questions about your membership please contact Debbie Hunt debbie@rms.org.uk

The Royal Microscopical Society would like to welcome our new members who have joined us in the last three months.We hope they enjoy a long and rewarding membership with the RMS.

Application forms are available to download at www.rms.org.uk/membership

Dr Jacqueline Hicks

Member Profiles

Dr Anthony Dornan

I am a PhD research student in Cancer Biology at the Oxford Brookes University. For my research I’m investigating the role of extracellular vesicles and glycosylation in cancer metastasis, adopting techniques such as small particle cytometric analysis, electron microscopy, confocal microscopy and many more! In addition to my work life, I also take part in numerous extracurricular activities as a result of being a keen sportsman, such as being a huge supporter of football and boxing!

Judith Mantell

I've started to focus on a particular area of research in phenotyping small particles termed extracellular vesicles in the form of cytometry and wanted to establish networks who also introduce the same technique to obtain and share expertise within the research field.

Miss Hayley Andrews

youtube channel where I share image tutorials for image analysis.

How do you feel being an RMS member benefits you?

Why did you become a member of the RMS?

To learn from experts in the field of microscopy

Tell Us About You?

I'm an organic chemistry graduate from Pakistan. I'm much enthusiastic about academia and research, my field is related to drug delivery and their biological effects on cells.

Why did you become a member of the RMS?

Iproject.havea

How do you feel being an RMS member benefits you?

Tell Us About You?

To get connected with the microscopy society, and engage with RMS activities to explore microscopy research.

MubesharName Riaz

AimanName Laraib Syed

AliceName Eseola

It would be a great experience to get engaged in different macro and microscopic activities to understand the mechanistic pathways of different portions of bodily organs.

It will connect me with experts in the field of microscopy. The RMS will keep me updated with the latest technology and tools for a career in microscopy. I will also benefit through networking and participating in discussions and workshops.

I am a doctoral research student at The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich. My PhD research project focuses on investigating the spatial control of organelle dynamics during appressorium-mediated plant infection by Magnaporthe oryzae. I am fascinated by super-high-resolution imaging of live cells, which is the daily tool I employ in my research

Both to share and receive valuable information.

Why did you become a member of the RMS?

Master of Philosophy in Pharmacology lab and also expert in Biological identification of microbes.

Tell Us About You?

More astronomers are looking into the SWIR bands these days. A German researcher, Dr Sebastian Voltmer, has been looking at the inner planet Venus as a Ring next to the sun and how the crescent is getting bigger. He investigated slight irregularities in the atmospheric layers, as shown in Figure 1.

In late June and early July 2020, the crescent morning star Venus was narrow enough and the planet was positioned far enough from the sun.This meant that the sky was dark enough to capture the night side in SWIR. The seeing conditions (less turbulence in the

Image courtesy of NASA image library 1.

Figure 2.

Figure

50 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022

The challenge was to reveal the ground structures of Venus in NIR. For surface observations (night side) through the clouds of Venus require a spectral window around 1000 nm. Observations at wavelengths beyond 1.0 micron are very interesting to observe the lower clouds of Venus through the

Imaging Venus with a Scientific SWIR camera

infrared radiation that escapes from the planet through holes of lower cloud content at an altitude of about 50 km above the surface. The Ninox 640 II SWIR camera was able to reveal the surface and the lower clouds in one image.

Figures 2 and 3 show the set up on his scope in Spicheren, France.

By Dr Sebastian Voltmer and Raptor Photonics

According to Dr. Voltmer, “In my previous images of Venus from May 2020 I only used planetary CCD cameras with NIR sensitivity. It was hard to get any

• Cooled to -15°C | Allows longer integration avoiding dark current build-up

Images courtesy of Dr. Sebastian Voltmer. www. astrofilm.com Insta: @sebastianvoltmer

To learn more about Raptor products, please visit the official UK and Ireland distributor, Quantum Design UK and Ireland - www.qd-uki.co.uk

Telescope: Celestron 11 EdgeHD + Baader Fluorite Flatfield Converter (FFC)

• 15μm x 15μm pixel pitch | Enables the highest resolution SWIR image

• VIS-SWIR InGaAs technology | Enables imaging from 0.6μm to 1.7μm

He was able to capture the very faint radiation beyond 1000 nm of the surface of Venus, as displayed on Figure 4. The image was captured with a prototype Sloan Z filter from Baader Planetarium (820-1500 nm) and a Ninox 640 II IR camera. He aligned it with a circle congruent with the night side of 12,000Venus.video

Filter: Baader prototype Sloan-Z Camera settings:

Summary of set-up

• Onboard Automated Gain Control (AGC) | Enables clear video in all light conditions

• Ultra compact, Low power | Ideal for handheld, mobile or airborne systems

atmosphere) before sunrise are much better than those after sunset. On July 1st 2020, Dr.Voltmer was able to capture an unique image of Crescent Venus and the infrared radiation of the hot planet.

Figure 3.

Camera: Ninox 640 II SWIR camera

signal of Venus’s surface. But with the cooled Ninox 640 II SWIR camera I got a much better signal-tonoise ratio. With the Ninox 640 II SWIR camera I was able to reveal the surface and the lower clouds in one image.”

Crescent: 12,000 short exp. frames, 30 FPS

Surface & nocturnal deeper clouds: 12,000 frames at 90,000msec, 10 FPS, sensor temp. -31.7C + Dark Frame of 12,000 frames

• Ultra-Low Noise Sensor: 18e- in High Gain | Enables ultimate low light Vis-SWIR image

• Ultra-high intrascene dynamic range | Enables simultaneous capture of bright and dark portions of a scene

Figure 4.

Start time: 2:40 UT (duration 20 min), crescent start time: 03:17 UT

frames were necessary for the recording and a significant amount of post processing work.

52 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022

From the RMS President

NEWS

Later in July we were back at the Edgbaston Hotel for FlowcytometryUK 2022. This is a very important event for the cytometry community, offering important networking opportunities alongside a scientific programme covering all the latest advances, plus a great exhibition. Thank you to everyone who attended these events and helped make them such a Lookingsuccess.ahead,

We kicked off June with a full capacity Cryo Electron Microscopy Course 2022, held at Rothamsted Research in Harpenden. Then, during the first week of July, we were particularly pleased to welcome approximately 100 attendees to Edgbaston Park Hotel in Birmingham for Frontiers in Bioimaging 2022. This represented the Society’s first in-person conference since the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic, more than two-and-a-half years ago. Alongside this, we also held our first ‘hybrid’ event, with the AFM and SPM Meeting 2022, for which several attendees joined the Scientific Organisers at the University of Sheffield on the second day to hear talks in-person, while others logged on. The feedback from attendees has been really positive, with many saying how much they welcomed the opportunity to attend in-person for part of the meeting.

Aside from the events schedule, I am delighted to report that the Society is involved in two brand new initiatives aimed at supporting careers in microscopy. As readers may recall from our previous issue (66, June 2022), the RMS is inviting applications for a mentoring scheme aimed at supporting all members of the Society at every career level (junior or senior, scientific and technical).This is a great opportunity to receive (or provide) peer-to-peer support for career development or technical skills in microscopy, imaging and flow cytometry, and you can read more about the scheme on p58.

In another recent development, the RMS and Bioimaging UK have become proud signatories of an important initiative to ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in higher education and research, across all disciplines. The ‘Technician Commitment’ is a university and research institution scheme that recognises the crucial role played by technical and support staff in scientific and microscopy-related research. Again, you can read more about this on p57.

And finally, as summer draws to a close (for most of our readers, that is) I would like to congratulate our four university students who have been conducting microscopy projects in recent weeks as part of the RMS Summer Studentship scheme. I look forward to reading their reports on these pages in due course!

it is clear that the three different event formats – in-person, virtual and hybrid – all have their merits, and we will continue to take the view on a case-by-case basis as to the most appropriate platform. Ultimately our aim is to provide a great experience for attendees whatever the format, and for our events to be as inclusive and accessible as reasonably possible.

My very best wishes to all our readers, Professor Grace Burke, RMS President

The past few months have certainly been a busy time for the RMS, with our calendar of events, courses and conferences getting into full swing – including the return of in-person events after what seems like a very long time – probably because it has been!

With that in mind, I would encourage readers to attend the RMS AGMs taking place on 29 September as part of ‘Microscopy: Advances, Innovation, Impact 2022’. This meeting is open to members and nonmembers alike, and the AGMs will be live-streamed for anyone wishing to attend virtually.We have already successfully streamed a number of our Science Section AGMs this year, and believe that this is a really positive move in terms of sharing and discussing our plans for the future with as many of you as possible.

With the MVR series, our motion control partner Zaber Technologies has developed a robust, compact, and reliable high-end microscope platform.

Laser 2000 presents the MVR series from Zaber, a fully motorised inverted microscope for high performance microplate imaging.

The MVR provides quick and easily automated multichannel imaging for both brightfield and phase contrast. Furthermore, the unit provides automated fluorescence imaging from DAPI to CY5. A modular optical path based on industry standard Zeiss or Nikon optics delivers < 0.2 μm repeatability and highly accurate results.

The open platform and customisable design allows for easy application integration with low upfront costs and no hidden long term expensive consumables or software licenses. Finally, the MVR produces rapid automation with <70 ms–30 ms stage movement and settle time.

Get in touch to find out more. +44 (0) 1933 461 photonics.laser2000.co.uksales@laser2000.co.uk666

Simplifying Microscopy

contributions from RMS Vice President, Professor Susan Anderson, and Professor

Society's Oxford offices and senior representatives go in front of the camera in Secrets of Size: Atoms to Supergalaxies

Jim Al-Khalili

Presented by renowned physicist Jim Al-Khalili, the programme covered some of the key discoveries and advances in microscopy, from Robert Hooke's iconic 'flea' drawing, to modern day approaches in Atomic Force Microscopy and Electron Microscopy.

The event is taking place in London, though all the AGMs and a number of short talks will be livestreamed, enabling people to attend virtually.

NEWS

For all the details on Microscopy: Advances, Innovation, Impact 2022, please visit the RMS Events Calendar at www.rms.org.uk

Leading RMS figures feature in absorbing BBC4 broadcast on microscopy

Recent winner of the RMS Scientific Achievement Award Quentin Ramasse was also among those appearing in front of the camera.

The broadcast opened with a section filmed inside the RMS library at the Society's Oxford offices, where Professor Al-Khalili gave a 'piece to camera' while thumbing through a copy of Hooke's Later,Micrographia.itincluded

Microscopy enthusiasts were served up a televisual treat on the 16th May, with the broadcast of 'Going Small', the first instalment of a two-part BBC4 series examing the universe from atoms to supergalaxies.

The Society encourages all members to attend the RMS AGM – and other Science Section AGMs – on 29 September as part of Microscopy: Advances, Innovation, Impact 2022.

The RMS has already successfully live streamed a number of Science Section AGMs this year, including Light Microscopy, Life Sciences and the Flow

Cytometry Section AGMs, enabling access for many people who would not otherwise have been able to Theattend.Society is also working on an Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity and Accessibility (EDI&A) Policy, which we hope to launch at the AGM.

Pippa Hawes, who sits on the Society's Professional Development and Training Focussed Interest Group (FIG). It also featured RMS Honorary Fellows Max Haider, Harald Rose, Knut Urban and Ondrej Krivanek, discussing their landmark discoveries.

Live streaming of RMS Annual General Meeting (AGM) will increase accessibility

56 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022

The prize for Best Talk was awarded to Akaash Kumar, of MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, for ‘Multispectral live cell imaging with uncompromised temporal resolution’

The latter event represented the Society’s first inperson only conference since the onset of Covid, with around 100 delegates eagerly descending on Edgbaston Park Hotel in Birmingham, UK.

Mollie McFarlane and Akaash Kumar Libby Holmes

Sareena Sund (right), with Karen Hogg and Derek Davies Harriet Read

The poster prize went to Mollie McFarlane of the University of Strathclyde, for ‘Enhanced fluorescence from semi-conductor quantum dots excited at Meanwhile280nm’.

the AFM & SPM Meeting 2022 was held over three days as a hybrid event, with attendees given the option of attending Day Two in person at Sheffield University.

NEWS

we were back at the Edgbaston Park Hotel for FlowcytometryUK 2022, featuring a threeday scientific programme, full exhibition and poster sessions. Our first-place poster prize-winner was Simon D'Archivio of Sygnature Discovery, with ‘Development of an in vitro model for Human T cell exhaustion’. Second place went to Sareena Sund, University of Birmingham, for Novel 355nm (and Lower) Excitable and Tuneable Emission (Blue through Red) Fluorophores Utilised in Flow CongratulationsCytometry. to all our prize-winners!

Congratulations to our prize-winners at AFM & SPM Meeting 2022, Frontiers in Bioimaging 2022 and FlowcytometryUK 2022

The month of July got off to a busy start, with the RMS AFM & SPM Meeting 2022 and Frontiers in Bioimaging 2022 both taking place in the same week.

First prize was awarded to Libby Holmes, for her poster titled ‘Using high resolution Atomic Force Microscopy to explicitly determine DNA topology’. Our joint-second prize-winners were Harriet Read of the University of Manchester, whose poster was titled ‘Effect of hydrophobic surfaces on the morphological and thermodynamic properties of supported lipid membranes’; and Anna Scheeder of the University of Cambridge, with ‘Altering the bacteria surface mechanics with rigid DNA selfLaterassemblies’.inJuly

Simon D'Archivio (right) with Derek Davies

Anna Scheeder

Submitted posters were displayed virtually, and voted on throughout the meeting, with the winners announced at the end of the event.

The RMS and Bioimaging UK have jointly set out a Statement of Action, detailing how they will advance the key pillars of the Technician Commitment, in terms of actions already taken – and those planned for the future.

become signatories and pledge action against the key challenges affecting their technical staff.

• reducing plastic use with recyclable name badges for events

• choosing suppliers with clear sustainability Wepolicies.havereduced the amount of printing associated

RMS and BioImagingUK sign up to the Technician Commitment

The RMS is continuing to work on its sustainability credentials, and welcomes suggestions to further improve in this area.

The Society is always open to ideas and suggestions to help increase its sustainability credentials. If you would like to submit a suggestion, visit www.rms. org.uk/sustainability-statement.html

with our events, turning to online solutions, and have reduced or removed as much plastic and single use items as possible.

We also actively encourage the companies who are supporting our events, to help us by also reducing the amount of printed materials and single use or plastic giveaways that they provide during our events.

The Commitment aims to ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in higher education and research, across all disciplines.

Universities and research institutes are invited to

RMS President, Professor Grace Burke said: “Technical and support staff play a tremendous role in scientific and microscopy-related research, not only in terms of laboratory support, but also through their contributions to the research itself. Their invaluable expertise, knowledge and skill can sometimes be overlooked, and it is right that research institutes and other organisations should pledge action to address the needs of those working in these roles, ensuring their skills and professional development are a firm priority. We are proud to sign up to this excellent initiative.”

RMS continues to work on sustainability

For some time, the Society has worked on reducing its carbon footprint by:

• printing on sustainably sourced paper

The RMS and BioImagingUK are proud to announce that they have become joint signatories of the ‘Technician Commitment’ – a national scheme aimed at supporting technicians working in higher education and research, across all disciplines.

The Technician Commitment is a university and research institution initiative, led by a steering board of sector bodies, with support from the Science Council and the Gatsby Foundation’s ‘Technicians Make It Happen’ campaign.

• removing the use of single use items given away at meetings

The project has been developed by a working group within the RMS Professional Development and Training Focussed Interest Group (PTD-FIG). It was recognised that while a variety of mentorship schemes exist within home institutions and workplaces, the pool of mentors that specialise in microscopy-based skills can be quite limited. The RMS is uniquely placed to facilitate a scheme for microscopists, by microscopists.

The Royal Microscopical Society is delighted to have launched a pilot mentoring project which aims to support every career level (junior or senior, scientific and technical).

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RMS launches pilot mentoring scheme

• Personal Mentoring – pairing up with a mentor offering input into microscopy, imaging and flow cytometry career development.

Applications for both mentees and mentors are open until 30 September 2022. Visit www.rms.org.uk to find out more and apply

You provide the text and images and we take care of the rest. It’s the ideal way to share your work with the microscopical community. Full submission information and guidelines are available at www.infocus.org.uk. To submit an idea or if you have any questions about the process please email the Editorin(editor@infocus.org.uk) focus welcomes submissions of articles of general interest to microscopists. Submit to infocus NEWS

The Application Coaching and Personal Mentoring Scheme offers peer-to-peer support for both career development and technical skills in microscopy, imaging and flow cytometry. The scheme was officially launched at Frontiers in Bioimaging 2022 in ApplicationsJuly. are now open for both mentors and mentees with two separate options running for 12

in the technique or software you are learning

•months:Application

Coaching - pairing up with an expert

The Personal Mentoring track will tackle ‘soft skill’ development while the Application Coaching track will be aimed at developing ‘hard/technical’ skills. It is hoped that both mentees and mentors can benefit from the relationship, finding it rewarding and useful for career development.

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9th International Congress on Microscopy & Spectroscopy (INTERM 2022)

characterisation of meteorites. The work presented focussed on the development of quantitative analysis techniques, using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), for sub-micron sized platinum group element metal nuggets, which are commonly found within meteorite samples. The oral presentation was well received by the international community and prompted several questions regarding the future applications of the technique and the impact on the science of meteorites. Most notably one attendee posed the question of what these findings could tell us about the beginning of the universe (a.k.a The Big Bang), a question under investigation in the Planetary Science department, Natural History Museum.

Oludeniz, Turkey 22nd - 28th April

Beyond showcasing our research, I also gained insight into new technology developments in microscopy across the world. A presentation by Daria Derusova, for example, demonstrated the use of vibrometry imaging, a novel technique, to locate areas of cracking or damage on aircraft, helping to identify areas requiring improvement or repair across the aircraft’s fuselage and wings.

After two years of virtual conferences, collaborations and zoom meetings, on the 21st of April 2022 I could be found with bag packed, presentation finalised, and conference proceedings in hand, checking in at Gatwick Airport. My destination: the 9th International Congress on Microscopy & Spectroscopy 2022 (INTERM 2022) in Turkey. The conference was an in-person only event, one of the first post-Covid-19 in the field of microscopy. It focussed on facilitating collaboration and dynamic knowledge sharing of innovations and techniques in microscopy and spectroscopy. Having recently completed my DPhil (PhD) at the University of Oxford, which focussed on developing novel in situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques and technology for high temperature imaging of metal alloys, INTERM 2022 would be my first conference as an invited speaker. For the conference, I presented my latest research as a postdoctoral researcher at the Natural History Museum, London, entitled “EDS/SEM that is out of this world! Enhancing low voltage quantification for extra-terrestrial samples”. The project involved characterisation of new microanalysis reference materials with the aim of developing novel techniques for quantitative non-destructive

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Overall, INTERM 2022 left a very positive and longlasting impression, providing exciting speakers, a fantastic network of attendees and a beautiful setting in which to work. My thanks go to the generosity of the Royal Microscopy Society for awarding me this travel bursary and my colleagues at the Natural History Museum for their unwavering support and passion for the project.

Another, by Filipe Mergulhao, described the use of microscopy techniques to optimise biofilms for protein production.These talks demonstrated novel adaptations and applications of current microscopy technology; an area of particular interest given my experience in technology development.

visiting the wonders of Turkey. One trip involved a visit to St-Nicholas Island, famed for its 5th century BC monastery, during a cruise across the Blue Lagoon. Aside from being a naturally occurring place of beauty, Turkey’s Blue Lagoon is also famous for paragliding. Being up for a challenge, I took the 6500ft leap (or drop depending on your perspective) off the top of Babadag Oludeniz Mountain to paraglide across the Blue Lagoon - a truly breath-taking experience.

In addition to the stimulating scientific seminars, the organising committee also offered an array of social programs, which provided the opportunity to build stronger connections and networks with attendees in a more informal setting, whilst also

Paragliding across Turkey’s Blue Lagoon.

Dr Rhiannon Heard The Natural History Museum, London Trinity College, University of Oxford

Such was the enthusiasm, many arrived early and so the organisers arranged a last-minute dinner the night before the conference began. We started

Following multiple pandemicrelated postponements, May 2022 saw the return of the European Cytoskeletal Forum meeting. This multi-disciplinary conference, centred around the common cytoskeleton theme, encompassed sessions on structural biology, cell biology, emerging techniques in microscopy, and even development. It was an assembly of a diverse array of scientists eager to share their findings after two years of living the virtual life. The conference did not disappoint. The meeting was held in the often-overlooked city of Hannover, which the organiser Dietmar Manstein remarked as mostly being known as a stop-over on the way to other more interesting destinations.

But the location of the conference, held in the Old Town Hall in the heart of the historic district, was delightfully picturesque and the weather was nothing less than divine. Quite a reprieve from the long, drawn-out winter I left behind in England.

This meeting marked my first international conference, having started my PhD just a year before Covid emerged, and I was keen to make the most of it. Everyone had similar thoughts and the two-year wait had created quite an atmosphere. For some it was a chance to catch up with old friends, for others – like myself – a chance to finally meet people from my field. What everyone had in common though was simply the desire to share ideas over a drink in real life.

The 34th CytoskeletalEuropeanForum Meeting – “The Cytoskeleton and Cell Hannover,Behaviour”Germany 16th – 19th May 2022

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as we meant to continue: a conference dinner was provided every evening, offering ample opportunity to build a real-life social network throughout the Theweek.conference commenced with a brilliant doubleact from Laurent Blanchoin and Manuel Théry. This was a unique opener, full of wit, banter, and charisma. The audience were captivated as they were taken on a journey of ‘Actin and Microtubules: The Enemy OtherBrothers’.highlights included Robert Insall’s melanoma cells solving mazes, Friedrich Frischknecht and his malarial parasites chasing their own tails, and physicist Phillip Kukura who, despite not knowing his Myosin from his Profilin, had developed a new mass photometry-based imaging technique which showed that everything the room thought about actin polymerisation was probably wrong.

With a ‘Goldilocks’ conference – not too large, not too small – the interest in everyone’s work is high. There’s always something relevant, of curiosity,

I myself presented a poster on two novel negative regulators of the Arp2/3 complex (a renowned regulator of actin critical to cell migration), some of which was published during the pandemic (A. Law et al., 2021) but much of which was unpublished –such is the spirit and benefit of in-person meetings.

But for me the real highlight was the wholly unexpected aggregation of young scientists. By the end of day two, we had established a group of PhD students and post-docs which had come from France, Germany, the UK, and the USA. By day four the group had more than doubled in size to nearly twenty, we had a WhatsApp group, and had organised one final post-conference social evening.

and an idea to share. I received lots of interest from both delegates expected and unexpected and had great discussions with them all. Particular interest was taken in our lab’s new FRET biosensor, and our approach to building these tools for probing molecular activity and imaging them using fluorescence lifetime.

be amiss not to recognise the incredible work of the organisers of the conference. In particular Dietmar, who gave a closing speech worthy of a wedding, let alone a conference.

Thestructures.in-person

poster session was a breath of fresh air, though I mean this in a strictly metaphorical sense: the downside to the hot weather was the stifling conditions of some poster rooms. Not that this deterred anyone.

The social highlight of course was the Gala dinner, held in a hotel overlooking a beautiful lake where I was, typically, slightly over-dressed for the academic crowd. These are without doubt the best settings for introductions, networking, and sharing stories of science and life.

Tommy Pallett

This is the true value of meetings such as these. We mused whether in 20 years we all would return, as senior researchers, to tell our stories to the next generation. We hope to remain in contact that long.

Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular King’sBiophysicsCollege London, UK

I would like to thank the Royal Microscopical Society, as well as the British Society for Cell Biology, the Company of Biologists, and my PhD funder the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council for their financial support in attending this Lastly,conference.itwould

Amongst the headline acts were also talks by postdocs and PhD students; it was motivating to see all the work by fellow young scientists. PhD student Sarah Körber took home the Young Investigator’s Award for the home ground of Hannover Medical School for her work on the VASP protein and its function in accelerating the protrusion of cellular

Below some of our group introduce themselves:

We’d love to have more join us. All are welcome – whether you are already an avid user of X-ray microscopy techniques or are wanting to find out more about how X-rays could potentially revolutionise your research! You can find out more on the RMS website.

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Focussed Interest Group - or the ‘X-ray FIG’ for short

X-rays have played a major part in the field of microscopy for many years, indeed their role in society was more or less instantly sealed when Roentgen imaged his wife’s hand, creating that truly iconic first X-ray image. Within the Royal Microscopy Society however X-rays have, up until now, not featured prominently. True, many of our members use X-rays in some form or other as part of their work but only a select few focus their efforts solely on using X-rays to enable scientific discovery. As a result the X-ray microscopy community has been represented within the RMS via the Electron Microscopy Section Committee with a significant number of X-ray microscopy technique users scattered across other sections particularly within the Engineering and Physical Sciences community. However over the last few years the profile of X-ray microscopy has increased significantly in part due to the increasing popularity of X-ray imaging particularly as it has become easier to collect high quality data without having to leave the home laboratory. Given this it seemed a perfect opportunity for the RMS to explore whether there is sufficient interest within the society to merit a section dedicated to X-ray microscopy and thus the X-ray Microscopy Focussed Interest Group or X-ray FIG was formed. The X-ray FIG are a group of scientists covering an incredibly broad range of topics but with one thing in common – we all use x-rays in some way, shape or form and of course we are all convinced that X-ray microscopy has a key role to play in science. To give you a flavour of who we are and what we do a few of us have put together brief outlines of who we are and what we do.

Contributed by a few members of the X-ray FIG

Name: Timothy Burnett

Affiliation: The University of Manchester, NXCT X-ray interests: I am Director of the National lab X-ray computed tomography facility (nxct.ac.uk) which is a national research facility set up by EPSRC as partnership between Manchester, Southampton,

Affiliation: The Francis Crick Institute X-ray interests: I am a neuroscientist at the Francis Crick Institute (London) specialising in multimodal, correlative imaging of neural circuits. By combining an array of imaging techniques, I have developed a strategy to target specific regions in the brain to be explored with ultrastructural precision while keeping the big picture that provides context. These techniques involve light, X-ray and electron microscopy. X-ray imaging of soft tissue samples can provide volumetric information non-destructively along with a resolving power that reaches interesting both multi- and sub-cellular features of interest. Accordingly, it plays a crucial role in bridging the mm with the µm scales in this correlative workflow. Using this approach enables studying the structure and function of the same neural circuit, and it gets us a bit closer to understanding how mammalian brains work.

Name: Carles Bosch Piñol

My current research addresses the structure and logic of the neural circuits for smell. My background includes a BSc in Biotechnology (UAB, Barcelona), a MSc in Neuroscience and a PhD in Biomedicine (UB, Barcelona). Furthermore, I am interested in facilitating scientific discovery and multidisciplinary collaboration. I participate in diverse outreach initiatives, and have organised science-focussed events tailored to both specialised and broad audiences.

What I like doing when I’m not X-raying things: When I’m not in the (wet or dry) lab you can find me practising some outdoor sports like hiking, climbing, scuba diving or cycle touring, cooking meals with friends, or brewing cider.

UCL and Warwick Universities and Diamond Light Source It is our mission to provide access and support to UK researchers to enable them to take advantage of X-ray imaging from first time users to expert users conducting novel experiments. We are also exploring how we can support the visualisation and analysis of the very largest 3D and 4D images to help our users.

X-ray interests: I run the Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform at the Crick, but that is a bit of a misnomer, since nowadays our work depends on light, X-rays and electrons. This is because most of our samples contain a region of interest - a cell or a structure inside the tissue - which needs to be located and trimmed to the limited size that can be imaged at high resolution with EM. Identification of the region of interest is normally done using a fluorescent protein imaged with fluorescence microscopy techniques,

What I like doing when I’m not X-ray-ing things: Mountain biking, running, going on days out with my family.

enough to cause failure well below the expected strength of the material. It is a fascinating synergy combining the effects of stress and corrosion reactions with the material at a very subtle level that has meant this phenomenon is still not well understood after over 50 years of research!

Affiliation: Francis Crick Institute

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My area of expertise is in materials science and I have a focus on developing time-lapse and in-situ X-ray imaging and in particular using this as a starting point for correlative imaging investigations. Watching how materials behave as they are tested gives amazing insight to understand their performance but often further detailed investigations are needed. For example it is often vital to confirm the chemistry or crystal structure of the material at the point of failure. By using focused ion beam (FIB) and electron imaging techniques I have been able to target regions of interest for further forensic investigation. I am particularly interested in the environmentally assisted cracking of aluminium alloys where the combination of an applied stress, a humid atmosphere and a susceptible microstructure is

Name: Lucy Collinson

Zebrafish hindbrain infected with Toxoplasma gondii imaged on a Zeiss Versa 510 X-ray microscope (MC Domart, Francis Crick Institute, Yoshida et al., 2020)

67 or by shape and density using X-ray microscopy techniques. Sometimes we even use fluorescence microscopy followed by X-ray microscopy followed by electron microscopy in multimodal correlative imaging workflows.

Name: Liz Duke Affiliation: EMBL Hamburg, Germany.

False-coloured Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) imaged with a Zeiss Versa 510 X-ray Microscope (Dr Anne Weston, Francis Crick Institute)

My first adventures in imaging biological samples with X-rays started when Liz Duke approached me at Microscience (the forerunner of mmc) back in 2010, after which we developed workflows together for preparing and imaging vitrified cells by soft X-ray microscopy at synchrotron beamlines at BESSY, ALBA and Diamond. At the other end of the scale,

Liz has spent her entire career working at synchrotrons where she has focussed on developing X-ray methods for Life Science Research. After working for many years in the field of macromolecular crystallography she saw the light and moved into X-ray microscopy with a particular focus on X-ray imaging. The amazing structural details revealed using cryo soft X-ray tomography had her instantly hooked on imaging. Using soft X-rays to image individual cells is amazing but when she saw the potential of using hard X-rays to image bulk soft tissue samples she could help herself and leapt at the opportunity.

Because hard X-rays have penetration power they

Anne Weston in my lab was imaging much larger tissue samples in a Skyscan benchtop hard X-ray microscope in around 2008 with collaborators at UCL and later with Rosy Manser at Zeiss, and in 2016 we installed our own Zeiss Versa 510 system for nano-anatomy and correlative imaging. The field is incredibly exciting and growing exponentially, with Eva Periero and Maria Harkiolaki’s teams at ALBA and Diamond pushing the limits of correlative cryo-soft X-ray techniques, and Alexandra Pacureanu’s work at ESRF imaging tissues, Thomas Schneider’s work imaging hundreds of biological samples per day at Petra III, and Peter Lee’s work imaging whole human organs at ESRF pushing the envelope of resolution, throughput and sample size respectively.

What I like doing when I’m not X-ray-ing things: Cooking, sewing, surfing (not very well).

X-ray Interests: Liz Duke has just moved to the EMBL Hamburg Outstation on the DESY site where she is setting up a group to establish X-ray Imaging of biological samples within EMBL. Prior to her move to Germany Liz was based in the UK, working at Diamond Light Source, the UK synchrotron facility for over 15 years.

What I like doing when I’m not X-raying things: being outdoors, taking photos and spending long hours in a darkroom (sometimes!)

spend her entire time hidden away in the control cabin of an X-ray beamline! When she’s not on the beamline she’s quite likely to be found in the kitchen cooking dishes by her favourite chefs which she then shares with guests or, if none are around, with her cat (“Furry Lucy”). Or she will be down at the stables looking after her very hairy horse (“Indi”) - or she will be once Indi makes the move to Germany.

Name: Llion Evans

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Affiliation: Swansea University, UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) X-ray interests: Dr Llion Marc Evans holds an EPSRC Manufacturing Research Fellowship (2018-2023) at the Zienkiewikz Centre for Computational Engineering, Swansea University. He is also Director of the Centre of

Affiliation: University College London, NXCT X-ray interests:I was trained as an experimental physicist and joined the X-ray imaging field during my PhD. My contributions include a method for performing X-ray dark-field imaging with incoherent illumination, hence suitable for implementation using standard X-ray tubes in laboratory settings. I am co-Director of the National Research Facility for lab-based X-ray Computed Tomography (NXCT,

Llion Evans

One of the last rides I had on Indi before leaving for Germany

are perfect for imaging samples bulkier than single cells. However the challenge is to generate the contrast so that useful images can be collected. Thankfully the sample preparation techniques used in volume electron microscopy (heavy metal staining) work perfectly with X-rays as well. So using the P14 beamline on the PETRA III synchrotron at DESY we can collect a 3D data set on a marine organism such as platyneriis dumeriii in less than 5

https://nxct.ac.uk/). At UCL we have the first X-ray phase-contrast imaging systems available to users outside a synchrotron. My interests are focussed on developing instrumentation, as a means to empower the research community with new tools.

Name: Marco Endrizzi

Butminutes.Lizdoesn’t

A tropical coral reef about 250 million years ago, today these (46.293, 11.837) are my favourite mountains

Kenneth in the SiriusXT lab with the soft X-ray microscope

Name: Vincent Fernandez Affiliation: Natural History Museum, London UK X-ray interests: Vincent is the manager of the X-ray CT laboratory at the Natural History Museum (NHM), London, UK. He is a palaeontologist by training and likes imaging fossils, but founds interest on all types of objects he can X-ray.

Vincent did his PhD at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF, Grenoble, France) where he studied fossilised eggs, using X-ray CT to image vertebrate embryos preserved in them. His skills on the virtual extraction of fossils lead him to the Evolutionary Studies Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg, South Africa) where he spent two years as a postdoctoral fellow looking at fossils of mammal-like reptiles preserved

I am trained as an experimental physicist, and during my PhD and postdoc at University College Dublin I began working with extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray plasma-based light sources for imaging and metrology applications. I subsequently co-founded SiriusXT to develop and commercialise a lab-scale soft X-ray microscope for biological imaging in the ‘water window’, a region of the EM spectrum in which water is transparent to these wavelengths but organic molecules are absorbing. My job is focused on developing the instrumentation as well as exploring the many applications of soft X-ray microscopy, including the development of correlative techniques to help answer biological questions across a broad range of length scales and complexities.

With a young family at home, any time not at work is spent creating memories with them as they grow up. One of my other passions in recent years has been photography (which fits in well with family life), and a by-product of spending so much time performing X-ray imaging has been a better appreciation of the ‘exposure triangle’. Just like not having enough time to analyse my X-ray images, I have years’ worth of photos waiting to be edited.

Excellence in Advanced Data-Driven Engineering Design (ADDED), Chair of the annual ‘Image-Based Simulation for Industry’ event and an Exec Member of the Collaborative Computational Project in Tomographic Imaging. His main research interests are image-based simulation using the finite element method (IBSim) and its application in high-value manufacturing (HVM).

What I like doing when I’m not X-raying things: Running, hiking, keen interest in most sports, spending time with my young family

What I like doing when I’m not X-ray-ing things:

Name: Kenneth Fahy Affiliation: SiriusXT X-ray interests:

Vincent Fernandez (right) at the Florida Museum of Natural History with one of his mammal-like reptile friends (left)

What I like doing when I’m not X-raying things: Vincent likes imaging in his private life as well, taking photographs of the places he visits (he has also tried doing some image processing to improve his holiday photos but realised it was a bit too much like work). He also likes video games, reading manga, going to the cinema and eating chocolate while watching series in the evening.

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Amin Gabout

in fossilised burrow casts. In 2013, he returned to the ESRF, first as a post-doctoral fellow and then as a junior scientist. During this time, Vincent developed more interest in the imaging process, trying to help users with all sorts of samples, but started to be interested in programming to improve image quality. In 2018, he moved to the NHM, helping users with their experiments and data analysis.

Name: Amin Gabout Affiliation: University of Manchester X-Ray interests: Amin completed his PhD at Aarhus University in Denmark focusing on the use of X-ray Computed Tomography imaging to visualise and quantify soil structure. He then moved to the UK and after three years as postdoc at the University of Nottingham, he joined the Natural History Museum to work at the X-ray Imaging facility. He has been involved and contributed in numerous project in palaeontology, archaeology and curation. Some of those projects featured in a high impact TV program with Sir David Attenborough. He is now working

at the Henry Moseley X-ray Imaging facility (The University of Manchester) as Senior Experimental officer where he collaborates with industry and develops open AI and image analysis methods for material science.

Name: Roland Kröger Affiliation: University of York X-ray interests: I am working on Nano- and Biomaterials using electron microscopy (TEM, SEM), Raman Spectroscopy and X-ray based characterisation tools such as SAXS, WAXS, STXM, XRF in a collaboration with Julia Parker at the Diamond Light Source. My interest covers a wide range of nanomaterial systems but in particular biominerals such as nacre, muscles, corals, bones and teeth. I see X-ray tools as complementary to electron microscopy and other imaging and spectroscopic methods where a lot of questions that e.g. TEM and SEM are not able to provide answers to X-ray often can - and vice versa. One of my foci lies on the understanding of the dynamics of mineralisation in e.g. collagen (a process central to bone and tooth formation) using dedicated in situ sample stages. Such tools are invaluable for the study of the growth and dissolution of biomineralising systems. A central goal is to comprehensively cover the different length scales which are accessible by electron and X-ray based imaging and spectroscopic methods. This will allow us to address exciting research questions such as:

how do phase transformations affect the formation of hydroxyapatite from an amorphous calcium phosphate compound? There is clearly a broad scope and fantastic potential here.

Affiliation: Life Science Marketing Team, Carl ZEISS Microscopy

Dr Rosy Manser

Name: Dr. Rosy Manser

Name: Satyam Ladva

What I like doing when I’m not X-raying things: Reading (in particular non-science literature), creating good food from non-preprocessed ingredients, being idle.

Affiliation: Quantum Design UK and Ireland Ltd. X-ray interests: I am the Technical Product Manager at Quantum Design UK and Ireland, in charge of managing our X-ray and optics product lines, on behalf of our suppliers Sigray Inc. and Moxtek

X-Ray interests: I was first introduced to X-ray imaging in 2015 when I looked after the X-ray Microscopy business for ZEISS in the UK. Prior to this my microscopy experience was very much seated in the visible light world with fluorescence imaging forming the bulk of my day to day thinking. When I moved into X-ray imaging the first thing

Satyam Ladva, and punting on the River Cam!

Inc. Sigray Inc. focus on the production of large scale X-ray systems including 3D X-ray Microscopy both NanoXRM and MicroXRM. Moxtek Inc. focus on providing a range of X-ray sources, optics and detectors for a variety of handheld and table top systems. We are also representatives of Raptor Photonics, who manufacture X-ray Cameras. My own background in X-ray techniques includes the use of X-ray Diffraction and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, as well as EDX in SEM, during my Engineering Doctorate project at UCL on carbon nitride and other related materials. Further X-ray industry knowledge I enhanced during my time at Thermo Fisher Scientific.

What I like doing when I’m not X-raying things: Hiking in Nature, implementing ways to live more sustainably, Reading, Cooking, listening to world music, Japanese-related activities - trying new things :)

Aside from my microscopy interests, I love spending time in the great outdoors, be this tinkering in the garden or hiking with my border collie. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time passes when out exploring in the elements!

Affiliation: The University of Sheffield X-ray interests: I am the Experimental Officer in X-ray Computed Tomography in the Sheffield Tomography Centre - we have a Zeiss Xradia 620 Versa system and numerous Deben rigs, allowing in-situ SEM),(includingscalescorrelateaspecttypes.electrochemicalcompression/tension/heating/cooling/experimentsonvarioussampleIhavewiderangingX-rayinterests:oneisusingcorrelativemicroscopy/imagingtodataacrossdimensions(2D-3D-4D),(centimetres-to-nanometres)andmodesCT/X-rayMicroscopy,FIB-SEM,OM,andwhichprovidesamoreholisticinterpretation of scientific questions. My specific research interests include the methods by which ancient terrestrial life lived on/within their substrates to promote organism-substrate interactions, weathering, soil development, and biogeochemical cycling. I study rocks for physical, chemical, and biological indications of these interactions and weathering deep in the

3D rendering of borings (likely by a mixture of polychaete worms and sponges) in a beach pebble. Imaged on a Nikon XTH 225 (Swansea University)

Thetoday.opportunities

that struck me was the vast range of specimens that can be explored. Having seen incredible datasets captured from samples as diverse as bones, explosives, soft tissues, composites and rocks, it is the diversity of addresible scientific questions that continues to drive my keen interest in X-ray imaging

for bringing X-ray imaging into multi-modal workflows encompassing other imaging techniques is also a big area of interest for me. Whether the question to hand is about exploring samples at different length-scales or with different modalities such as fluorescence and contrast, there are many unexplored possibilities and this is an exciting time for X-ray imaging in general.

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Name: Dr Ria L Mitchell

geologic past, but also study modern day analogues primordial landscapes such as cryptogamic ground covers from Iceland and New Zealand. I Dr Ria Mitchell (left), and XRM of a stick of rock from Whitby, with which Ria was recently runner up in the Video category of the RMS Scientific Imaging Competition 2021

What I like doing when I’m not X-raying things: Hiking, the outdoors and nature, going to the theatre to see musicals, singing along to said musicals in my car, travelling (in non-COVID times!)

Porosity variations in a 3D printed additively manufactured part. Imaged on a Zeiss Xradia Versa 620 (The University of Sheffield)

Dan in the British Museum X-ray imaging lab, with the Townley Discobolus

Affiliation: British Museum X-ray interests: I am the British Museum’s X-ray Imaging Scientist, with responsibility for running the large-scale X-radiography and CT scanning laboratory located deep underneath the galleries. I study material from across the world and throughout history - to learn about ancient cultures, and their interactions with the world around them. A particular research interest is the application of X-ray CT scanning to ancient organic material and faunal remains. Before working in the cultural heritage sector, I completed a PhD in experimental physics at the University of Warwick

Name: Dan O’Flynn

and worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London.

Affiliation: University of Portsmouth X-ray interests: Charlie is a senior X-ray microscopist at the University of Portsmouth. His interests involve lab-based X-ray technique and technology development, utilising his background in mathematics and physics. This spans source and detector development, the interaction of X-ray photons with matter, the design of custom X-ray systems, image reconstruction, and quantitative

employ numerous techniques to better understand these processes: tomography (e.g. 3D/4D imaging), microscopy (e.g. SEM, OM, FIB-SEM), chemistry (e.g. ICP-AES, XRD, SEM-EDS), and combinations of the above through correlative microscopy. Specific time periods of interest include the evolution of the first terrestrial plants and biologically-mediated soils in the Early Palaeozoic, and the initial colonisation of land surfaces by microbial crusts in the Proterozoic. I am also interested in palaeobotany and palaeosols (fossil soils).

What I like doing when I’m not X-ray-ing things: Rock climbing whenever possible, hiking, guitar and photography.

Dan O’Flynn

Name: Charlie Wood

post-processing. Charlie’s research experience has crossed different characterisation modalities, which fuels his desire to explore correlative workflows, leading him to establish the Correlative Microscopy Network (CoMic). Charlie also investigates the link between material microstructure and macroscopic function for a range of materials and processes.

What I like doing when I’m not X-raying things:

Charlie investigating the microstructure of mild steel in a traditional mid 19th century manually-operated smithy

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Charlie is passionate about self-sufficiency and off-grid living, once spending nearly two years living in a yurt. Charlie keeps bees, grows fruit and vegetables, and practises traditional craft skills, including blacksmithing. Charlie also enjoys playing guitar and piano.

Contacting the Royal Microscopical Society The offices of the Royal Microscopical Society are at: 37/38 St Clements, Oxford, OX4 1AJ, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1865 254760 For general enquiries email info@rms.org.uk For information about meetings and courses email events@rms.org.uk For membership enquiries email membership@rms.org.uk www.rms.org.uk

... innovative and practical tools for electron microscopists

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Image courtesy of Steve Gschmeissner

She says: “I went to a girls’ convent school where they just didn’t do science, so I had to battle my way through grammar school for my O-levels and managed to pass A-level biology after working with a nun in the laboratory dissecting dogfish.

“Ciba took me on as a biochemist and sent me to London for a year to train. In that way, I got into electron microscopy and was absolutely fascinated, as you can imagine, by suddenly being able to see all

So how did Gill first become interested in science, and what are her memories of her school days?

“I went to Northern Poly [in London], as it was then, and got my other Science O-levels and got a place at Imperial College to study plant sciences, but I had such fun in my third year that I didn’t get my postgrad PhD place, but was allowed to do a Masters in microbiology, which I absolutely loved.”

Gill served as the Society’s president from 1988 – 1990, and previously as Executive Honorary Secretary. In addition to a long and distinguished career in science and microscopy, she has devoted years of her later life to her charity work helping disadvantaged children in Kenya – for which she received the British Empire Medal last year. We caught up with Gill just weeks before she was due to emigrate to the US – where her two sons live and work – meaning (as she puts it) we “got to her just in time!”

76 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022

In this issue, it is our privilege to speak to former RMS President, Dr Gill Bullock.

In 1961 Gill went on to work at the Public Health Laboratories (PHLs) as a virologist. It was a time when the new-found knowledge in electron microscopy was transforming research, and Gill was using this to study a number of different virusesincluding measles and smallpox. She began her PhD (which she completed in 1967) on identifying viruses isolated from rhesus monkey tonsils.

In 1963 she joined Swiss pharmaceutical company Ciba-Geigy, based in Horsham, Sussex.

Gill says:“I had originally wanted to be a medic but by

a backward route I got into medical research and to follow that along you had to be a biochemist in drug discovery, or using imaging analysis techniques.

Gill Bullock

Dr Gill Bullock interview

77 these new things. The next thing we bought was a scanning microscope and other equipment, and we basically set up as image analysis in the biological sciences. The whole thing was a discovery route, not knowing what was going to happen next – following my nose. I think I’m more self-driven, self-motivated than anything else. Not having had a very good education at school, every step had to be fought for.”

“When I first worked in Switzerland they flew me home every other weekend, but once I became a swiss employee they said I could afford it after my new salary!”

Above and right: Gill received the British Empire Medal from the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex at an outdoor event in her local village

part in a job exchange with Ciba’s headquarters in Basel, Switzerland.

Gill is now 86, but has lost none of her sharpness and retains an excellent memory. It’s a gift that has served her well throughout her career, particularly when working with microscopes.

In 1972, while still based in Horsham, Gill was awarded the inaugural RMS Glauert medal (named after Audrey Glauert, the Society’s first female president; Gill would become the second in 1988) for her work with subcellular structures in animal tissues. She continued at Horsham until 1986, when she took

She says: “I joined a cardiology team on secondment, and I was enjoying it so much I asked if I could become a Swiss employee. To my delight they agreed and I spent nine years in Switzerland working on image analysis and I had two or three PhD students working with me. And it was this voyage of discovery that one could see through the different microscopes.

In 1994 Gill moved to Ghent in Belgium, where she set up molecular pathology labs in the Pneumology and Pathology departments.

She says: “I consider myself an experimental pathologist, and that was the most exciting time, working with human tissues. We were looking for receptors in the tissues which might lead us to find new drugs for treatment. For example, we were working on breast cancer, using immunocytochemical techniques to identify receptors in the fibrosis that

She explains: “I seem to have a very good memory – I can restore images in my head and bring them out again, and using that facility, I was able to look at things and say – ‘oh I have seen that before somewhere’and then develop something from that.”

“I so enjoyed the joint work I did with other people. Like with David Hurst at St Thomas’s Hospitalhe was absolutely so supportive of microscopy. Professor Hurst and I also had a visiting lectureship at the University of York and I worked with Tony Robards on many different aspects of microscopy. One thing I will say is I never had any problems with being a woman in research; it was everybody supporting everyone else. Even when I was working in Horsham and a man came up to me and said: ‘this is the first time I’ve had to work with a woman’ - we

Onecourses.”thing

She also recalls a particularly memorable dinner held in London as part of the 1989 celebrations and attended by a number of world famous microscopists including the pioneering cell biologists George Palade and Marilyn Farquhar.

Gill (far right) receiving the Glauert Medal in 1972

occurs in breast cancer. We published a couple of papers and a Japanese company got extremely interested in it, and I don’t know if they went on and designed any drugs, but there were a couple on the market that were going to be tried out.”

Gill adds: “I had previously published a lot of papers which were of much more academic interest, whereas once I moved into the pathology department, everything I was doing was related to human treatment and development of drugs, so I think I was more useful at the end of my career than I was at the beginning!”

She says: “I have just finished organising our local village fete and it went really well, and I told everyone that it was because we had a good team. So teamwork is probably one of the most important things I would emphasise right through.

Gill is keen to stress, is the importance of team-working, and the supportive role of colleagues, both in science and other aspects of life.

realise they are not using their equipment properly or not getting as much out of it as they could be, and so pointing them in the direction of training is absolutely vital and I think the RMS does that really well through all the different

78 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022

She says: “That was an amazing evening. I think there were six Nobel prize-winners there.There were also the two guys from IBM (Donald Eigler and Erhard Schweizer) who showed the very first IBM putting atoms together and forming the word IBM under the Ofmicroscope.”allthedifferent aspects of the RMS’s work, Gill feels the educational value of meetings, courses and other events is perhaps the most important. Having visited hospitals all over the world, she has often encountered situations where staff are held back by a deficit of knowledge in relation to equipment and Shetechniques.says:“You

Gill has many fond memories of her time at the RMS, including a trip to meet the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace as part of the Society’s 150th anniversary celebrations in 1989, which coincided with her time as president of the Society. Along with RMS Vice President John Garrett, she presented Prince Philip with a copy of Gerard L’E Turner’s The Great Age of the Microscope – a history of the development of the RMS and a comprehensive catalogue of the Society’s microscope collection. As Gill recalls, the Duke was in characteristically good humour.“Wehad a lovely 20 minutes with him talking about the book”, she says. “We went into a side room and then Prince Philip came in and started flattering us, and he was so well informed. He was someone who was extremely affable and easy to get on with and that was certainly true. I remember he had a great chat with John Garrett.”

Owen Morton

“One thing I would say is your first degree only opens the door and it’s what you do with it afterwards - so further training in different aspects is vital. If you do go into research, only go in if you have got a real desire to follow things up. You need infinite patience, because so often you have got to choose which red herring you don’t follow. So patience, determination, self-improvement. And don’t let anybody walk over

She says: “When people ask me ‘can you help?’, if I can, I do. It’s just my nature. And having had healthy children myself, I wanted to do something to help children who were less fortunate. One of our major projects was with Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital in Nairobi. They sent outreach teams which I travelled with quite a few times – doctor, nurse and a nutritionist as a wholistic view of treatment.

Away from science, Gill has devoted many years to her charity work helping disadvantaged children in Kenya – for which she received the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s New Year Honours List last year. The seeds for what became Gill’s major passion were sown in 2007 when she visited Kenya with her husband and got involved with the idea of building a paediatric centre in Nanuki. She worked for three years on the project with a charity called Kejani Kenya, fundraising in the UK, and eventually co-founded her own charity, CHADIK (Children’s Health and Development in Kenya) providing outreach clinics, IT infrastructure and funding for children at a mixed secondary boarding school.

“I have got six grandchildren and the eldest I saw when she was two weeks old, and the youngest I saw him when he was 24hrs old, so they have grown up with me right from the start and the two eldest have just finished their second year at university.

“I have accepted an offer on the house and I have met the people coming here. It is a lovely community so they will have no problem settling in.”

once again to Gill for giving up the time to speak to infocus.

“We also worked with a co-educational boarding school north of Nairobi, which was an offspring of another charity. Through them we were able to fund children through secondary school, and we were particularly proud that one of the last students who came through got a scholarship to MIT. Sadly, the charity is having to wrap up, but the money is there to keep going for a couple of years.”

In her spare time Gill enjoys reading and doing as much gardening as she can – “I try to grow everything I can from the seed”, she says.

Gill received the BEM from the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex at a special outdoor event in her home village of Marsfield, with the local community present to share in the moment. Gill recalls: “It was amazing for a small charity to be recognised in that way. It was just such a joyous celebration with friends and family and everything. I was proud of the team.”

Ouryou.”thanks

At the time of speaking, Gill is busily preparing to embark on the next significant chapter of her life –namely emigrating to the United States to be closer to her two sons and their families.

She says: “My younger son Tim is in science like me. He has just been made full professor in pathology in Virginia and I’m moving to live near my elder son in California. Neil is a ‘chip man’ and Tim is very much involved in using imunocytochemistry microscopyso he’s inherited that gene from me.

But what words of wisdom does she have for any young person considering a career in science?

Gill opens proceedings at the London Science Museum exhibition to mark the RMS’s 150th anniversary

got on great. I think in science it’s more equal than in many walks of life.”

COMPANY NEWS

80 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022

Research involving copper coating technology focuses on improving electrical conductivity in order to eliminate oxides and pores from structures. This work will help to improve inverter and battery technology and additive manufacturing. The AMBER X is ideal for this application due to its highthroughput capabilities for cutting through layers of material and ability to provide high-resolution details of the sample surface and melted particles.

“When we purchased our FIB-SEM, we were looking for a robust instrument with a high level of flexibility so that we could use it for characterisation on a wide range of materials,” said Martin Muckelbauer, Research Engineer at FAPS. “We have research coming in mostly from industry that involve large sample areas, but we also need to capture tiny, precise details with high resolution and magnification. Hence,

FAPS is studying silver printing technology to improve the reliability of electronic components used in a diverse range of consumer products. They are using the AMBER X for three-dimensional (3D) failure analysis and characterisation to look at delamination, cracking, hotspots and porosity.

TESCAN just installed a new AMBER X focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope (FIBSEM) at the Institute for Factory Automation and Production Systems (FAPS) in Germany. The AMBER X offers a unique combination of plasma FIB with ultra-high resolution (UHR) field emission SEM for multiscale materials characterisation. FAPS is using the FIB-SEM for research that will help to improve products used in a wide variety of industries, including automotive, printed electronics, battery and additive manufacturing, renewable energy and medical technology.

the sample versatility and UHR imaging capabilities of the AMBER X, together with high throughput, was very important to us.”

Institute for Factory Automation and Production Systems Installs TESCAN AMBER X Plasma FIB-SEM for Diverse Set of Materials Research Projects

www.tescan.com

The acquisition of Milturn fulfils a strategic objective to significantly improve Vision Engineering’s position global position as a leading designer and manufacturer, by adding scale and capability to the company’s existing UK and USA manufacturing base.

www.visioneng.com

anodisers specialising in high quality components, including high performance lens cases for the optical /movie/ camera industries, marine and automotive engineering and high-end shop/hotel fitting, Milturn also has an anodising facility to improve the quality and durability of finished components.

www.hamamatsu.com

Mark Curtis, Vision Engineering CEO said: “The strategic acquisition of Milturn Precision Engineering strengthens Vision Engineering’s global manufacturing capability and improves our ability to deliver high quality precision manufactured parts, assemblies and finished products to our combined existing and new customers. It also consolidates our Manufacturing Services division with substantial high-end milling, turning and anodising skills and experience.”

Vision Engineering, a 64-year-old British leading designer and manufacturer of high-quality visual instrumentation and a significant supplier of machined components/sub assembly services to other industrial sectors, has today announced the acquisition of Milturn Precision Engineering, of Hinckley, Leicestershire, a precision engineering specialist.

Vision Engineering reinforces UK manufacturing base with Milturn acquisition

Ian Mustard, Milturn Owner and Director said: “Milturn has worked with Vision Engineering for years and I know their commitment to highly skilled operators, whether machinists or anodisers, producing quality components. We have built up a demanding, high end customer base in specialised sectors. I am confident that Vision Engineering will implement strategy and investment to take Milturn Engineering and Bowfran, our anodising division, forward and continue the success built on the capabilities of our staff”.

Established in 2001 and one of the first UK firms to achieve ISO 9001 2015, Milturn Precision Engineering has 21 highly skilled machinists and

Hamamatsu Photonics has completed a new factory building to boost the production capacity of image measurement devices and equipment business

Hamamatsu Photonics has been constructing a new factory Building No. 5 at the Joko factory site (Jokocho, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu City, Japan) to handle expanding sales of image measurement devices and equipment such as digital cameras for scientific measurement, digital pathology slide scanners, and semiconductor failure analysis systems. The construction of this new factory is now complete, and its operations will start in August this year. The completion ceremony for this new factory building is scheduled for Thursday, July 7.

Synthon Analyses Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients in Development of New Drugs Using TESCAN VEGA SEM

“After a long search for an SEM that addressed our specific pharmaceutical needs, we decided

The second CoreAFM was installed at the same university, in the Department of Materials Engineering. The user group is planning to use nanoelectrical modes to study peptides and nanomechanical measurements to investigate polymers.

DriveAFM installed at WavesAudio in Israel

Synthon, an international, science-centered pharmaceutical company that specialises in developing, manufacturing and out-licensing complex high-quality generic and hybrid medicines, has recently installed the TESCAN VEGA scanning electron microscope (SEM) for drug analysis at its R&D and manufacturing facility in the Czech SynthonRepublic.

on the TESCAN VEGA G4, which met all of our requirements,” said Pavel Kalivoda, specialist in the Analytical Research Group at Synthon. “TESCAN customized the microscope and software specifically for our workflow. We are now able to analyze many more samples in a shorter period of time and at much higher resolution than ever before.”

COMPANY NEWS

Two CoreAFMs were installed at BenGurion University of the Negev

Gabriel Zeltzer at WavesAudio in Modi'in oversaw the installation of his DriveAFM this month. The system will be used for topography and nanoelectrical measurements (KPFM and CAFM) to study

The first went to the Department of Mechanical Engineering, in Be'er Sheva, in the group of Assaf Yaakobovitz. It will be used for nanomechanical measurements of 2D materials.

is using the SEM for the analysis of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in the formulation of new drugs during the developmental process. Synthon’s drug samples are predominately organic and composed of light elements like carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen. These are commonly brittle and extremely sensitive to an electron beam. The TESCAN VEGA G4 features a low vacuum mode and is specially equipped with a gaseous secondary electron detector (GSD) for this application.

www.tescan.com

“We are analysing lyophilisation cakes, which involves a cross-section of the cake and then it is imaged using SEM to see the top, bottom, and center of the sample. Our experts in this field are able to evaluate the quality of the lyophilisation process based on the microphotographs taken on our TESCAN VEGA G4,” said Kalivoda. “TESCAN’s Image Snapper tool, which enables the stitching of high-magnification images into one panorama image, has been specially modified for our use case so that we can take automated measurements and increase efficiency.”

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composite materials

www.nanosurf.com

Nanosurf`s next generation DriveAFM was installed at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at IIT Delhi. With this, Prof. Nitya Nand Gosvamibecame the first researcher in India to operate a DriveAFM. Prof. Gosvami's group will use the DriveAFM predominantly for their research focused on nanoscale tribology and nanomechanics of lubricants, thin films and 2D materials.

First DriveAFM installed in India

industry must continue to find new ways to optimise the drug discovery and development process.

Wiley Analytical Science Conference, Virtual Event, November 8-18, 2022

a critical role in saving energy and resources in applications such as healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and packaging materials production, and current research has a strong focus on their potential to support renewable energy technologies. As the pharmaceutical industry comes under increased pressure to bring new drugs to market quickly and cost-effectively, managing a successful launch programme is growing in difficulty – and the

The research at TMRU used a Linkam heat flux DSC plate incorporated into a hot stage, combined with a T96 temperature controller to study phase transitions in rubidium nitrate and polyethylene oxidation over a -150 to 450°C temperature range. The results demonstrated the benefits of obtaining simultaneous optical data – both images and light intensity measurements – with DSC, enabling the detection of small changes in enthalpy.

www.linkam.co.uk

Polymerspharmaceuticals.play

Duncan Stacey, Sales and Marketing Director, Linkam Scientific Instruments commented: “We are just at the start of discovering the potential of DSC combined with thermomicroscopy. Recent developments in high quality digital microscopes and improved computing power open up new and exciting potential for the in-depth study, via this method, of materials that are used in our everyday lives. By observing phase changes such as solid-solid transitions, fusion reactions and decomposition, we can discover new ways to improve the performance and energy profile of materials in application.”

www.analyticalscience.wiley.com/

In this first ever study that uses DSCthermomicroscopy to harness the benefits of analysing rubidium nitrate and polyethylene oxidation using both methods simultaneously, researchers at the University of Huddersfield’s Thermal Methods Research Unit (TMRU) used the Optical DSC450 System from Linkam Scientific Instruments to obtain detailed information on the properties of a broad range of materials, including industrial polymers and

Our next virtual Wiley Analytical Science Conference will start November 8, 2022. Just like last time, our programme is dedicated to the broad field of analytical sciences, with more than 20 fantastic speakers who will be presenting their work and answer your questions in our subject focused sessions. There will be several talks on microscopy

Researchers at the University of Huddersfield have combined differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) with thermomicroscopy to reveal detailed energy changes in specific materials.

topics. You can register for free for all talks that are interesting for you to join exciting presentations, ask your questions to the experts in the live Q&A sessions, and earn your personalised certificate of attendance. Explore the state-of-the-art methods and advances in microscopy, lab automation & equipment, pharma, spectroscopy, forensics, and food science. Watch out for the final program and registration on Wiley Analytical Science.

Thermal analysis methods such as thermomicroscopy allow researchers to closely observe optical and physical transitions as a material progresses through a reaction or phase change, ultimately enabling the optimisation of the materials in their end use. Coupling thermomicroscopy with DSC adds the possibility to measure energy changes during the reaction simultaneously, on the same sample.

Research explores new DSCthermomicroscopy approach to reach new depths in material property analysis

general purpose micro X-ray spot energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) instruments for the measurement and mapping of elements from sodium (Na) through uranium (U).

SEM-XRF: IXRF’s Xb micro-spot X-ray source adds the capabilities of a complete micro X-ray fluorescence (microXRF) spectrometer to any scanning electron microscope (SEM). μXRF users benefit from non-destructive measurements, superior trace element sensitivity and broader elemental coverage (Na through U).

The ATLAS series of micro-XRF microscopic hyperspectral imaging spectrometers are the latest

SEM/EDS: For scanning electron microscopes (SEM), IXRF offers a complete EDS (EDX) system: software, SDD detectors, digital signal processor and software. The Windows®-10 based EDS software – Iridium Ultra – delivers all-inclusive functionality.

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decrease performance.

Spicer Consulting Limited announced that CN Technical Services has become the latest addition to its expanding distributor network. CN Technical Services is a UK-based company with a worldwide customer base, specialising in surface analysis and materials testing for research and industrial applications. The company has a prominent serviceoriented mindset and can provide a complete package, including supply of equipment, installation, support, maintenance, and repairs. Moreover, CN Technical Services has recently added environmental inspections – using Spicer’s popular site survey systems – to its list of offerings and will be supplying Spicer’s full range of magnetic field cancelling (SC22, SC24, SC26), analysis (SC11) and monitoring (SC28) systems to its customers in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Combining Spicer’s technology with its acoustic and vibration isolation products will enable CN Technical Services to provide a complete solution to protect electron microscopes – as well as other ebeam tools – from all forms of interference that can

www.qd-uki.co.uk

Spicer Consulting Limited introduces new distributor in UK and Republic of Ireland

Clive Nottingham, Owner of CN Technical Services Limited, explained: “Partnering with Spicer felt like a natural choice; the company has a very good reputation, and its products have proven very useful to our customers. We work a lot with semiconductor labs and universities, which often have a lot of external disturbances – like vibrations and magnetic fields – that make them unsuitable for sensitive equipment such as electron microscopes. It is therefore important to perform an environmental survey prior to installation. We used to do this through a third party, but now we can save time by performing these checks ourselves using Spicer’s products, as well as supplying Spicer magnetic field cancelling systems to compensate for any issues we uncover. It’s a win-win situation.”

www.cntech.co.ukwww.spicerconsulting.com

Quantum Design UK and Ireland and iXRF Systems announce new partnership in UK and Ireland

Designed to image and analyse a wide variety of sample types, ATLAS leads the industry in virtually every major specification category from the most powerful software (Iridium Ultra) and the largest detector active area, to our superior perpendicular geometry and smallest micro-spot.

COMPANY NEWS

Now iXRF Systems and Quantum Design UK have announced a brand new distribution agreement for the UK and Ireland.

For almost three decades IXRF has been designing and manufacturing high-end X-ray Microanalysis systems that are fitted to Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM/EDS). Almost 10 years ago, IXRF developed SEM-XRF microscope attachments allowing broader elemental analysis coverage. In 2014, IXRF launched the ATLAS series of general purpose, microXRF energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (micro-XRF) spectrometers for elemental analysis and hyperspectral imaging of elements from sodium (Na) through uranium (U). IXRF specialises in: SEM/ EDS, SEM-XRF and micro-XRF.

Calibre Scientific acquires Agar Scientific

services and will remain the same.

We are very pleased to announce the recent acquisition of Agar Scientific by Calibre Scientific.

• biomedical research

• telescope mirrors and systems

Darren Likely, Managing Director of Agar Scientific commented: “We’re excited to be joining the Calibre Scientific family, who will enable us to further accelerate our long-term strategic growth objectives. The acquisition will enable us to support and build on our relationships with our existing customers, extend our current portfolio and enhance our processes. Calibre Scientific provide exciting new opportunities for investment, and we are pleased to be joining a larger scientific infrastructure to develop the business.”

Here at Agar Scientific, we will continue focus and manufacture top quality products backed up with excellent customer service and technical expertise. So, your contacts for sales support and customer

For over 20 years, 4D Technology has been a leader in innovative metrology products for measuring surface quality and surface defects on precision surfaces, as well as the surface and wavefront quality of optics. 4D’s patented Dynamic Interferometry® technology enables measurements in difficult environments, where vibration, air turbulence or rapid motion have traditionally prevented accurate Duringmeasurement.thattime, 4D interferometers have been used to assure the quality of some of science’s most challenging telescope projects, both terrestrial and in space. An early customer was NASA, which used several instruments to measure the James Webb Space Telescopes multi-mirror components, the

Award winners,4D Technology and Quantum Design announce exciting new partnership

alignment of those mirrors, and the supporting structure for them, both in air and in cryo- and vacuum-chamber tests.

Using unique and proprietary dynamic measurement techniques, 4D Technology’s award-winning laser interferometer technology is used into a wide variety of applications, including:

• factory-floor inspection

www.qd-uki.co.uk

QDUKI will be offering the full PhaseCam Twyman-Green Interferometer and Fizeau Laser Interferometer ranges.

• environmental sensing and imaging

Quantum Design UK and Ireland are excited to bring on board new partners, 4D Technology Corporation. This award-winning, industry-leading company has been in the news recently due to their links to the NASA James Webb Space Telescope, which has provided such breath-taking images. 4D Technology’s PhaseCam was used during Centre of Curvature testing on the telescope.

Agar Scientific specialises in electron microscopy consumables and accessories and was originally founded in 1978 by Alan Agar to provide quality test specimens, TEM grids and EM filaments to electron microscopists. The company has continued to grow continuously since and we welcome this next step in its development.

Ben Travis, CEO of Calibre Scientific commented: “Agar Scientific is a global leader in microscopy consumables and sample preparation. Together with our Molecular Dimensions business unit and global distribution platform, we are excited to be expanding our capabilities in the growing fields of electron microscopy and cryogenic electron microscopy”. www.agarscientific.com

86 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022

Dr. Ardalan Armin, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics, Swansea University, comments: “We’re pleased to share the positive results of our research with the wider scientific community, and we’re excited to see what the future holds for PV cells as a reliable, high-performing renewable energy source. The Linkam LTS420E-P stage is a vital component within our research, as it regulates temperatures with precision, which is essential for our highly sensitive measurements.”

Researchers measure temperaturedependent photovoltaic external quantum efficiency to transform the future of solar cells

Dr. Duncan Stacey, Sales and Marketing Director, Linkam Scientific Instruments, shares his thoughts on the research: “The team at Swansea has made a significant breakthrough in the PV space, which is set to bring us one step closer to a sustainable future fuelled by renewable energy. We are proud to see the contribution of our LTS420E-P stage and we hope it continues to serve the team at Swansea University in its work into the performance of new organic materials.”

If you would like your Company News to appear on these pages, please contact infocus Magazine at advertising@infocus.org.uk. The announcements in this Section are compiled by the manufacturers. They in no way represent a recommendation by the Royal Microscopical Society for any particular instrument or equipment.The Royal Microscopical Society does not endorse, support, recommend or verify the information provided on these pages. COMPANY NEWS

www.linkam.co.uk

The research, led by Dr.Wei Li and Dr.Ardalan Armin at Swansea, focused on advanced characterisation methods, and how they can aid our understanding of PV materials and device physics, as well as helping to reach better and more practical engineering solutions. To achieve this, the team conducted a range of temperature dependent measurements, including temperature dependent photovoltaic external quantum efficiency (EQE), and temperature dependent absorbance to investigate the thermodynamic and kinetic processes.

Researchers at Swansea University have used a Linkam LTS420E-P stage to make temperature dependent measurements on organic photovoltaic (PV) cells, advancing our understanding of the PV cells that are the basis of solar power generation.

The results show that it is possible to rapidly measure the EQE of solar cells at different temperatures, for the firsttime allowing researchers to investigate the kinetic processes accurately. The research also reveals the relationship between the charge recombination,generation,and device efficiency in novel state-of-art nonfullerene solar cells, further improving our understanding of PV processes.

Researchers at Swansea University, UK, have proven that it is possible to achieve near-unity charge generation quantum yields in organic solar cells. These findings present a route for designing and constructing higher-performance solar cells, which help to secure our future using renewable energy sources to meet sustainability goals.

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Visualize the difference at bdbiosciences.com/CellView

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. BD, the BD Logo and CellView are trademarks of Becton, Dickinson and Company or its affiliates. © 2022 BD. All rights reserved. BD-46695 (v1.0) 0122

Spectral CT is an option that is available with TESCAN’s UniTOM XL, a versatile, multi-scale micro-CT system for high-throughput experiments on a diverse range of samples, and CoreTOM, for multi-scale micro-CT investigations in earth sciences. It can be added to existing TESCAN UniTOM XL or CoreTOM instruments without compromising any of the system’s features. It is a complete hardware/ software solution that is integrated into the micro-CT system for extreme ease-of-use, with only one click needed to switch between structural and spectral information. A full software suite features acquisition, reconstruction, and analysis of spectral data.

The EU IVD regulation is challenging medical equipment manufacturers to review and update their instruments to address concerns amidst patient safety and transparency by May 2022. Hamamatsu Photonics can now provide assurance that its solution and services respond to the latest regulations.

Committed to the clinical market for now seven years, Hamamatsu Photonics is driven to offer the highest quality solutions while complying with the latest medical regulations. The Company, known for its market-leading photonics technology, built and integrated its know-how into the NanoZoomer Slide scanner system providing a stamp of reliability.

TESCAN Brings New Dimension to Micro-CT Imaging with the World’s First Spectral CT Analytical Composition Capability

The NanoZoomer S360MD Slide scanner system (C13220-21MDEU) is no different, also offering excellent image quality and high-speed scanning ideal to support primary diagnosis applications. The image acquisition software (NZAcquireMD) and the image viewing software (NZViewMD) allow users to easily create, view and perform quality-checks on whole slide images.

Spectral CT is unique in that it not only measures how many x-rays are stopped by a sample, but it also

www.hamamatsu.com

www.tescan.com PRODUCTS

The first and only Spectral CT analytical capability for micro-CT systems is now commercially available. It provides chemical information at any point inside a sample, enabling materials scientists to see the most subtle changes in material composition and purity. Even low contrast materials, such as polymers, can be differentiated from each other, which is not possible using micro-CT alone.

counts the individual x-ray photons. By dividing these photons based on their energy in different bins, the spectrum can be analysed, enabling the attenuation coefficient of the sample to be precisely calculated. This allows the user to calculate densities and see contrast between different materials that are invisible using traditional micro-CT. The user can also identify unknown minerals based on k-edge imaging, remove artefacts from traditional CT scans, or calculate concentrations of different substances in a sample.

NEW

Hamamatsu Photonics includes a newly IVDR compliant slide scanner system part of the NanoZoomer® family

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Behind the hardware and software, clinical customers will find trained specialists supporting them through the adoption of new workflows. In fact, trainings and technical support are in place to ensure a smooth transition whether it is integrating a new scanner model into your workflow or changing from manual to digital pathology.

Prior Scientific release the new CS200 series of joysticks and TS200 touchscreen display to control their ProScanTM and OptiScanTM products.

"We are pleased to introduce these new joysticks and touchscreen which have a modern look and feel. Our customers also asked for a more cost-effective device, and we have delivered with the CS200" said Thomas Freda, CEO at Prior Scientific. “The optional TS200 touchscreen adds control capabilities that far exceed what the previous PS3J100 could do. Together these new devices allow users to choose what they want and need

material science systems at picogram and millisecond resolution.

Prior Scientific introduces CS200 joysticks and touchscreen to control Prior stages and focus drives, and motorised accessories

Key Features & Benefits:

• Direct measurement of the total mass in liquids

• Mass resolution: 5 pg*; range: tens of pg to tens of ng

• Long-term stability enabling day-long experiments

• Compatible with LiveCell chamber, inverted light microscopy, FluidFM and DriveAFM www.nanosurf.com

PicoBalance add-on for DriveAFM

precise control of a focus drive or Z-axis drive via an ergonomic wheel. Speed buttons on the side of each joystick allow the user to adjust the proportionality of each device. The TS200 touchscreen display is a Windows® based tablet PC with software what allows for full control of all the Prior devices, including the stage and Z, motorized nosepiece, motorized filter turret, filter wheels, shutters, and illumination.

its introduction several users are already exploring the capabilities of the PicoBalance to non-invasively measure microscopic biological or

With the recent introduction of the PicoBalance option for the DriveAFM, Nanosurf now offers a unique solution that allows nanotechnological measurements of a new dimension to fill this gapwhile providing the full functionality of a high-end SinceAFM.

• Time resolution: 100 ms*; range: from seconds to days

All over natural sciences and engineering mass is being measured to characterise and design a large variety of high-performance systems. Yet there existed an instrumentational void for weighing microscopically sized systems such as single cells or colloidal microparticles.

Prior Scientific,a manufacturer of microscopy solutions and precision optical and electromechanical equipment, today announced the launch of the CS200 line of joysticks. These joysticks offer a simple, ergonomic, and cost-effective way to manually control your Prior XY stage and Z drive and replace the current PS3J100 joystick. Prior Scientific release the new CS200 series of joysticks and TS200 touchscreen display to control their ProScan and OptiScan The compact easy to use CS200XY controls the stages’ x and y axis and the CS200Z allows the

www.hamamatsu.com

of vacuum based high energy experimental setups. Antoine Varagnat, Andor’s Business manager for Physical Sciences, said: "Marana-X 11 is a terrific addition to our growing portfolio of highperformance cameras. This latest detector is superfast and sensitive, while it also benefits from a high dynamic range and high quantum efficiency, making it the optimal solution for direct soft x-ray and EUV

Vital for the research of biological systems, confocal microscopes are not always accessible to laboratories. Their high-resolving power and their ability to capture images in the depth direction are essential to accurately observe samples. MAICO® was specifically developed for this purpose, to offer an affordable alternative without compromising on high-quality features.

back-illuminated, uncoated 4.2 Megapixel sensor with a large 32mm diagonal field of view featuring 11µm pixels, market leading 48 fps and high dynamic range, Marana-X-11 is the ideal detector solution for challenging EUV & soft X-ray experiments.

New Marana-X-11 sCMOS for EUV & Soft X-ray Detection

Hamamatsu Photonics has released a new multichannel confocal unit called MAICO®. This MEMS* confocal unit can easily be attached to any microscope to achieve confocal fluorescence microscopy. This plug and play, compact unit is an affordable and complementary option to high-end confocal microscopes. It is everything you may expect from a classical confocal set-up including a pinhole, filters, a laser source and a detector, yet its compact size is designed to be used right from a researcher’s lab desk.

This sensor offers great flexibility to analyse a wide range of sample configurations and address demanding spatial and spectral resolution needs in one single setup. Its electronic shutter, combined with a USB3 or robust long distance CoaXPress data interface, enables easy integration into a broad range

It offers high speed, high sensitivity and a compact design that is capable of simultaneous multiband observation without bleed-through. As MAICO® utilises our most sensitive detectors and signal processing know-how, we were able to successfully reduce the laser power to a Class 3R. Therefore, it can be used in a normal laboratory environment, without the need for a laser-controlled area.

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Andor Technology, an Oxford Instruments company and world leader in scientific imaging and spectroscopy solutions, today announced the launch of its new Marana-X platform for ultra-fast soft X-ray/ EUV tomography and High Harmonic Generation imaging.

"Withimaging.a

A new way to visualise fluorescence imaging for any microscope

www.andor.com

MAICO® has a unique subunit structure that contains all the necessary components for each fluorescence band excitation and detection in a single unit. It supports single channel observation as well as up to four multi-channel (405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm, and 638 nm) simultaneous excitation and observation.

Marana-X-11 represents a significant technological advancement for applications that traditionally use slow scan CCDs. Specifically optimised for the 80eV1keV region, Marana-X-11 boasts superior quantum efficiency and noise floor at the fastest acquisition rates compared to CCDs, to enable dynamic photon starved Combiningapplications.ahigh-resolution

drive to upgrade high energy physics sources worldwide, to higher fluxes and repetition rates, this innovative product will help scientists make the most of these advances."

Linkam puts cryo in the spotlight at M&M 2022

For the full list of CoolLED products and their imaging software compatibility, please visit: softwarewww.coolled.com/support/imaging-

CryoGenium addresses several common issues that are found in a conventional plunge-freezing setup. Typically, the sample is prepared on an EM grid and excess liquid is removed inside a humidity chamber using blotting paper to control the ice thickness of the frozen sample.

www.linkam.co.uk

Evident cellSens is the latest imaging software program to offer support, and the pE-800 Series is integrated into several additional imaging software platforms, including Nikon NIS Elements, Hamamatsu HCImage and Inscoper.

range of cryo workflow solutions and sample characterisation tools at Microscopy and Microanalysis (M&M) 2022.

Duncan Stacey, sales and marketing director at Linkam, commented: “Materials science is an exciting, fast-paced field, and it is vital that we explore in depth the performance and potential of emerging new materials to unlock their positive impact on human life. As scientists seek new ways to tackle major global issues such as sustainable energy and bio-engineering to improve human healthcare, we need to characterise and understand the physical properties of advanced materials. We were proud to present our latest products at this year’s Materials and Microanalysis, underlining our commitment to working in close partnership with our customers to develop the technology that suits the specific requirements of their business.”

The popular pE-800 Series includes the pE-800 and pE-800fura which feature:

The novel design replaces the common blotting mechanism to improve process stability and

• 8 LED channels which can be individually controlled

The pE-800 is a versatile Illumination System designed for everyday fluorescence, with eight LEDs covering a spectrum of 365 – 740 nm which is ideal for fluorophores ranging from DAPI to Cy7. The pE800fura is instead optimised for scientists performing calcium imaging techniques, featuring eight LEDs covering 340 – 635 nm for exciting Fura-2 to Cy5. This comprehensive system has application beyond

calcium imaging, and also suits pH monitoring, ratiometric fluorescence, optogenetics, FRET and everyday fluorescence experiments.

• Advanced control for capturing fast events and protecting samples from excess illumination

Linkam previewed its new cryo plunger – CryoGenium – an exciting new development in electron microscopy (EM) grid vitrification. Imaging of biological samples embedded in vitrified ice has become of great interest in recent years as it provides several advantages: the biological sample is in a fully hydrated state with superior preservation down to ultra-structural level, a vitrified sample is naturally compatible with the vacuum required for EM / single particle (SPT) / correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM), and cryo-fluorescence provides very low photobleaching and high signal to noise imaging.

CoolLED is pleased to announce that the 8-channel pE-800 Series LED Illumination Systems for fluorescence microscopy is fully supported in the latest release of Evident’s cellSens imaging software – Version 4.1. Integrating the microscope light source into imaging software is the most efficient way to configure complex imaging experiments. In addition to ease of use, sophisticated control of illumination channel and irradiance facilitates high-speed imaging and reduced phototoxicity.

repeatability.The system introduces real-time optical observation of the sample with control of the liquid film thickness by adjusting the speed at which the sample is drawn from the fluid as well as thinning of the film thickness by controlled suction. The correct conditions for plunging can be confirmed by the realtime optical observation and plunging is followed by automated loading into either a special cryo-holder or a cryotransfer container.

Market leader in temperature and microscopy,environmental-controlledLinkam,presentedits

Controlling 8-Channel LED Illumination in Imaging Software

• Industry-leading <7 μs TTL switching

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Prior Scientific Instruments Ltd., a manufacturer of microscopy solutions and precision optical and electromechanical equipment, today announced the launch of their motorised two and six position automated objective changing nosepieces for the OpenStand microscope line.

www.agarscientific.com

www.prior.com

NEW PRODUCTS

Agar Scientific now have a new range of economically priced, yet fully-featured critical dimension standards over a wide measurement range. The CDMS standards are offered with Global Certificate of Calibration using the average data measured for each production wafer, or with an Individual Die Certificate of Calibration for higher accuracy.

Prior Scientific introduces motorised nosepieces for use with OpenStand microscopes

Prior's motorised objective changer nosepieces are the latest addition to the OpenStand product family to provide customers with additional automation for OEM optical solutions and one-off custom microscopes.

These products add to the automation solutions already offered by Prior and can give customers a faster way to develop custom imaging systems for life science, semiconductor, and materials applications. These motorised nosepieces can work with nearly any available microscope objectives up to and including 32mm thread diameters. Driven with Prior’s standard ProScan III controller and related accessories, they are easy to integrate into an automated imaging system. The OpenStand can be tailored with optics and components from Prior Scientific’s motorised and manual accessories to complete your custom motorised microscope. OpenStand allows parallel

Manufactured on an ultra-flat silicon substrate with a precise 60nm chromium deposition for features up to 5μm and a combination of 50nm gold over 20nm chromium for features sizes from 2μm to 100nm.

Due to its sturdy construction, the CDMS standard can be cleaned using gentle plasma cleaning.

“Thecustomers".addition of motorised nosepieces to the OpenStand microscope range gives our OEM customers access to a fully automated customisable microscope to develop their own product and processes and in most cases, it is the first step in the development of their own instrumentation,” said Robert Haggart, Senior Product Manager at Prior. “OpenStand’s flexible modular design gives our OEM customers access to the product they need quickly, accelerating their development process, reducing costs and time to market.”

"We have had customers ask us for a motorised nosepiece solution that is both reliable and economical and we have delivered," said Thomas Freda, CEO at Prior Scientific. "The OpenStand’s automation capabilities are second to none in flexibility and at a great value to our

• 2.0mm to 1μm for a magnification range from 10x - 20,000x and is ideal for desktop SEMs and low to medium magnification applications.

Critical Dimension Standards from Agar Scientific

The Cr and Au/Cr on Si provide excellent contrast both in SE and BSE imaging mode. The features are easier to determine than on etched Si standards. Since the silicon substrate, the chromium and the chromium/gold features are all conductive there are no charging issues with this calibration standard.

The smaller features are nested for easy navigation and quick calibration. The accuracy of the features is 0.3% or better. The actual size of the standard is 2.5 x 2.5mm with a thickness of 525μm ±20μm.There is no coating on the Si surface. Each CDMS calibration standard has a unique identification number.

These CDMS standards are offered with two size ranges, as either traceable or certified standards:

hardware and software development without the risk of delays due to software revisions in the final production instrument as all Prior’s products use the same command set.

• 2.0mm to 100nm for a magnification range up to 10 - 200,000x; for all SEM and most FESEM applications.

Agar Scientific are now offering the K-kit siliconbased micro channel device for liquid TEM.

•features:Colocalisation tools allowing the correlative analysis of data from several sources or several datasets from the same instrument (these can be from multiple users and multiple labs):

• graphYX-3D adds 3D topographic image rendering for techniques such as AFM and AFMRaman.

• Compatible with multiple types of HORIBA analysers.

graphYX, powered by Mountains® technology, is an application included in HORIBA’s LabSpec6 software suite that allows users to highlight features of their samples, by combining multimodal images obtained from SEM, Raman, CL, AFM, NanoRaman, EDX, EBSD, FTIR and other techniques. It will be delivered as a standard on instruments such as, the HORIBA AFM-Raman and nanoGPS navYX.

If you would like your new product information to appear on these pages, contact infocus Magazine at advertising@infocus.org.uk.

The announcements in this Section are compiled by the manufacturers. They in no way represent a recommendation by the Royal Microscopical Society for any particular instrument or equipment. The Royal Microscopical Society does not endorse, support, recommend or verify the information provided on these pages.

Agar Scientific now offer K-kitsfor Liquid TEM

When combined with nanoGPS navYX, graphYXsoftware provides a complete solution for quickly relocating points of interest and overlapping map data on the sample surface. nanoGPS navYX is a multimodal and multiscale solution that facilitates sample study and collaboration between researchers using different analytical tools at different locations. graphYX users will benefit from the following

K-kits are sample holders designed to facilitate TEM observation of liquid samples. The K-kits allow nano-objects, aggregates, and agglomerates in liquid samples to be characterised with vacuum compatible sealing of liquids in electron-transmitting thickness.

• Quick enhancement and correction of images and chemical maps.

• Combine graphYX with nanoGPS navYX to quickly relocate points of interest and overlapping map areas on samples.

HORIBA Scientific, world leader in Raman microscopy and nanoscopy, and Digital Surf, creator of the Mountains® software platform for image and surface analysis in microscopy and metrology, announced the release of graphYX, a new software range for users of HORIBA's Raman spectroscopy solutions, comprising of two product levels: graphYX and graphYX-3D.

HORIBA and Digital Surf partnered to launch graphYX software range

• from multiple instruments: correlate optical microscope images with SEM images, adjust orientation, scale and size of images generated by SEM, AFM, and optical microscopes.

www.horiba.com

• Interactive document layout and workflow allowing users to track and modify each individual analysis step at any time.

Simple, fast and affordable, K-kits are micro reaction chambers for countless experiments in materials, chemical and biological research.

www.agarscientific.com

• from a single instrument: study sample kinetics, monitor evolution over time, overlap data from more than two modalities (Raman, photocurrent, epifluorescence, darkfield etc.), optimise palette, contrast and brightness of the various components of multivariate analysis;

Compatible with all TEM holders, the K-kits are single-use and cross-contamination free, with a good resistance to chemical solvents. They provide reliable loading with viscous liquids and can hold a broad temperature range from -196°C to 120°C.

(1925 - 2022)

At the age of 20 and still an undergraduate at Notre Dame University, Jim created his first company – Histoslide - for which he prepared and sold educational microscope slides. A lifelong entrepreneur and inventor, Jim endeavoured to improve the design and efficiency of laboratory equipment and methods throughout his clinical research. He was always forward thinking, embracing innovation and new developments in scientific

Figure 1. Dr McCormick in his study, with the anatomical mannequin nicknamed ‘Christine’ in the background.

expansion of its facilities, including the creation of the James and Suzanne McCormick Montessori Childcare Centre which serves the needs of both hospital employees and the surrounding community. In the 1960s Jim also served as vice-president of the Paul Carlson Medical Program, providing rural health and nutrition programmes in Zaire, which he found time to visit to provide short-term assistance.

James (Jim) B. McCormick, M.D. passed away on June 26, 2022 at the age of 97. He was born in Chicago on January 29, 1925. At the age of 17, he joined the Navy and, during these formative years of service, discovered his love of medicine and lifelong interest in natural science. He attended the University of Notre Dame, graduating with a degree in pre-medical studies, going on to receive his medical degree from the University of Illinois, Chicago.

JamesMemoriamB.McCormick, M.D. FRMS

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over 50 patents, including one for a particular cryostat – a laboratory apparatus to facilitate intra-operative surgical tissue diagnosis. This particular invention revolutionised the practice of pathology and histotechnology around the world. Another of his developments, the Lab-Tek chambered slide system, is in very wide use today. The current Tissue-Tek range of histotechnology products also includes many of his designs.

In 1949, Dr McCormick completed his internship and residency in clinical and anatomical pathology at Augustana Hospital. He then worked as a pathologist in a Chicago community hospital until 1957 before joining the medical staff of Swedish Covenant Hospital as Director of Laboratories, where he was responsible for developing and implementing advanced laboratory technology. He remained at Swedish Covenant Hospital for over 50 years, serving in a number of key positions, including that of President and CEO from 1983 to 1990. Jim’s superb leadership and tireless efforts led to the successful modernisation of the hospital's technology and

Hemedicine.wasgranted

Figure 3. The Dr James B and Suzanne C McCormick Collection of Scientific Instruments, on display in the RMS Library in Oxford.

As an avid collector of antique microscopes, he had a rare depth of knowledge and insight into the historical

Jim McCormick will long be remembered for his valuable contributions to the field of medicine, for his meaningful friendships and involvements in the scientific and histotechnology community, and for his deep devotion to his family. He is survived by his spouse of 46 years, Suzanne, his children Jeremy and Amanda, and his grandchildren.

development of optical microscopes (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. Dr McCormick with some of his antique microscopes.

Jim McCormick had a particularly wide range of interests and talents. He was an author and poet, a collector of objects and ideas, a mentor and advisor, a pilot, a sculptor, an inventor.

Very early on in his career Dr McCormick became interested in anatomical models and saw a need for improvement. The models of that time were quite fragile, being made of either papier-mache or plasterof-Paris. He discovered that the doll-manufacturing industry used much stronger materials in making dolls than the educational supply industry did in making anatomical models. This led to Jim’s learning how to cast aluminium forms which he could then use to mould poly vinyl chloride figures. His first patent was issued for his design of ‘an anatomical mannequin with removable organs’. These included reproductive organs. The mannequin was nicknamed ‘Christine’, and is seen standing behind Jim in his study, in Figure 1.

His link with the RMS dates back to the early 1970s and a visit to Oxford University’s Science History Museum, when he was admiring some of the Society’s microscopes on display. An introduction to Gerard Turner (at that time RMS President and the museum’s Senior Curator of Scientific Instruments) led to a lasting friendship and eventually to the creation of a wonderful collection of replica instruments, selected to illustrate the development of microscopes from the 17th to 19th Centuries: the Replica Rara series. In 2019 Jim and his wife made a generous gift of eight of these microscopes to the RMS: ‘The Dr James B and Suzanne C McCormick Collection of Scientific Instruments’ which is now on display in the RMS Library in Oxford (see infocus 57, March 2020 for a fuller account of the collection). The gift also included a number of leather-bound, facsimile volumes of important historical works, including Robert Hooke’s Micrographia (Figure 3).

Dr John Hutchison, Hon FRMS

After four years of absence, due to postponing in 2020 because of the pandemic, 2022 marked the return of the International Congress on the Biology of Fish (ICBF) for a 14th edition. The conference was held in beautiful Montpellier (France) at a venue, Le Corum, located in close vicinity to the city centre and surrounded by gardens. The ICBF aims to gather the international community of fish physiologists every two years, and showcase the newest research in the field.

14th International Congress on the Biology of Fish (ICBF) Montpellier, France 28 June to 1 July 2022

of Glasgow, United Kingdom), and Jamilynn Poletto (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, United States).

As a final year PhD student who has been investigating hallmarks of ageing in the ventricular myocardium of the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), I expected this conference to be the height of my involvement in the scientific community as a presenter, knowing that this meeting will reunite lead scientists with specialisations overlapping my own research interests. This year’s edition gathered 360 delegates. Experienced scientists and early career researchers were given the opportunity to present their work in the course of 300 oral communications covering 20 sessions and three plenaries. The 14th ICBF opened with an introduction by lead organiser David McKenzie (UMR Marbec, Montpellier, France) followed by the three plenary speakers: Lynne Sneddon (University of Gothenburg, Sweden), Neil Metcalfe (University

Lynne Sneddon took us through her talk on nociception in fish to answer a central question: Do fish feel pain? Via multifaceted approaches, including fish response to morphine or behavioural change upon exposure to various chemicals (elegantly assessed by the quantification of tank space using 3D tracking), she provided a body of evidence showing that, indeed, fish feel pain. This has stressed regulatory bodies to introduce new guidance such as “pain management in zebrafish”.

Neil Metcalfe presented data showing that the function of liver mitochondria is a metabolic predictor of performance in fish. True to his reputation as a remarkable speaker, Neil closed his talk with a short tutorial on lab management which provoked hilarity in the audience when he compared the interactions between the lab, the principal investigator, and the research team, with those of the cell, the nucleus and mitochondria,

who recently set up her lab, gave a talk on how to implement fish physiology research to assess fish resilience to anthropogenic stressors in environmentally-relevant settings.

Oral sessions covered many topics likely to catch the attention of anyone interested in specific fishes (cichlids, burbot, “primitive” fishes, tropical fishes, polar fishes, sharks, invasive fish species) either wild or raised for aquaculture. Of course, some sessions

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JamilynnrespectivelyPoletto,

REPORT

During the session dedicated to the “environmental physiology of cichlids fish”, Jakob Biran (Agricultural Research Organisation, Israel) gave an intriguing talk uncovering a key regulatory role for oxytocin in the acclimation of fishes to cold. Previous investigations have shown that oxytocin plays critical roles in thermoregulatory processes in homeotherms; in that respect, this is surprising to see that this hormone controls physiological responses to cold exposure in poikilothermic vertebrates.

Sessions I attended included the “physiology, biology and ecology of polar fishes” since a polar shark species is central to my PhD project.

I also attended a quiet morning session, “tropical fishes: state of art and knowledge gaps”, whose poor attendance was certainly the consequence of the gala dinner the previous night which, reportedly,

nucleoli in ventricular myocytes of the Greenland shark. Small nucleoli are a hallmark of longevity; as expected, we found that nucleoli were comparatively small and remained so throughout the lifespan of this species. Because nucleoli are key modulators of protein synthesis, this suggests that protein homeostasis balance and slow metabolisms may be crucial to fish longevity, and cold temperature may likely be involved in that process, which questions how increasing environmental temperature will affect lifespan and other life history traits in polar fish species.

Antarctic fishes (especially “icefishes” of the suborder Notothenioidei) historically received much attention from researchers because of their adaptations (including haemoglobin loss) to cope with an extreme environment, and also because they are thought to be vulnerable to global warming. Among the seven speakers of this session, Nina Krebs (Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Germany) presented evidence that protein synthesis positively correlated temperature in the gills of the Antarctic eelpout and its temperate counterpart, the common eelpout, which was found in association with increased metabolic rate.

focused on the effect of environmental stressors on fish physiology, such as climate change or exposure to anthropogenic toxic compounds. Some talks also focused on the ecology or the evolution of fish.

Although, Nina found species- and tissue-specific effects of temperature on protein synthesis (in particular, the absence of protein synthesis change in the muscle of the polar eelpout in response to elevated temperature), I found these results interesting in respect to our own work on the

provided “more drinks than food”.

the concentration levels of various metals could probably help understand the interactions of copper and cadmium with essential metal ions. Zinc, in particular, could be an interesting target because of its essential role for sperm fertility and also being a bivalent cation, like copper and cadmium. As such, these metal ions made more abundant by pollution could compete with zinc to integrate some molecular processes key to sperm quality, and potentially affect male fertility. In addition, such analysis could tell more on the interaction between metal contaminant and antioxidative pathways since the major antioxidants are metalloproteins containing chelated zinc, manganese, copper, or Theseselenium.few

talks I described, among those I have seen, imprinted in my mind the idea that fishes are highly plastic and sensitive upon exposure to various environmental conditions, which makes the resilience of these cold-blooded animals to change an interesting question to explore.

The session ended with a very interesting talk by Adalberto Val (National Institute of Amazonian Research, Brazil). He showed that exposing an Amazonian fish (the tambaqui) to copper and cadmium (two common contaminants of the Amazonian ecosystem released from human activities) impaired male fecundity and embryo hatching. Adalberto Val and his colleagues also measured how the level of antioxidants, in the sperm of the tambaqui, reacted to metal exposure and found that only cadmium induced a response by increasing antioxidant levels.

As I am experienced in analysing metallomics for my own research, I suggested that measuring

Yu-Chun Wang (Fisheries Research Institute, Keelung, Taiwan) and his collaborators showed that Tilapia (a widely farmed fish) supplemented with resveratrol (a compound known to promote

In addition to oral communications, two poster sessions showcased 82 posters. To my delight, a few of them presented research in relation to the burgeoning field of fish ageing.

Grace Vaughan (New York University Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) gave one of the first talks. Her work focused on a reef fish species (the Arabian monocle bream) living in the hottest sea in the world, namely the Arabian Gulf, which she compared to populations of the same species inhabiting the Gulf of Oman (exhibiting less extreme annual temperature) to test the resilience of these fishes to increasing sea surface temperature (as predicted by climatic models). Relying on histology, she found that the heart and the gills of fishes from the Arabian Gulf displayed specific adaptations (including elevated heart collagen) as well as greater plasticity as temperature increased.

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The poster of Erin Faught (University of Calgary, Canada) echoed Adalberto Val’s talk. Using mutant female zebrafish for stress-induced reproductive ageing, she showed that, indeed, stress had not only deleterious effects on the reproductive success of the maternal generation, but also led to defects in the development and survival of the progeny.

It was with great enjoyment that I attended this conference and it was made possible by the financial support from the Royal Microscopical Society to whom I am particularly grateful. I also wish to thank the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health’s Doctoral Academy of The University of Manchester who granted me additional support.

Johnyears.

The 14th edition of the ICBF ended with David McKenzie being saluted by the audience, under an enthusiastic ovation and sporadic cheering, as a reward for the efforts he put in leading the organisation of this unique event which occurred in France for the first time.

The last day of the conference was a big day for me because I gave the most important talk of my PhD to an audience of experts. Going through our assessment of various mitochondrial hallmarks of ageing, I presented evidences that the mitochondria in the ventricular myocardium of the Greenland shark are resilient to chronological ageing. This is an interesting finding in respect to human ageing because the heart is known to be one of the first organ to fail, and mitochondria, as cellular “powerhouse”, are paramount to sustain cardiac function lifelong. Most of the feedbacks were suggestions on how to further my research by assessing ROS production and the level of transcripts of genes involved in mitochondrial dynamics (both of which being undertaken in our lab), and by measuring the level of ATP which is thought to become depleted in the aging cardiomyocyte.

longevity across taxa ranging from yeast to mammals) were potentially more resistant to winter cold front stress as suggested by intact metabolic performance of individuals exposed to cold conditions in conjunction with increased sirtuins transcript expressions (some of which are known to exert a prolongevity effect).These are interesting insights which can help us understand the molecular basis for the elusive interplay between cold and longevity as observed in aquatic species such as the Greenland shark.

Two of my fellow labmates, Sana Yaar and Daniel Ripley (Shiels Lab, The University of Manchester, United Kingdom) were also showcasing their own work on posters. Sana made a sensation with her histological study on the coronary vasculature of the Greenland shark, enabling her to become 1st prize poster winner of ICBF 2022.

It was also a great day for John Fleng Steffensen (University of Copenhagen, Denmark), to whom was dedicated the session of my talk. John’s research and inventions have been crucial in the development and progress of the field of fish physiology. Questions that he has sought to answer throughout his scientific career include: How do fishes swim? How do fishes interact in schools? How long can the Greenland shark live? This latter question owed him to make the cover of Science back in 2016, when he and his collaborators discovered that the maximal lifespan of the Greenland shark was at least 272

Pierre Delaroche, Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, The University of Manchester, United Kingdom

is also known as the man who designed innovative fish respirometers (known as “Steffensentype swim tunnel”) which, owing to their practicality (that is, automation and small size), made the life of many scientists easier and the literature on fish metabolism prolific.

In many ways, John Fleng Steffensen has been seminal in the growing of fish physiology. Accordingly, he received the tributes and honours (and few roasts!) he deserved, including the Award of Excellence, from the American Fisheries Society, given to him during the closing ceremony.

Next up for the ‘Meet the Staff’ treatment is Jade Sturdy – a relative newcomer to the RMS who joined in December 2021 as PA to the Chief Executive, with the Covid pandemic still in full Weflow.learn

Jade is PA to the RMS Chief Executive, which means she is generally the first point of contact for all the RMS Science Sections and their members. She arranges committee meetings, organises agendas and produces all the minutes – keeping track of all official RMS business, as well as up to speed with changes in personnel on all the committees.

100 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022

Meet the Staff: Jade Sturdy

Jade adds: “I’m amazed with the amount of people I deal with, and how everybody is so lovely. The section meetings come thick and fast at different times in the year and it gets very busy. But in the end, you can really see the progress that is being made. I don’t have a scientific background, so the majority of the terminology goes over my head, but the passion of the committee members when they are discussing ideas and events is really quite inspiring. They give up their time to work on all these things and it’s more than a job for them.

“Everyone has just been really nice and it is a really different working environment – in a good way - to anything I have ever experienced before.”

She says: “At the moment we are coming up to the AGMs, so I’m looking at who is due to come to the end of their term of office and who is going to join the committees. I also look after the Council and Executive Committee.

Jade worked for 14 years in Human Resources for a London company, covering various different areas before she moved to Oxford around six years ago and took up a PA role at the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.

“When I first started at the RMS and I was told how many committees and committee members there are, I must have had a look of panic on my face, but in fact, everything works really well, and all of the committees have their own way of working. The Chairs all work differently, so after my first round of meetings I made some notes about what different committees do in the meetings, so I was prepared for the next ones.”

She says: “I used to deal with my manager’s Outlook and answer her emails and look after the Board of Trustees and a Finance and Audit Committee. I used to deal with Companies House and recruiting Trustees.

about her day-to-day role at the Society, and what she likes most about being part of the RMS team. We also cover shopping, England netball trials, cats and (of course) the personal hygiene of darts players…

changed during and after Covid. I was only working 20 hours a week, but there was a restructure and the demands increased as the work got shared out, so I felt it was time for me to leave, and I came here.”

101

So now it’s time to delve into some potentially more

So what does Jade think is the best thing about working for the RMS, and what are the most rewarding aspects of her role?

“All the staff here are so nice”, she says. “There are so many different personalities but everyone just fits together and that’s really great. For example, I thought that updating things on the website would be difficult for me to get my head around, as I had never done anything like that before. But everyone is so happy to help and they have taken the time to talk me through it, so I have soon picked it up.That is a great thing about working for the RMS.

But that’s not the only alternative career Jade has considered during her life…

“Well, I’m a bit sad, I don’t really have any idols”, she says. “I think I’d rather do it for someone I got on with rather than someone I was star-struck by. I do have a bit of a shopping habit. I could just go shopping all day. How nice would that be?”

She explains: “When I was growing up I either wanted to be a hairdresser or a probation officer. I did my work experience at Richmond Magistrates Court and it was really fascinating. I suppose I do genuinely believe that there are people who make bad choices in their life because they don’t know anything else, and that with the right guidance and help, and opportunities, they could achieve much more. But I’m also quite stubborn,

of the wider work of the RMS, Jade singles out the MAKs (Microscope Activity Kits) for special praise, citing the impact they are having on children’s learning in primary schools.

In some ways it was similar to the RMS but different as “Atwell.the

“That is really special”, she says.“Without that scheme, many children might not ever get the chance to use a microscope and potentially become inspired by the experience. I remember taking my kids to the Science Museum and seeing how much they enjoyed themselves. It is quite something to be able to give young kids that sort of opportunity.”

revealing areas. It turns out that Jade is a woman of many talents, with a range of eclectic interests. Above all, however, she likes to hit the High Street for a spotmake that a large dollop - of retail therapy. So much so, in fact, that her ultimate dream is to become a personal shopper. But which wealthy celebrity could she see herself working for, we ask?

Wildlife Trust it was nice going out to visit sites, as the nature reserves were beautiful. They were involved in huge profile campaigns like HS2, and all the employees had a conservation background, so I did learn an awful lot there. There were some quite controversial things, like plans to reintroduce certain species in certain areas – and there were people for and “Butagainst.therole

“Also, when you get feedback from people saying that an event was really professionally run, and that the RMS has done a great job, that’s really rewarding. Having been to conferences and other events working elsewhere in the past, I can say that isn’t always the Incase.”terms

mum of three, many of Jade’s happiest times are spent on family away-days, such as visiting theme parks or National Trust sites. Family holidays are always something to savour too, and on this note, we finish with Jade recounting a particularly memorable getaway.

An accomplished baker, Jade once enrolled on a course with a view to making cakes professionally.

She says: “We entered an Instagram competition and won a holiday to stay in a luxury treehouse. It was based on Narnia and had all these sculptures of characters from the stories. It had secret cupboards, and in the grounds there was a sauna and a hot tub and tennis courts.”

“So I became a ‘cat socialiser’, which involved spending some time with cats that didn’t like human contact, so that they could be rehomed, and it was so rewarding. You would get them to the point where they are sitting on your lap, happily purring away and letting you stroke Asthem.”abusy

She says: “At school I played netball from the age of 9 – 16, and it was the best thing about school. I actually had trials for the England team twice, and we got to play with the England team, which was quite amazing.

so I think if I’d gone into that, and people didn’t cooperate or do what I said, I think I would have been Oneannoyed!”ofJade’s greatest and longest running passions is sport – both as a participant and spectator. Whether it’s team sport, individual sport or pub games, Jade is likely to be a fan.

102 ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 2022

“When we had the 2012 Olympics I was in my element. We had the torch relay come through the town where we lived, and the cycle races went past my house.We went to see three events – volleyball, diving at the aquatic centre, and we also went to the main Olympic Park.That was one of the best days of my life. The atmosphere was buzzing and I really enjoyed that.

It certainly sounds like Jade hit the bullseye with that Thanksone. for speaking to infocus!

“SometimesCharity.

“My previous cat was a rescue cat, and the people we got her from, you could tell it was an absolute passion of theirs. And just hearing some of the stories of how mistreated the animals had been – it was heartbreaking. They were telling me about someone else who had volunteered, and I just said, ‘could I do it?’

I worry more about the cat than I do my kids”, says Jade.

“I do love the darts”, she says. “But I’m such a ‘germophobe’, I can’t bear it when some of the players lick their fingers every time they go to throw a dart. I just think ‘no, don’t do it, you don’t know what’s on there!’”

Jade is also a football fan, often to be found cheering on her beloved Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in London. However, her self-confessed “guilty pleasure” is actually watching the darts.

“I was watching This Morning”, Jade explains, “and there was this lady who was making wedding cakes and selling them for hundreds of pounds, so I thought I’d give it a go.When I lived in London I made wedding cakes and elaborate birthday cakes for people, but more often now I just bake for the family – for the kids.

“I don’t really eat anything that I bake, but my family does. I make them blondies, lemon drizzle cake and Victoria sponge. But I’d rather have a bowl of cereal than cake.”

Jade is also a true animal-lover, and particularly mad about cats. Since childhood, she has always had a feline companion in her life – a passion which led her to volunteer a few years ago for the Cats Protection

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infocus Magazine - Issue 67, September 2022

Articles inside

Leafy landscapes under the microscope

Dr Gill Bullock interview

X-ray Microscopy Focussed Interest Group or the ‘X-ray FIG’ for short

Searching for Terrestrial Analogues for Mars; Applications for Scanning Electron Microscopy

Microscopy LIVE!