infocus Magazine - Issue 82, June 2026

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

IMC21 Preview: ‘Olympics of Microscopy’ coming to Liverpool, UK RMS Section Award-winners announced!

Connecting Wales Through Microscopy: The Launch of the Welsh Microscopical Society Wood Under the Microscope: A Week at Kew Gardens

Plus...News, Calendar, Reviews, Reports 1

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

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contents features 4

IMC21 Preview: ‘Olympics of Microscopy’ coming to Liverpool, UK

32

RMS Section Award-winners announced!

46

Connecting Wales Through Microscopy:The Launch of the Welsh Microscopical Society Myfanwy Adams

60

Wood Under the Microscope: A Week at Kew Gardens Lee Bilson

74

Velvet, Glass and Steel:The Lahore Science Mela Muneebah Fatimah

regulars 26 39 55 68 84 86

Calendar Journal of Microscopy New Member Welcome Office News Company News New Products

reports and other features 30

Focus on Microscopy 2026 – Report by Tommy Pallett

38

Dr Melina Schuh to receive RMS Pearse Prize

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Spotlight on…Marie Kokolski, Chair of the RMS Qualifications Committee

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The 8th Great Wall Symposium – Report by Saba Alhagagi

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MAGAZ I N E

infocus is the Magazine of the Royal Microscopical Society (RMS) – the only truly international microscopical society. The RMS is dedicated to advancing science, developing careers and supporting wider understanding of science and microscopy. infocus Magazine 37/38 St Clements Oxford, OX4 1AJ, UK Tel. +44 (0)1865 254760 Email: infocus@rms.org.uk Website: www.infocus.org.uk Scientific Editor Leandro Lemgruber, University of Glasgow, UK Editor Owen Morton Tel. +44 (0)1865 254763, Email: editor@infocus.org.uk Editorial Board Myfanwy Adams, John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK Maadhav Kothari, Zeiss Microscopy, UK Hilary Sandig, Cancer Research, UK Trevor Almeida, University of Glasgow, UK Tim Young, University of Cambridge Ferran Valderrama, City St George’s, University of London Thomas Slater, Cardiff University Advertising Email: advertising@infocus.org.uk ISSN: 1750-4740 © 2026 Royal Microscopical Society infocus is published four times per year by the RMS. Designed and produced

by Creative Design. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission from the RMS is forbidden. Views expressed in the Magazine are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the RMS.

RoyalMicroscopicalSociety @RoyalMicroSoc @RoyalMicroSoc

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ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

FROM THE SCIENTIFIC EDITOR Dear Readers, With summer almost upon us here in the northern hemisphere, I am delighted to introduce our June 2026 issue of infocus!

Among our offerings in this edition is a preview of this year’s premier event for the global microscopy community – The 21st International Microscopy Congress (IMC21), which takes place in the wonderful city of Liverpool at the end of August into early September.

It really is a special event for the global microscopy community, coming around only once every four years – just like the Olympics! The event is returning to Europe for the first time in over 10 years, and to the UK for the first time since the 1950s, would you believe! Our editorial team will be there to chat about infocus and hear your ideas for new content. We’ll also be asking attendees their views on the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in microscopy – for a special feature in our next issue.

Elsewhere in this issue we have an article by one of our editorial board members, Myfanwy Adams, about the launch of the Welsh Microscopical Society – a fantastic new initiative aimed at unlocking the full potential of the microscopy community in Wales and boosting research, industry and education.

On a botanical note – and with the approach of summer once again in mind - Lee Bilson provides an interesting account of a wood-themed microscopy course at the world-famous Kew Gardens.We also have a creepy-crawly-inspired article by Muneebah Fatimah, a student in Pakistan, about her role in last year’s Lahore Science Mela – an annual event that attracts thousands of visitors.

Finally, I would like to highlight the achievements of all our recent RMS award-winners, who are featured in this issue. It is always exciting to learn about the ground-breaking work of some of the leading figures across the microscopy community, and I hope you enjoy reading about their work as much as I have.

Slàinte!

Leandro Lemgruber

COVER IMAGE: Wild Flower Chemical Garden

By Karl Gaff, Art of Science Photography.This abstract floral landscape is a magnified view (150x) of a birefringent thin crystalline film, captured using compensated polarisation microscopy.The image centres on a nucleation point, from which plant-like structures radiate outward.The entire formation shown is confined within a single cell of the film.The film itself consists of many such cells, fitting together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Each cell contains numerous crystal grains, whose individual lattice orientations and thicknesses determine the colours observed.

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IMC21 Preview: ‘Olympics of Microscopy’ coming to Liverpool, UK The 21st International Microscopy Congress (IMC21) 2026 31 August - 4 September 2026, Liverpool, UK Pre-Congress Events 30 August 2026

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“The Next Generation – Embracing the Responsible AI Revolution” The abstracts are in, the speakers are confirmed, and the stage is set for the 21st International Microscopy Congress (IMC21)!

With less than three months to go before this year’s premier event for the global

microscopy community kicks off in Liverpool, UK, we’re taking a

closer look at what’s in store for attendees – from the blockbuster scientific programme to a world-class exhibition, workshops, networking and more!

The RMS is honoured to be delivering this year’s premier event for the global microscopy community alongside the International Federation of Societies for Microscopy (IFSM), Liverpool University and all our other partners.

We look forward to seeing you there!

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cutting-edge microscopy methods to address key questions in biology that span length scales from molecules to organisms.

Cryo-EM - Innovations in macromolecular structure determination will showcase how this disruptive technology continues to transform structural biology, highlighting technological advances that improve data quality and throughput. Integration

“The IMC is known as the Olympics of Microscopy, and is quite simply the biggest and best event in the global microscopy calendar this year.”

separate

themes

of structural biology into the cellular and tissue context, innovations highlighted in Cryo-ET – Macromolecular Imaging in Cells, Organoids and Tissues include advances in specimen preparation, highspeed automated tomography, and computational tools to uncover mechanism through interrogation of noisy, challenging cryo-ET datasets. The promise of molecular imaging at tissue scale has led to an explosion of interest in Volume Imaging in the electron microscope and this session will be a real highlight of

the complexity of biological systems.

IMC21 features a blockbuster scientific programme, three

and accelerating model building. Moving the focus

block-face imaging and array tomography can map

Congress Themes into

these data, yielding insights into protein dynamics

IMC21, showcasing how techniques such as serial

Professor Nigel Browning, IMC21 Organising Committee Chair

organised

of new AI tools better enables interpretation of

and

comprising no fewer than 32 different symposia.

With almost 1,700 talk and poster abstracts

IMC21’s life sciences programme places light microscopy firmly at the centre of biological research, with a series of dedicated symposia reflecting both technological progress and expanding application areas. In Live Imaging Cells, Tissues, Organs and

submitted – plus a surge of late-breaking posters - a huge range of scientific content awaits; so now’s the time to familiarise yourself with what’s on the menu, and start to plan your IMC21 experience!

Life Sciences – ‘Imaging Innovation Meets Biology’ Overview by Co-Chairs Gail McConnell and David Bhella As the world of microscopy focuses on Liverpool for the 21st International Microscopy Congress, we look forward to an exciting programme of lifescience research. IMC21 will showcase innovation across imaging modalities and the application of

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Gail McConnell.

“The congress creates a platform for groundbreaking scientific research for inspiring the next generation of scientists and for establishing collaborations across all scientific disciplines.”

Nigel Browning the broader life sciences themes. Strong links to enabling technologies via Machine Learning in Biological Imaging point to the increasing role of artificial intelligence in image acquisition and analysis, while multimodal sessions such as Neurosciences, Pathogen Biology, Plant Sciences, and Correlated Imaging Across Length Scales highlight how a broad range of cutting edge imaging technologies are being brought to bear to provide comprehensive biological insight.

Together, these symposia highlight a field that is not only rapidly evolving but increasingly unified, where technologies converge to reveal biology

David Bhella.

in unprecedented detail. IMC21 will capture this

Organisms, the focus will be on capturing dynamic

momentum, showcasing how imaging innovation is

biological processes in real time, from intracellular

reshaping our understanding of life across spatial

events to development at the organismal level.

and temporal scales.

This is complemented by Resolution Revolution in Light Microscopy, where ongoing advances in superresolution and optical engineering continue to push beyond traditional diffraction limits, opening new windows on molecular organisation.

The importance of imaging in three dimensions is

further

highlighted

in

Volumetric

Imaging,

with techniques enabling increasingly detailed reconstruction of complex biological structures across scales. At the same time, Democratisation and Widening Access to Microscopy signals a growing emphasis on accessibility, reproducibility, and global collaboration, ensuring that cutting-edge methods are widely available across the international research community.

Light microscopy is also deeply embedded within

Physical Sciences – ‘An exciting, forward-looking programme’ Overview by Co-Chairs Peter Nellist and Sarah Haigh The International Microscopy Congress (IMC) conference is a highlight for any microscopist, and has often been described at the “Olympics” of microscopy as it only occurs once every four years.

For IMC21 this summer we are looking forward to welcoming you to the vibrant city of Liverpool.

Bringing together leading researchers, early career scientists, innovators, practitioners, trade suppliers and scientific societies from across disciplines, the congress offers a chance to meet and interact with colleagues from across the globe.

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It has been our pleasure to co-chair the Physical

Further sessions delve into highly topical areas

Sciences theme of the congress. With this theme

including

there are 11 individual symposia with a wide range

and ICT, magnetic materials, ferroelectrics, energy

of topics covering the applications of advanced

storage and conversion, and radiation damage and

microscopy methods within physical sciences. The breadth of materials science covered is impressive.

Dedicated sessions explore soft materials, polymers, and beam-sensitive materials, alongside two-

semiconductors, quantum

materials,

nuclear energy under extreme conditions. Along with earth and planetary materials, these themes underline the crucial role microscopy plays in addressing global challenges, from sustainable energy to next-generation computing technologies. The

dimensional materials, nanomaterials and catalysts,

inclusion of phase transformations and high-speed

functional ceramics and oxides, and structural

dynamics sessions also emphasises the importance

materials such as metals and alloys.

of understanding materials in motion—capturing

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hear about and the discussions we will have, and we look forward to seeing you there.

Instrumentation – ‘Instrumentation Matters: Come to see the latest driving force for advances in microscopy in action’ Overview by Co-chairs Jun Yuan and Cate Ducati Breakthroughs in microscopy are often celebrated for the biological or materials discoveries they enable. The Instrumentation theme of IMC21

Sarah Haigh.

processes as they happen rather than after the fact.

focuses on the advances in hardware, software and methodology that make those breakthroughs

This diversity ensures that the Physical Sciences theme is relevant to researchers working across both fundamental and applied domains.

What

makes this theme truly exceptional is how it integrates all these topics into a coherent and forward-looking programme which will allow us to hear from leaders in the field and early career scientists with new ideas. It reflects not only where microscopy is today, but where it is heading. We are delighted with the number of abstracts submitted to this theme at IMC21 – more than 700 in total!

– and don’t forget, ‘late-breaking’ poster abstracts will continue to be accepted until 26 June. We are

Jun Yuan.

genuinely excited about the science we are going to possible. Progress in nanoscale imaging depends on sustained development in optics, detectors, contrast mechanisms, sample environments, automation and data handling. This is where many of our future discoveries will begin.

From aberration correction and ptychography to ultrafast imaging, environmental microscopy and AI-assisted analysis, the Instrumentation theme provides a forum for those who develop the methods that determine what can be seen, measured and interpreted. At a time when microscopy is Pete Nellist.

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becoming increasingly specialised, this kind of crossdisciplinary discussion is particularly important.

We are particularly looking forward to discussions on real-time automation and AI-assisted microscopy.

The prospect of a microscope that can acquire data, recognise features or phases, adjust acquisition conditions and guide the next measurement is now within reach. We are also keen to hear about ultrafast and phase-sensitive approaches, including structured beams, PINEM and other laser-coupled or quantum-coherent methods that can probe dynamics on intrinsic length and time scales. Finally, the growing connections between scanning probe microscopy, super-resolution light microscopy and electron microscopy should make the correlative Caterina Ducati.

sessions especially interesting.

Across eight symposia, the theme brings together recent

advances

in

instrument

design

and

We hope the Instrumentation theme will provide a lively and technically focused forum for discussing

measurement approaches: hardware, automation

not only what microscopy can currently do, but

and AI; diffraction

what the next generation of instruments should be

and

4D-STEM; dynamic

and environmental techniques; phase imaging; quantitative

3D

able to do.

tomography; surface-sensitive

and LEEM/PEEM; scanning probe and advanced light

Plenary Speakers

microscopy; and spectroscopy, including emerging

Topping the IMC21 bill are our brilliant plenary

laser–electron approaches. The common thread

speakers.

is quantitative, multimodal and, where possible,

Joanne Etheridge, Monash University, Australia

methods, including SEM, FIB, helium ion microscopy

operando mapping

characterisation. magnetic

fields

Examples using

include

ptychography,

following catalyst evolution in a gas cell, and combining FIB-SEM with atom probe tomography for 3D analysis. In each case, instrumentation and

Joanne is an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow in the School of Physics and Astronomy at Monash University. She conducts research in the theory and development of new electron scattering

computation are closely linked: better experiments

methods for determining the atomic and electronic

depend not only on better signals, but also on better

structure of condensed matter. She is a Fellow of

ways of extracting reliable information from them.

the Australian Academy of Science.

We are also pleased that the theme brings together physical and life sciences. Instrumentation ideas

Peter Rosenthal, The Francis Crick Institute, UK

often move productively between fields, sometimes

Peter obtained a PhD in biophysics from Harvard

in unexpected directions. We are grateful to the

University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. He then

symposium organisers for assembling a strong

moved to the Medical Research Council (MRC)

programme of invited speakers and contributed

Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK,

presentations, and for helping to create a theme

before joining the Division of Physical Biochemistry

that reflects the breadth of current instrumentation

at the MRC National Institute for Medical Research

development.

in 2005 (now part of the Francis Crick Institute).

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Joanne Etheridge.

Peter Rosenthal.

Sergei Kalinin.

Shirley Meng.

Shirley Meng, University of Chicago, USA Shirley is the Liew Family Professor at the Pritzker

at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences.

Research Alliance (ESRA), an innovation hub funded

Pre-congress Workshops

in 2024 by US Department of Energy, Office of

The congress kicks off with more than 20 different

Science.

pre-congress workshops taking place on 30 August

Sergei Kalinin, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA

at the University of Liverpool. All workshops will be

School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago. She is the director of Energy Storage

Sergei is a Weston Fulton chair professor at the

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Laboratory as a corporate fellow and group leader

running in parallel – which means it is only possible to attend one – so choose carefully!

University of Tennessee, Knoxville. From 2022 to

Covering a host of exciting topics and techniques

2023, he was a principal scientist at the Amazon

across the sciences, this is a great way to begin your

Grand Challenge (moon shot factory). Before

IMC21 experience in Liverpool - so be sure to book

then, he spent 20 years at Oak Ridge National

your place alongside your congress ticket. If you

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have already registered, you can add a pre-congress workshop to your existing booking by logging back into your online account.

Life Sciences workshops – Overview by Kerry Thompson

The Life Sciences pre-congress workshops at IMC21 are, for me, one of the most exciting parts of the entire programme. It is also a real privilege to see so many excellent colleagues from across the community leading these sessions, bringing both depth of expertise and a genuine commitment to sharing knowledge. They set the tone for the

Kerry Thompson.

meeting in a very real way: They are bringing people

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together early, creating space for discussion, and

complemented by sessions on digital pathology and

grounding the congress in the practical realities of

multiplexed analysis, which speak to the growing

how we design, acquire, and interpret imaging data.

importance of data-rich imaging and the need for

What stands out is the breadth of topics, but also

robust, scalable analytical frameworks. Equally, the

the deliberate focus on connecting technology to

pedagogy workshop is a real highlight: recognising

biological insight. These are not passive sessions;

that how we train, teach, and support the next

they are designed to encourage people to engage

generation of microscopists is just as critical as the

critically with both methods and data from the

technologies themselves.

outset.

More broadly, these workshops are about building

A number of workshops really highlight where the

confidence and capability across the community.

field is heading. The session on artefacts in electron

They provide an invaluable opportunity for early

microscopy for the life sciences is particularly

career researchers, in particular, to develop practical

important, not just from a technical perspective,

skills, ask questions in a supportive environment,

but in terms of scientific rigour and reproducibility.

and begin to establish networks that will carry

Understanding what we are looking at, and just as importantly what we are not looking at, is fundamental. Alongside this, the workshops focused on volume electron microscopy and X-ray imaging reflect the continued move towards multiscale,

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through the rest of the congress and beyond. At the same time, they create space for more experienced researchers and facility scientists to reflect on best practice, share expertise, and engage in the kinds of conversations that ultimately drive the field forward.

multimodal approaches that are reshaping how

For me, the Life Sciences pre-congress workshops

we interrogate biological systems. These are

really capture the spirit of IMC21, collaborative,

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forward-looking, and grounded in both technical excellence and biological relevance. They are an opportunity not just to learn new approaches, but to challenge assumptions, refine how we work, and set the agenda for the days that follow.

Physical Sciences Workshops With no fewer than 12 different Physical Science Workshops to choose from, there’s sure to be something to interest all our attendees.

All the latest developments in the field are represented here, with a diverse range of microscopy techniques covered - from time-resolved electron

• Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy: Learning Past, Present and Future Applications • The Fundamentals of Quantitative In-Situ liquid and In-situ Gas EM • Advances in Cryo-Electron Microscopy: Quantum Materials and Energy Storage • How EBSD can help to solve real-world problems and accelerate developments by Oxford Instruments • Electron Holography • Artificial Intelligence Methods for Microscopy Analysis and Knowledge Extraction

microscopy, cryo-electron microscopy and EBSD, to

• Atom Probe Tomography

Electron Holography, atom probe tomography and

• In-Situ Electrical Characterization in the TEM:

artificial intelligence analysis methods.

The full list of workshops is as follows:

Techniques and Applications • EMAG Workshop - Introduction to Python for electron microscopists

• From nanobeam to ptychography: 4D-STEM data acquisition, processing, and interpretation

• In-situ liquid electrochemical TEM

• Time-resolved Electron Microscopy

Book your workshop now!

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Early Career in Focus: The Young Scientist Assembly at IMC21 Overview by Demie Kepaptsoglou & Jordi Arbiol, Young Scientist Assembly Chairs Walking into a major international congress like the International Microscopy Congress can be an intimidating experience for an early career researcher. It’s easy to feel lost among thousands of delegates and the legendary names from textbooks

challenging, as the quality of the applications was excellent, but this overwhelming response highlights how much the early career researcher community values this dedicated space. The final 50 young scientists (PhD students and researchers within five years of their doctorate) were selected based on their scientific accomplishments and their IMC21 abstracts, while ensuring geographical and gender balance.We are proud to host a cohort representing 23 different countries, with delegates travelling from as far afield as Australia, Brazil, China, Saudi Arabia and the USA, alongside a strong European presence.

This diversity ensures that the assembly is a melting pot of ideas from every corner of the globe and every branch of microscopy.

Breaking Barriers Through Discussion To spark this new chapter in their careers, the programme features a series of inspiring lectures from leaders who have shaped the field.This year, we are particularly thrilled to include a session with Dr Jessica Wade, from Imperial College London, who will discuss her path towards becoming a science Demie Kepaptsoglou.

advocate and excelling in science outreach. In today’s academic landscape, the ability to communicate our work and advocate for science is an essential

or papers, and it is often daunting to approach a

skill. By listening to the personal experiences of

senior scientist you don’t know. The IFSM Young

established researchers from all around the world,

Scientist Assembly (YSA) exists to break this barrier

our delegates can see that success in science is

and help the next generation find their path in the global science community.

Established in 2018 for the IMC19 meeting in Sydney, Australia, the YSA is organised as a pre-meeting of IMC under the auspices of the International Federation of Societies for Microscopy (IFSM). The IFSM’s mission is to contribute to the advancement of microscopy in all its aspects worldwide, and this assembly is the primary platform for supporting the next generation.

The response to the 2026 IMC21 YSA has been incredible, with more than 100 applications for just 50 available places. The selection was really

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Jordi Arbiol.

rarely a straight line, helping to demystify the path

different walks of life and various career paths.

forward.

These are the friends who will become future

Beyond the lectures, the YSA features a roundtable format designed to facilitate open, honest

collaborators and, in turn, will eventually inspire the generations of scientists that follow them.

discussions. By sitting down with senior scientists in

We also believe in celebrating the beauty of our

a relaxed setting, the meeting aims to break the fear

work. Our Imaging Contest is a light-hearted

of the unknown and decrease the perceived distance

science-meets-art snippet, showcasing the beauty

between student and expert. Just as importantly, the

of the microscopic world and reminding us of that

YSA allows delegates to meet peers at the same

curiosity that first led us to see far beyond the

career level from all around the world, representing

reach of the naked eye.

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Discovering Liverpool Together

continue in academia, move into industry, or forge

The YSA is as much about community as it is about

a path in outreach, the connections made here are

science. Our social programme gives attendees an

the foundation of a lifelong network. We want you

overview of this historic city, featuring a live tour

to leave with the realisation that you aren’t just a

bus through Liverpool’s fascinating history and a

member of the microscopy community; you are its

celebratory dinner at the iconic Victoria Gallery &

future.

Museum. By the time the main Congress opens, we

This meeting was made possible thanks to the

hope that these 50 delegates aren’t just attendees;

support of the IFSM executive board, the Royal

they are friends and future colleagues, establishing a

Microscopical Society (RMS) and especially the

connection for the future.

support of Kate Wooding. We are also deeply

A Spark for the Future

grateful to all our invited guests and senior scientists who have generously used their own

Our hope is that the YSA does more than just help

time to come and share their experiences with the

you navigate a week in Liverpool; we hope it will

YSA attendees. Your mentorship is what makes this

be a catalyst for your future career. Whether you

assembly possible.

“The Next Generation – Embracing the Responsible AI Revolution” – speak to infocus at IMC21!

In terms of hot topics in microscopy, it’s fair to say

across the sciences – and infocus would like to

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is right up there, and it will

hear your answers!

be a recurring theme at IMC21.

Questions surrounding AI, its influence over

your contributions throughout IMC21, with the aim

the future of microscopy, and how it can best be

of including a special feature in our September issue.

incorporated into research, are many and various

Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash

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Members of our Editorial Board will be asking for

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Be sure to have your say on AI during the Congress!

Exhibition

“The exhibition is very much going to be at the heart of this year’s Congress, and our visitors are sure to have plenty to explore.”

RMS Chief Executive Sali Davis The IMC21 exhibition will provide a fantastic opportunity to network with local and international companies, catch up with old contacts, view demonstrations of the very latest equipment and technology, and much more!

In what promises to be this year’s biggest gathering of global microscopy manufacturers, a host of leading international companies will be showcasing their latest products and technologies.

More than 100 exhibitors have already signed up to be part of the showpiece exhibition at IMC21,

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and at the time of publication, a limited number of exhibition stands were still available – but going fast! (book online).

RMS Chief Executive Sali Davis said: “We would like to thank all our exhibitors and sponsors for supporting IMC21. The exhibition is very much going to be at the heart of this year’s Congress, and thanks to the response from so many companies, our visitors are sure to have plenty to explore.”

Liverpool Experience Campus (LEX) has great

A full list of companies and other exhibitors taking

transport links as well as being a short distance

part in the IMC21 Exhibition can be found here.

from a large number of hotels, restaurants, shops and bars. The full address is King’s Dock, Port of

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Liverpool Experience (LEX) Campus – An award-winning venue

Liverpool, Kings Dock Street, Liverpool L3 4FP, UK.

IMC21 is being held at Liverpool Experience

ensures that the conference and exhibition space,

Campus (the new name for ACC Liverpool), a

plus all associated facilities, are within very close

purpose-built arena and convention centre in the

proximity for delegates to have a great experience

heart of Liverpool on the King’s Dock.

at IMC21.

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Voted best UK Convention Centre seven times, the venue boasts a modern, integrated design which

s o c i a l events have also been organised to enable delegates to connect, relax and unwind in an informal atmosphere.

Here’s what to look forward to:

The congress will be taking place in Hall 2 and the meeting rooms (coloured yellow in the building plan on the opposite page); the exhibition will fill Halls A, B and C (shown in blue).

The LEX’s central location in Liverpool means everything is within walking distance, however, the venue is also well served by great public transport links and motorway networks. The city’s main railway station (Lime Street) is just a 20-minute

Young Scientist Assembly (YSA/ECR) Excursion and Dinner Date: 29 August 2026 The

IFSM Young

Scientist Assembly

recognised for their achievements and the quality of their IMC21 abstract submissions. The YSA/ECR programme includes an excursion and dinner on Saturday 29 August 2026, followed by a full-day meeting on Sunday 30 August 2026.

walk or a five- minute taxi ride away.

Welcome Reception

The venue boasts three on-site hotels and an array

Date: 30 August 2026

of amenities close by.

(YSA/

ECR) brings together 50 early-career scientists

Network with colleagues from around the world

Social Events and networking

and introduce yourself to the wider world of

There will certainly be no shortage of networking

Date: 2 September 2026

opportunities at IMC21, and a number of official

microscopy at the welcome reception.

Gala Dinner The gala dinner will be taking place inside the conference centre and will include a drinks reception and entertainment. This is always a memorable highlight of IMC, providing the perfect opportunity to catch up with friends and colleagues in an informal setting.

You can add a gala dinner ticket to your booking when registering online - or you can update an existing booking by logging back into your online account. Spaces at the gala dinner are limited, so early booking is advised to avoid disappointment.

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Explore Liverpool!

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The city is an iconic and exciting events destination

“The city of Liverpool is rich in culture and history. It’s a very affordable and safe location for international travellers and everything is within walking distance of the conference centre.”- Nigel Browning

rich in heritage, culture, music and sport. A walkable,

Since being named the European Capital of Culture

Many notable attractions are also within a 15-minute

in 2008, Liverpool has regenerated into a world-

walk of the convention centre. These include: the

class destination with a dynamic reputation.

Grade 1-listed Royal Albert Dock, home to Tate

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compact city, Liverpool offers delegates a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in a welcoming, vibrant and diverse atmosphere.

The city is centrally located in the UK, and with a population of 1.38 million, it is the fifth-largest city in the country. Liverpool was voted the UK’s friendliest city by readers of Condé Nast and placed in Rough Guide’s top three cities in the world to visit. Liverpudlians are known for their warm welcome and their great sense of humour!

Liverpool City Region has more than enough to appeal to delegates looking for culture, sports, culinary experiences, the outdoors, music and the arts. Congress delegates will be able to book tours through an award-winning travel and tour operator.

From day trips within the city to exploring further afield, a tour is a brilliant way to discover more about Liverpool’s unique culture and heritage.

Liverpool, The Beatles Story, Liverpool ONE shopping centre and the famous Mersey ferry terminal. A diverse range of cafes and restaurants are also close by.

Getting to Liverpool – and other Information for International Delegates With two international airports within a 45-minute drive and high-speed rail service from London in just over two hours, it has also never been easier to get to Liverpool.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport features low-cost and charter flights to and from domestic, European and other international destinations. Alternatively, Manchester Airport, just 45 minutes away, brings even more international destinations within reach.

The city is very well served by the rail and bus networks, and a taxi from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to the conference centre takes around 20 minutes. A taxi from Liverpool Lime Street, the city’s main rail station, takes just five minutes.

Visit

our

International

Delegates

page

for

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further information on transport and travel, visa

bursaries of up to £50 to help those planning to

requirements and registration.

attend the IMC21 exhibition.

Find out more and apply on the bursaries webpage.

Bursaries A limited number of bursaries are still available for those attending IMC21, including: Congress Bursaries – Available to those who have submitted an IMC21 Congress abstract. As a limited bursary fund, awards will be made on a firstcome-first-served basis. IMC21 bursaries are open to both RMS members and non-members.

Care and Support Grants - We are pleased to announce that we are piloting a Care and Support Grant scheme for IMC21.These grants are designed to help with the additional caring or childcare costs that are incurred when trying to attend a conference.

Exhibition Day Visitor Bursaries - Although it is free to attend the IMC21 exhibition, the Royal

Accommodation You’ve booked your ticket, so now it’s time to get your accommodation sorted!

A range of great hotels are located within a short walk of the convention centre, and you can take advantage of the exclusive rates offered to congress delegates and exhibitors by booking online through Liverpool Convention Bureau.

Liverpool Convention Bureau is our official IMC21 accommodation booking provider and we strongly advise you to book your accommodation through this service.

IMC21’s official headquarters hotel is Pullman Liverpool.

Microscopical Society understand that funding your

Keep updated in the lead-up to IMC21

travel to events can be difficult. For this reason,

by visiting our official website:

the RMS are offering a number of day visitor travel

www.imc.org.uk

We’ll see you in Liverpool!

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IMC21 The 21st International Microscopy Congress

31 August - 4 September 2026, Liverpool, UK Pre-Congress Events 30 August 2026

Connect globally.

Discover science.

Experience Liverpool

Find out more

© Visit Liverpool

Calendar We are very pleased to continue offering a range of ‘in-person’ and virtual events, in order to maximise accessibility and provide opportunities to those who might not otherwise be able to attend.

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.

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

2026 June 7 – 12

Signaling by Adhesion Receptors GRC 2026, (RMS sponsored event), New Hampshire, USA

18

Thermo Fisher Scientific - Accessing cryo-EM services with Instruct-ERIC, Online (RMS-hosted event)

23 – 25 AFM & SPM 2026, Leeds, UK 30 June – 1 July Light Microscopy Summer School 2026, York, UK POSTPONED

July

2–6

Getting the most from your Confocal Course 2026,York, UK POSTPONED

6 – 10

Flow Cytometry Course 2026,York, UK

7–8

Premier European meeting of the Society of Biomolecular Imaging and Informatics (SBI2), (RMS sponsored event), cambridge, UK The Advanced Materials Show, (RMS Affiliate event) Birmingham, UK

12 – 16 Synergy of Science, Institute of Physics (RMS sponsored event), Glasgow, UK

Microscopy & Microanalysis, (RMS attending), Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

17 – 21 Workshop on Stereology, (RMS affiliate event), Bern, Switzerland 31 August – 4 September IMC21, Liverpool, UK

September 30

Microscopy: Advances, Innovation, Impact 2026 - incorporating the RMS AGM & Section AGMs, London, UK (and online)

October 12

2–3

8–9

August

BioImagingUK 2026 Meeting, (RMS attending), London, UK

November 12

flowcytometryUK 2026, Cambridge, UK

24 – 27 32nd Annual New Zealand Microscopy Conference, (RMS sponsored event), Wellington, New Zealand

December 3–4

Virtual European Flow Core Meeting 2026, Online

For further information on all these events, please visit our Event Calendar at www.rms.org.uk 26

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

Featured RMS events Thermo Fisher Scientific - Accessing cryo-EM services with Instruct-ERIC 18 June, Online (RMS-hosted event) Single particle analysis (SPA) has become one of the most powerful approaches in structural biology, helping researchers resolve macromolecular structures at near-atomic resolution and accelerate discovery across drug development, virology, neuroscience, cell biology, and beyond.

But while structural biology can accelerate your research and provide unique molecular insights, accessing the technologies required can be a very significant barrier to access for new or occasional users. Instruct-ERIC, the panEuropean research infrastructure, resolves this issue by offering funded access to cutting-edge

structural biology tools.

In this webinar, we will detail how Instruct-ERIC can help you add structural biology techniques to your research toolkit.

Learn how to access cryo-EM and sample preparation services across Europe with Instruct-ERIC Discover from Lefteris Zarkadas, facility manager at IBS, Grenoble how an Instruct-ERIC cryo-EM experiment runs Hear the user’s perspective from José María de Pereda, CSIC, Salamanca about their experiences with Instruct-ERIC Gain the knowledge and confidence to start planning your next - or first - adventure in structural biology.

Flow Cytometry Course 2026

modules selected.

6 - 10 July, York UK

The modules consist of lectures interspersed with sessions in the laboratory. It is anticipated that instruments from two manufacturers will be available for practical work.

This Flow Cytometry Course is aimed at both clinical applications and applications in cell biology, with the common fundamentals covered on days one and two. The course then splits into clinical applications and applications in cell biology streams, from practical demonstrations to lectures highlighting not just the applications, but best practise as well.

The course is constructed as a set of three modules.You can elect to attend the course from between two to five days, depending on the

This course is open to all and is suitable for those who are relatively new to flow cytometry and who wish to expand their experience with applications and specific analysis.

A trade exhibition will be held at this event on Wednesday 8 July, if you are interested in exhibiting please contact Jess Cole.

27

Featured RMS events Microscopy & Microanalysis 2026

The Royal Microscopical Society (RMS) will

2 - 6 August, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA (RMS attending)

be attending this event to promote our wide

The M&M 2026 conference is the largest scientific meeting and gathering of microscopy and microanalysis professionals, academics, technicians, students and exhibitors in the world. Microscopy & Microanalysis will provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of a wide range of microscopy and microanalysis techniques and their application to the biological and physical sciences.

Microscopy: Advances, Innovation, Impact 2026 - incorporating the RMS AGM & Section AGMs 30 September, London, UK (and online) The RMS Annual General Meetings (AGMs) will take place on Wednesday 30 September

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ranging activities in support of microscopy, imaging and flow cytometry. We are grateful for the opportunity to support this community event and look forward to discussing the benefits of RMS membership with attendees.

Please visit our stand to find out more about the RMS, and discover what we have to offer both new and existing members – and the scientific community as a whole!

2026. This will be a hybrid event.

This meeting will be the 8th one-day meeting in the Microscopy: Advances, Innovation, Impact series, having previously taken place in 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024.

R E P O RT

Focus on Microscopy 2026 29th March – 1st April 2026 Stockholm, Sweden

A

scientific conference in Stockholm is special. No, not because of ABBA, but because the city is the home of the Nobel Prize. I spent an afternoon perusing the objects donated to the Nobel Prize Museum by laureates, where optics and microscopy are very well represented. A highlight was Osamu Shimomura’s fishing net he used to catch the jellyfish from which green fluorescent protein (GFP) was isolated. I also came across Stefan Hell’s copy of the book ‘The Quantum Theory of Light’, a slightly surreal moment having attended his keynote presentation just the day before.

Stefan Hell delivered a particularly disruptive talk, unveiling a new “inverse” approach to super‑resolution microscopy in which imaging is performed using a focused light field with a central diffraction minimum rather than a maximum. He boldly claimed that the method was not limited by diffraction and would outperform any existing detection strategy. FRET, he said, was “dead”. The remarks might have been designed to ruffle feathers, but the creativity was unmistakable, and history tells us that many transformative ideas were met with scepticism at first airing. Time will tell.

Stefan was not the only highlight and Focus on Microscopy continues to be a forum not only for optical developments but also for advances in image analysis. In 2026, this inevitably included the growing incorporation of artificial intelligence. I particularly enjoyed the keynote lecture from Carolina Wählby on image processing and AI to map tissue organisation, as well as several dedicated parallel sessions covering tools enabling image segmentation, object tracking, and feature classification. It was also motivating to hear about the major investment the Wallenberg Foundation is making in Sweden’s

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bioimaging research community.

This year, I was joined at Focus on Microscopy by my colleagues from the bioimaging and biophotonics community at Guy’s Campus, King’s College London – all of whom presented in different capacities. This provided an opportunity to showcase the breadth of a long-standing collaboration between the labs of Simon Ameer-Beg, Simon Poland, and Siân Culley.

The work presented spanned fast fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM), tomographic FLIM, and dual view light sheet microscopy.

I presented a poster on a new AI methodology that enables transfer learning to be applied to the typically limited datasets found in biological and medical research. We hope this will lower the barrier to using deep learning for tasks such as identifying drug-resistant cancer cells. Although this was my first time presenting on a computational topic, I received great feedback and had plenty of stimulating discussions during the busy poster session and afterwards.

Our work fitted well with emerging themes from the programme this year, which included a push toward

researchers and company representatives – none of us from the same country. For me, this perfectly captured the diverse and welcoming nature of the conference, bringing together people of different backgrounds and career stages.

This year’s organisers, Ilaria Testa and Francesca Pennacchietti from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, did a fantastic job in coordinating this edition of Focus on Microscopy. And, as ever, appreciation goes to Mariska Timmers who tirelessly orchestrates the conference every year. Without Mariska, and the yearly committees, this conference would not be possible.

extracting more information beyond intensity, alongside continued efforts to image faster and at larger scales. For example, Gail McConnell’s group at Strathclyde are combining FRET with mesoscale microscopy to enable functional imaging at the millimetre scale. There was also a trend towards embedding AI into imaging pipelines and addressing the practical limitations of its deployment.

The conference concluded with a gala dinner at the museum of modern art, offering panoramic views across the island‑city of Stockholm. I had the pleasure of sharing a table with Carolina Wählby, Hans Gerritsen (scientific programme head of Focus on Microscopy), and a mix of post‑doctoral

Focus on Microscopy alternates between Europe and Asia, helping to maintain diversity in the delegation and foster a truly global community of imaging scientists. Next year’s meeting will take place in another special location: Osaka, Japan. As a global centre of optical manufacturing – home to companies such as Nikon, Olympus, and Hamamatsu – Japan has long been a pillar of the microscopy community, and I’m sure this rich history will be reflected in the exhibition. For anyone needing a reason to attend the conference for the first time, a trip to Osaka may well be it.

My thanks go to the Royal Microscopical Society for their financial support in attending this conference.

The continued support of societies such as the RMS makes it possible for students and early career researchers to engage with a wider scientific community and gain experience presenting on an international platform.

Tommy Pallett Postdoctoral Research Fellow Comprehensive Cancer Centre, King’s College London, UK

31

RMS Section Awardwinners announced!

We are delighted to announce the latest winners of the RMS Section Awards, celebrating outstanding scientific achievements in the field of microscopy.

These prestigious awards are bestowed every two years by each of the Society’s Scientific Committees, covering all areas of microscopy, imaging and flow cytometry.

RMS President Peter O’Toole said: “As always, it is a privilege to announce our latest award-winners, who have all made outstanding contributions to their various scientific fields.

“Each winner has been chosen by one of our Scientific Committees - or ‘Sections’ - which represent all branches of microscopy, imaging and flow cytometry. As such, these awards are about receiving recognition from others working in the same field - which means an enormous amount for the recipients.

“The nominations were of exceptional quality and our committees certainly had a difficult job making their final decisions. My warmest congratulations go to all our winners.”

The latest winners are as follows:

Award for AFM & SPM

His work has transformed AFM from a predominantly manual characterisation technique into an AI/MLpowered,

hypothesis-driven,

theory-in-the-loop

scientific instrument capable of autonomously uncovering new nanoscale physical phenomena.

Dr Yongtao Liu - Center for Nanophase Materials

Yongtao has introduced new experimental paradigms

Science at Oak Ridge National Laboratory,TN, USA

in AFM, enabling AFM experiments to adapt in real

Yongtao, who is currently based at the Center for Nanophase Materials Science at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has made major advances in AI/MLenabled automated and autonomous atomic force microscopy, fundamentally reshaping how AFM experiments are conceived and executed.

32

Yongtao Liu.

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

time, dynamically selecting measurement locations, modes, and parameters in response to emerging physical insight rather than relying on predefined experimental scripts. This represents a significant methodological advance in AFM. His work has culminated in the development of

AEcroscopy, a

software–hardware

framework

that enables automated and autonomous AFM experimentation with Agentic AI–enabled control.

AEcroscopy does not merely increase experimental throughput; rather, it redefines the role of AFM as an active participant in scientific discovery.

Beyond individual scientific contributions,Yongtao is also an internationally recognised leader within the AFM community. His publications are widely cited and have become reference points for researchers developing next-generation AFM methodologies, helping to establish best practice in automated and machine-learning-enabled microscopy.

He has given extensive invited presentations, including keynote talks, at major international conferences and institutions, and has contributed significantly to organizing symposia and workshops

Ignacio Arganda-Carreras.

in advanced and autonomous microscopy.

the application of deep and machine learning to

Through

the

mentorship

of

postdoctoral

researchers, visiting scholars, and students, he has also made a significant contribution to the training of the next generation of scanning probe microscopists.

bioimage analysis, and has created several Fiji plugins that have been extensively used by the community, and still serve as a solid build for other software developers.

He has more than 87,200 citations for his research work, classifying him as first worldwide for the “bioimage analysis” tag.

Award for Data Analysis in Imaging (DAIM) Dr Ignacio Arganda-Carreras - University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Biofisika Institute, DIPC and Ikerbasque

Ignacio is an Ikerbasque Research Associate Professor affiliated with the Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at UPV/ EHU, located in Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain. He is also associated with the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) and the Biofisika Institute.

For many years, Ignacio has been at the forefront of developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI)

processing package, he has made huge contributions

Alan Agar Award for Electron Microscopy

to the bio-image analysis community. His research

Dr Laura Niermann - Technische Universität

lab specialises in image processing and machine

Berlin

applications to bioimaging. As one of the founders of Fiji, a globally renowned open-source image

learning, with a primary focus on developing opensource computer vision methods tailored for biomedical images.

Ignacio has trained numerous researchers in

As

an

at

the Technische

independent

early-career Universität

researcher

Berlin, Laura

is a central figure in the emerging field of computational

microscopy.

She

has

made

33

Award for Life Sciences

Dr Adam Tyson – University College London Adam is Head Research Engineer and Head of the Neuroinformatics Unit at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour and Gatsby

Computational

Neuroscience

Unit,

University College London, UK He is the co-founder and lead of the BrainGlobe Initiative, and has made significant contributions to the field of neuroscience.

The BrainGlobe Initiative is an ecosystem of tools that help neurobiologists, microscopists, and imaging scientists to understand their data in the accurate neuroanatomical context. In recent years, digital high-resolution 3D brain atlases have been produced for several model organisms providing an invaluable resource for the research community.

Laura Niermann.

significant contributions to the research areas of dynamical diffraction and 4D-STEM, specifically regarding the reconstruction of 3D strain fields.

Laura’s research addresses a key challenge in electron microscopy: extracting depth-resolved strain information. So far, information along the beam direction has been inaccessible due to the tensorial nature of the strain field. She has established that this information is encoded in dynamical diffraction data, and that 3D strain fields can therefore be investigated from 4D-STEM datasets acquired from a single orientation of the specimen.

In her latest work,Laura achieved a major breakthrough by demonstrating the reconstruction of a strain field along the beam direction. She accomplished this by the numerical inversion of strain-induced dynamical diffraction effects from experimental data.

To further advance her research, the German

Adam Tyson.

Research Foundation (DFG) recently awarded her funding to establish her own Emmy Noether Junior

Effective use of these atlases depends on the

Research Group.

availability of an application programming interface (API) that enables researchers to develop software to access and query atlas data. However, while

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some atlases come with an API, these are generally

application,

specific for individual atlases, and this hinders

Ultrastructure Expansion Microscopy (U-ExM) and

the development and adoption of open-source

its derivatives, including cryo-ExM and iU-ExM.

neuroanatomy software. The BrainGlobe Atlas API overcomes this problem by providing a common interface for programmers to download and process data across a variety of model organisms.

and

broad

dissemination

of

As co-leaders of the CentrioleLab at the University of Geneva, their work has focused on extending the capabilities of light microscopy to resolve cellular architecture such as centrioles at the nanoscale.

By adopting the Atlas API, software can then be

A major objective of their research has been to

developed agnostic to the atlas, increasing adoption

bridge the longstanding resolution gap between

and interoperability of packages in neuroscience and

fluorescence

enabling direct integration of different experimental

microscopy in light of understanding organelle

modalities and even comparisons across model

architecture. They were among the first to

organisms.

recognise that expansion microscopy could be

light

microscopy

and

electron

adapted to faithfully preserve cellular ultrastructure, enabling nanoscale imaging using conventional light

Award for Light Microscopy Prof. Paul Guichard and Dr. Virginie Hamel – University of Geneva

microscopes.

They have applied and refined U-ExM across a broad range of biological systems, including human cells1,4–6, parasites such as Toxoplasma, Trypanosoma,

and

Plasmodium7–9,

yeast10,

Together, Paul and Virginie have made significant

plankton11, and diverse tissues including retina12

contributions to the development, validation,

and glioblastoma samples in collaboration with

Paul Guichard and Virginie Hamel.

35

clinicians13.These studies illustrated how expansion

describing the collective excitations of the spin

microscopy can uncover ultrastructural principles

structure of magnetic solids.

that were previously accessible only by electron microscopy,

Demie has spearheaded collaborations in theoretical and computational work, successfully making use of

Building on this foundation, they developed cryo-

the Royal Society’s International Exchanges scheme

ExM, combining cryo-fixation with expansion

to establish work with Prof. Ján Rusz’s group at

microscopy via established freeze-substitution

Uppsala University in Sweden. This approach led to

workflows

now-seminal theoretical papers.

used

in

electron

microscopy14.

This approach significantly improves structural preservation artefacts,

and

minimizes

demonstrating

that

fixation-induced high-resolution

fluorescence imaging can be achieved alongside near-native ultrastructural preservation.

She has worked exhaustively to develop acquisition and data processing procedures to produce convincing spectral peaks as well as dispersion curves matching calculated response characteristics and even demonstrated the potential for spatially resolved mapping.

Award for Innovation in Applied Microscopy for Engineering, Physical and Material Sciences (EPMS)

Demie’s collaborative work spans a vast range

Dr Demie Kepaptsoglou – University of York

lecturing at international training schools, leading

We are very pleased to announce Dr Demie

activities (5,000 site visitors), and organising

Kepaptsoglou as winner of the RMS Award for Innovation in Applied Microscopy for Engineering,

of other applications across chemistry, physics, engineering materials science, and earth science.

Remarkably, she has accomplished these feats while also teaching at York, supervising PhDs, the SuperSTEM Daresbury Lab open day outreach symposia and conferences.

Physical and Material Sciences (EPMS).

Demie is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Physics, Engineering and Technology at the University of York, and also the Deputy Director of SuperSTEM, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) National Research Facility for Advanced Electron Microscopy. She has made outstanding contributions to physics and materials science using electron microscopy.

In the last few years Demie has created an entirely new field of research in the form of magnon spectroscopy in the scanning transmission electron microscope. She launched this new direction in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic through an ambitious EPSRC New Horizons project, with the aim of developing electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) at ultrahigh energy resolution (<10 meV) to detect and spatially resolve these quasiparticles

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Demie Kepaptsoglou.

Dr Oliver Burton receives the RMS Award for Flow Cytometry We are very pleased to announce Dr Oliver Burton as winner of the RMS Flow Cytometry Award.

Oliver has been a senior scientist at the University of Cambridge since 2023, assisting with research in the Liston-Dooley lab on topics such as regulatory T cell biology, neuroinflammation and T cell trafficking to tissues. In recent years, he has focused on technical development for the lab, sharing technical knowhow and tips for cytometry via an informal blog.

Flow cytometry has been central to Oliver’s research programme. He has consistently applied high-parameter cytometry approaches to dissect complex immune populations, enabling detailed characterisation of T cell subsets, regulatory networks, and tissue-resident immune cells. His studies have combined rigorous experimental design with advanced multiparameter analysis, contributing to high-quality, reproducible datasets that have informed both basic immunology and translational research.

Oliver has contributed to the wider adoption of robust cytometry practices within his research environment. His work exemplifies how flow cytometry can be effectively integrated with complementary approaches, including in vivo models and molecular immunology, to address biologically meaningful questions. Through his publications and collaborations, he has helped demonstrate the value of cytometry as a core tool in modern immunological research.

Oliver is recognised as a collaborative scientist who actively engages with multidisciplinary teams.

His work has contributed to several high-impact immunology studies, and he continues to support the development of early-career researchers

Oliver Burton.

and cytometrists through supervision, talks and tutorials with the flow cytometry community.

While his primary identity is as an immunologist rather than a technology developer, Oliver represents an important category of cytometry users whose work drives the field forward through application, innovation in experimental design, and biological discovery.

37

Dr Melina Schuh to receive RMS Pearse Prize The RMS is very pleased to announce Dr Melina Schuh as the latest recipient of the Pearse Prize – a prestigious international honour in the field of histochemistry and life sciences.

Melina is a ground-breaking biochemist known for her studies on how chromosome segregation errors occur during the meiotic divisions of mammalian eggs, and what causes the age-related decline in female fertility.

She is currently Director of the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences in Göttingen, Germany, where she heads the Department of Meiosis. Her laboratory has developed a new method for acute degradation of endogenous proteins called Trim-Away. She has also revealed the cause of spindle instability in human oocytes, and discovered how mRNAs and proteins are stored in oocytes for the early embryo.

Melina is co-founder of Ovo Labs, a biotech startup developing therapies to combat egg-quality decline and chromosomal

errors in human oocytes. She is also an honorary professor at the University of Göttingen.

Melina obtained her PhD in 2008 at the University of Heidelberg and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), where she established methods for high-resolution microscopy of live mouse oocytes in the group of Jan Ellenberg. In 2009 she became a group leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), where her group carried out the first studies of meiosis in live human oocytes and developed strategies for high-content screens for meiotic genes in mammals.

Melina is a member of the Leopoldina and the EMBO and has received multiple awards and accolades, including the Leibniz Prize, the EMBO Gold Medal, and the European Young Investigator Award.

About the Pearse Prize

The Pearse Prize was established by the RMS Histochemistry and Cytochemistry Section (now Life Sciences) in 1982 to honour the contribution made to histochemistry by Professor AGE Pearse.

The prize is awarded to a scientist who has made a significant contribution to histochemistry and life sciences and is still active in their field.

It is typically awarded every four or five years (and not more frequently than every two years) and only when it is felt there is a suitable candidate. It is generally regarded as one of the international honours in histochemistry and the life sciences, with an emphasis on microscopy.

Melina Schuh.

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Journal of

Microscopy 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.

You can read the latest Early View papers online at www.journalofmicroscopy.org They include: ORIGINAL ARTICLE

REVIEW ARTICLE

Global survey of Flow Cytometry core facilities 2021

Closer to the native state: Sandwich freezing and freeze-substitution of microorganisms, cultured cells, and animal and plant tissues for electron microscopy

Jessica B Back, Alexander Scott, Zhenxi Guo, Masilamani Elangovan, Kirk J. Czymmek, Peter O’Toole, Derek Davies Two surveys were conducted of international core facilities that focused on Microscopy and

Masashi Yamaguchi, Katsuyuki Uematsu, Toshikatsu Kuramoto, Shinichi

Flow Cytometry for an in-depth snapshot of the

Ohno, Hiroji Chibana, Azusa Takahashi-

landscape. Here we focus on the Flow Cytometry

Nakaguchi

survey which had 148 respondents across ‘The

Since the invention of the electron microscope,

Americas’, ‘Asia Pacific’ and ‘Europe and Africa’.

morphologists

A variety of subjects were covered, including

techniques to visualise the native ultrastructure of

instrument types and quantities, staffing, fees and

biological cells and tissues. Although conventional

funding, and specific questions related to COVID response. Broadly, the global trends were similar but there were some geographical differences notably in staff to machine ratio and funding models. As this serves as a baseline for longitudinal studies, we will

have

developed

numerous

chemical fixation followed by room temperature dehydration remains widely used, it often fails to preserve native structures, leading to distortion and leakage of cellular components. In contrast, cryofixation combined with freeze substitution offers a superior alternative, producing micrographs

be able to use these data to follow trends across all

that more accurately reflect native ultrastructure.

metrics in the future as facilities and technologies

We have developed a ‘sandwich freezing method’

evolve.

for rapid cryofixation, in which small biological

39

We

recommend

the

routine

application of the sandwich freezing– freeze substitution technique to achieve ultrastructural preservation that is as close to the native state as possible in electron microscopy.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE Open access

Making the invisible visible: A global examination of careers and recognition for Imaging Scientists in core facilities Kerry Thompson, Johanna

40

specimens are placed between two copper disks,

Bischof, Yara Reis, Constadina

rapidly frozen by plunging into melting propane

Arvanitis, Olubunmi A. Balogun, Claire

cooled with liquid nitrogen, then freeze-substituted

M. Brown, Mariana De Niz, Marcela

in acetone containing osmium tetroxide at low

Díaz, Lize Engelbrecht, Eunice Fabian-

temperature, and finally embedded in epoxy resin.

Morales, Elnaz Fazeli, Georgina

This technique yields exquisitely preserved, near-

Fletcher, Adan Guerrero, Michelle

native ultrastructure in living microorganisms

S. Itano, Eleanor Kable, Gregory T.

and plant tissues. For cultured cells and animal

Kitten, Shinya Komoto, Xiaoxiao Ma, Peter

tissues, prefixation with glutaraldehyde prior to

John O’Toole, Andreia Pinto, Cora

sandwich freezing results in even more native-

Noemi Pollak, Clara Prats, Joanna W.

like preservation compared to specimens frozen

Pylvänäinen, James Douglas Riches, Jean

without fixation. We propose that glutaraldehyde

Salamero, Virginia Silio, Stefan

prefixation prevents the immediate distortion and

Terjung, Sophie Winter, Graham Daniel

ultrastructural changes that occur upon removal

Wright, Lisa Yen, Antje Keppler

of cells and tissues from their culture medium or

Imaging facilities underpin a growing share of

host organism. Importantly, glutaraldehyde rapidly

modern life-science research, yet the career

immobilises cellular components without altering

conditions and scholarly recognition of the Imaging

cellular architecture.

Scientists in core facilities who design, deliver, and

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

interpret imaging research remain uneven. This

and training), and ensuring that institutions, funders,

mismatch has previously been shown to risk loss of

publishers, and research teams share responsibility

expertise, reduced service quality, and weaken long-

for fair and consistent credit.

term sustainability of shared research capabilities.

To provide an evidence base for practical change, we synthesise findings from two complementary international community surveys run by Global BioImaging: a ‘Top 5’ survey on career development and job conditions (>290 responses spanning 43 countries) and an ‘authorship and acknowledgement’ survey examining how publication credit is assigned for imaging-related contributions of core facility

INVITED REVIEW - Open access

Advancing collagen-related pathology assessment through second-harmonic generation imaging Jackson Rodrigues, Manikanth Karnati, Gagan Raju, Edwin Pious, Ankur

staff (>330 responses spanning 43 countries).

Gogoi, Guan-Yu Zhuo, Nirmal

Across both surveys, respondents consistently link

Mazumder, Fu-Jen Kao

limited recognition to constrained career prospects.

Collagen remodelling and dysregulation are the

The career survey highlights recurring bottlenecks

hallmarks of diverse pathological conditions. In this

around progression routes, job stability and

context, second-harmonic generation (SHG) imaging

attractiveness, access to professional development,

has emerged as a powerful label-free modality for

and the day-to-day consequences of being perceived

assessing collagen. This offers submicron resolution,

primarily as service providers rather than scientific

intrinsic optical sectioning, and deeper imaging

partners. The authorship and acknowledgement

capabilities without the need for exogenous agents.

survey documents substantial variability in credit

Additionally, polarisation-resolved SHG (P-SHG)

practices across facilities, disciplines, and regions,

further enhances orientation-sensitive information

with many respondents reporting uncertainty about

on

expectations, difficulty initiating credit discussions,

elucidation of subtle structural alterations that are

and concerns about bias and power dynamics.Taken

often invisible to conventional imaging techniques.

together, the results suggest a reinforcing cycle:

This nonlinear technique has demonstrated utility

inconsistent credit reduces visibility and leverage

in diagnosing diseases, particularly in assessing

for Imaging Scientists in core facilities, which in

tumour progression, where collagen remodelling

turn entrenches fragile career pathways and inhibits

is correlated with disease severity and prognosis.

retention.

Furthermore, quantitative image analysis, using

collagen

architecture. This

enables

the

targeted,

metrics such as fibre density, orientation, anisotropy,

Recommendations

and alignment, provides objective measures of

focus on defining career paths that match facility

collagen remodelling. P-SHG complements these

roles, aligning evaluation with the full range of

analyses by enabling the retrieval of molecular

facility outputs (including methods, data, software,

susceptibility ratios (e.g. χ33/χ31), degrees of

We

translate

these

stakeholder-specific

findings

actions.

into

41

accompanied by explainable AI/ML-driven

quantification,

which will improve diagnostic precision, and

reproducibility,

clinical

adoption.

Ultimately, the convergence of optical innovation, deep learning, and translational engineering will lead to the establishment of collagen pathology

assessment

through SHG and P-SHG as reliable, accessible tools for diverse clinical applications.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

polarisation (DOLP), and orientation distribution functions,

42

yielding

more

profound

insights

Optimisation of EDS quantitative f-ratio method via ZAF correction Jiayi Chen, Yue Sun, Liujia Tian, Yiling

into the fibrillar ultrastructure and molecular

Huang, Xuemei Song, Fan Peng, Wei

organisation. These quantitative descriptors are

Zheng, Yi Zeng

being increasingly integrated into clinically relevant

This study investigates the f-ratio quantitative

feature extraction methods. The incorporation

method applicable to Cold Field Emission Scanning

of these features in artificial intelligence (AI)

Electron Microscope/Energy Dispersive X-Ray

methods has enhanced SHG-based pathological

Spectroscopy (CFE-SEM/EDS) systems. To address

assessment. AI-driven models can automatically

the issue of cumbersome calculations arising from

classify tissues, detect pathological patterns, and

the reliance on real-time simulation in traditional

correlate the collagen microstructure with clinical

f-ratio methods, this study proposes an efficient

outcomes, addressing the bottleneck of manual

strategy of ‘preset curve + ZAF correction’.

interpretation and enhancing reproducibility. Future

This method employs pre-constructed ‘f-ratio vs.

perspectives highlight the integration of SHG and

concentration’ models for individual elements

P-SHG with deep-tissue multiphoton imaging,

derived from standard samples to substitute the

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

traditional real-time simulation of the unknown

benefits, such as rapid technical support, resource

sample, and introduces ZAF factors to effectively

sharing, and informal mentorship.

compensate for matrix effects, thereby achieving quantitative analysis of unknown samples with matrix differences. An iterative approach was implemented to resolve the challenge of determining the absorption parameter (x), which arises due to the unknown concentration of the unknown sample.

F-ratio models were established based on the P–In,

METHODS AND PROTOCOLS Open Access

Transmission electron microscopy characterisation of Spirulina bioplastics

As–Ga, S–Zn, Se–Cd, and S–Fe systems. Quantitative

Sourena Azidhak, Douglas J. Taatjes, Ian

f-ratio analysis was subsequently performed on

R. Campbell, Eleftheria Roumeli, Linda S.

the binary system As–In and Se–Zn, as well as the

Schadler

ternary system S–As–Fe. The results demonstrate

Plastic pollution is impacting global ecosystem

that the ZAF correction f-ratio method achieves

health. Bioplastics made from unprocessed biomass,

satisfactory precision.

including whole or fragmented tissues, are one potential solution. They are biodegradable and

INVITED REVIEW

exhibit

competitive

mechanical

performance.

Open Access

Seaweed and microalgae have gained popularity

Strengthening research infrastructure through local networks of light microscopy facilities

over the last decade as bioplastic feedstocks due

Ann Wheeler, Dale A Moulding Light

microscopy

core

facilities

are

widely

established in research institutions, providing access to advanced instrumentation with expert guidance. Centralising technology and expertise within these facilities improves research output, fosters collaboration between research groups and reduces costs through resource consolidation. As core facilities proliferate, national and international networks have emerged that facilitate global knowledge exchange. Here we examine the benefits of establishing local networks of light microscopy facility staff. These small networks complement their larger, formal counterparts by creating a sense

to their abundance and ease of cultivation. To grasp the complexity of transforming biomatter into bioplastics and to optimise their performance, it is essential to develop processing–structure–property relationships. Transmission electron microscopy can be used to observe the morphology of bioplastics; however, current infiltration techniques are designed for biomaterials in their natural state, and harsh reagents can cause artefacts in bioplastic structure.

This paper examines four different fixation methods for Spirulina bioplastics and investigates the impact of fixative, contrasting, dehydration, and resin embedding on Spirulina ultrastructure before and after bioplastic transformation. Our study suggests that the key to preserving bioplastic morphology is to prepare the specimen for electron microscopy by exposing it to gas-phase infiltration.

of community and offering practical day-to-day

43

ORIGINAL ARTICLE - Open Access

Submit to the Journal of Microscopy

Running an electron microscopy core facility Ilkka Miinalainen, Eija Jokitalo As electron microscopes became more costly,

1.

No submissions fees

2.

No page or colour charges

core facilities have become essential for maintaining

3.

No page limit

accessibility, performance, and quality. Drawing on

4.

Simple online submission

the experiences of running two EM core facilities in

5.

Helpful, friendly editorial team

6.

Average time from submission to first decision is less than 50 days

requirements, user training, sample preparation,

7.

High readership figures

safety and occupational considerations, personnel

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

technically complex, and integral to a wide range of scientific fields, centralised electron microscopy (EM)

Finland, we outline key considerations for establishing and operating a biological and biomedical EM facility.

We cover facility infrastructure and technical

and cost management, and finish by outlining three areas, sustainability, research data management, and artificial intelligence, that we consider to be increasingly defining the strategic direction of EM facilities. By distinguishing the specific requirements of EM from those of light microscopy, this article provides practical guidance to support efficient, safe, and high-quality facility operations within institutional and national imaging networks.

10. Free electronic offprints

Journal of Microscopy App Available for iPhone and Android

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 online at https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jmi View the Guidelines for Authors and full submission details online at:

www.journalofmicroscopy.org 44

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

Connecting Wales Through Microscopy: The Launch of the Welsh Microscopical Society

How a new national network aims to strengthen collaboration, visibility and opportunity across Welsh science.

By Dr Myfanwy Adams

46

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

Introduction from the author/co-founder I do microscopy because I love being the first to see the unseen. Cryo-EM reveals atomic level details of proteins and helps us understand how these tiny molecular machines power every biological function in every single cell. I am a Welsh-American structural biologist and in 2022 I moved to the UK to start my postdoctoral research. Much like my proteins, finding the Welsh scientific community proved elusive but that is not due to a lack of STEM excellence.

Wales

is

home

to

world-class

research

institutions,

advanced imaging facilities, industrial innovation, expertise and ambition. It has people doing cutting-edge, technically demanding work however, these strengths have not always been easy to see, connect, coordinate Dr Myfanwy Adams.

or advocate for at a national level.

On May 19th 2026, this changed

with the launch of the Welsh Microscopical Society (WMS) and I hope you enjoy reading the origin story in the following pages.

47

(Left to right): Dr Ainhoa Dafis-Sagarmendi, RMS Chief Executive Sali Davis and Dr Myfanwy Adams at the WMS launch event.

The problem: excellence without a shared map

close skills gaps, sustain public engagement, share resources equitably and build opportunity across a

Microscopy is massively prevalent throughout

geographically diverse nation.

every sector; enabling discovery across medicine,

Other parts of the microscopy community have

biotechnology,

agriculture,

shown the value of coordinated national and

environmental science, aerospace, engineering,

regional networks. The Royal Microscopical Society

heritage science and many other fields.The challenge

(RMS) provides a long-established professional

materials

science,

is that these techniques are also infrastructureheavy, expertise-rich and often highly specialised, requiring highly skilled users and rapid adaptation to developing methodologies. Collaboration often depends not only on the availability of a microscope, but on knowing who has it, who can run it, and what it can do. In Wales, these questions are often difficult to answer due to a lack of visibility, coordination and connection.

Across Wales, researchers and technical specialists are already using microscopy to support highquality science. Cardiff, Swansea, Aberystwyth and Bangor, alongside science parks, incubator sites and industry-linked environments, all form part of a wider research and innovation ecosystem. But without a clear national network for microscopy, these activities can remain institutionally siloed, making it harder to advocate for infrastructure,

48

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

Professor Jas Pal Badyal delivering a talk at the launch.

advocacy, and help develop the infrastructure, visibility and long-term resilience needed to support research and development across the life sciences, physical sciences and wider STEM landscape in Wales.

This transition, from the unseen corners of Wales into a visible network, was mirrored in the society naming. Prior to this initiative, there was no exact translation in Welsh for ‘microscopical’. With enormous gratitude to Bangor University and Termau Cymru, a Welsh term, ‘Figrosgopical’, has now been created and added to the Welsh National Terminology Portal. In this way, the Society’s launch has not only brought people together around microscopy; it has also helped create language for a new national community.

Attendees enjoyed some lively discussions.

home for microscopists across the UK and internationally. The Microscopy Society of Ireland (MSI) and Scottish Microscopy Society (SMS) offer examples of regional and national communities that support connection, identity and shared activity.

Until now, Wales has lacked an equivalent national network dedicated to microscopy and imaging.

The vision: how do we turn scattered strength into shared capacity?

Early conversations around the Society kept returning to practical questions. Where is the equipment? Who has the expertise? How can people find new collaborations? How can Wales make the case for investment in microscopy if it

The solution: a connected national community.

cannot first describe what it already has?

On 19 May 2026, in a packed room with drinks

around four connected ideas: Knowledge, Access,

aplenty, all of this changed. Microscope users and enthusiasts,

researchers,

technicians,

industry

To move from ambition to action, WMS is built Culture and Innovation.

representatives, policy and public engagement

Wales needs a clearer picture of its microscopy

professionals, educators, and supporters of Welsh

capabilities: which techniques are available, where

science gathered at Cardiff University to launch the

facilities are based, what equipment can do, who

Welsh Microscopical Society (WMS).

the key contacts are, and which facilities are already

Its aim is to connect people across Wales with an interest in microscopy and its applications, and to build a stronger, more coordinated community across research, industry, education and public engagement. The scope is deliberately broad, not intended only for one technique, discipline, or career stage; this initiative is intended to unite everyone across both sectors and geography. By doing so, the Society hopes to support collaboration, strengthen

working with external users or industry partners.

A national facilities and expertise database would help researchers, students, companies, educators and collaborators understand the breadth of microscopy available across Wales. It would also provide an evidence base for future advocacy, funding bids and strategic planning. Knowledge makes capacity visible.

Visibility alone is not enough. WMS also aims to

49

work for people across Wales, not only those located near major urban centres. Over time, WMS hopes to support visible national moments for Welsh microscopy, including meetings, roadshows, showcase events and conferences that help bring opportunities closer to different communities.

Access opens routes into capability.

Science moves through relationships as much as equipment, and WMS aims to build the social Attendees chatting.

infrastructure needed for microscopy in Wales to

improve routes into microscopy expertise, training

thrive. That means creating spaces where people

and infrastructure. This includes understanding

can meet across disciplines, sectors, institutions

funding

initiatives,

and career stages; where technical specialists and

supporting more equitable access to equipment,

researchers are shaping broad-reaching decisions;

and identifying shared priorities across the Welsh

where industry, academia, education and public

microscopy community. Researchers and technical

engagement can speak to one another; and where

specialists should not always have to look outside

people who may not yet see themselves as part of

Wales, or travel to established research clusters

a microscopy community are actively welcomed in.

needs, developing

training

elsewhere in the UK, to access equipment, training or expertise that could be supported closer to home.

culture and scientific identity. By bringing people together through the shared medium of microscopy,

Improving access also means recognising the

WMS can help build a community that is both

realities of geography. A national community must

technically ambitious and deeply rooted in place.

Attendees take their seats ahead of the opening speeches.

50

The Society also offers a way to connect Welsh

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

a group of people with professional expertise in microscopy and strong personal or institutional connections to Wales.

Dr Myfanwy Adams has been one of the driving voices behind the initiative. A postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford specialising in structural biology and cryo-electron microscopy, she brings both technical expertise and over a decade of experience in outreach, teaching and engagement across multiple scientific disciplines.

She has been a member of the Royal Microscopical Society since 2020 and currently serves on both the RMS Early Career Committee and the infocus magazine editorial board, giving her direct The event provided valuable networking opportunities.

Culture builds trust, belonging and shared purpose.

insight into the research culture challenges and opportunities facing early career researchers. For Myfanwy, WMS is about uniting the entirety of

Microscopy contributes directly to innovation in

Wales across the ‘medium’ of microscopy to create

healthcare, biotechnology, materials, agriculture,

a sustained platform for innovation, support and

engineering, manufacturing, environmental science

advocacy.

and beyond. Wales has a significant opportunity to

Sali Davis, Chief Executive of the RMS, has also

use microscopy not only as a research tool, but as

played a central role. Born and raised in Cardiff and a

a platform for economic development, industrial

Welsh speaker,she brings leadership experience from

collaboration, skills growth and public value.

professional membership organisations and a clear

WMS aims to become a shared voice for this community: gathering evidence, identifying needs, advocating for investment, and helping explain why microscopy matters to the future of Wales.

Longer term, this may include contributing to policy discussions, engaging with Senedd crossparty groups, and supporting conversations about how to attract research and development activity, companies and talent to Wales. Innovation explains why capability matters.

understanding of how learned societies can support people across disciplines, sectors and career stages.

Prior to joining the RMS, she was Chief Executive of Optometry Wales, a national membership body representing primary care optometrists. She has also worked at Deloitte and Touche LLP, where she led a practice review programme for Tax Partners, and previously held roles with the Royal College of General Practitioners. In addition, she serves as a lay panel member for Social Care Wales and as a mentor supporting new mothers returning to the

Together, the four themes form a practical plan.

workplace. Sali continues to split her time working

Knowledge makes capability visible. Access makes it

between Wales and the RMS offices in Oxford. Her

usable. Culture makes it inclusive. Innovation makes

strong personal and professional connection to

it nationally significant.

Wales underpins her commitment to supporting

The people: who made this possible?

The Welsh Microscopical Society has emerged from

Welsh research communities. Within this project, Sali will play a strategic role in shaping the network’s direction, supporting the planning and delivery of activities, and ensuring alignment with wider

51

Dr Ainhoa Da Sagarmendi (l Dr Myfanwy A in conversatio Professor Jas P during the eve

Dr Ainhoa Dafis-Sagarmendi (left) and Dr Myfanwy Adams in conversation with Professor Jas Pal Badyal during the event.

disciplinary and learned society initiatives, helping to

commercialising novel technologies across a broad

embed the network within sustainable national and

range of industries (including MEMS semiconductors,

international structures.

agritech and food technology, fuel cells, cell-and-

Dr Ainhoa Dafis-Sagarmendi is a founding

gene therapy, drug delivery, and medical diagnostics).

member of the WMS and a Key Account Manager at Nikon Healthcare UK for South Wales and the South West. Originally from Aberystwyth, she

52

This includes working as an applied science and technology consultant for almost 10 years, during which he procured, managed and operated an in-

has over a decade’s experience in microscopy

house SEM capability.

including cryo-electron tomography and electron

Gwilym’s primary microscopical expertise covers

crystallography as part of her PhD at the University

SEM and TEM imaging, alongside EDS spectroscopy

of Sheffield, and a range of light microscopy

and FIB-SEM cross-sectioning / in-situ lift-out. He has

techniques in her role at Nikon. During her PhD,

also made extensive use of optical and metrological

she also held a position at the Unit of Electron

microscopy, including the use of fluorescence imaging

Microscopy Solutions at Thermo Fisher Scientific

to invent and patent a novel bioburden monitoring

(Eindhoven, the Netherlands).

cassette for use within medical and healthcare

Ainhoa works to strengthen the links between

settings. Gwilym is passionate about bringing his

researchers and industry to foster collaboration

applied microscopy and imaging experience to

and innovation in Wales. As part of her role as

bear in promoting Welsh microscopy, identifying

founding member of the WMS, she is dedicated to

new opportunities for industry collaboration and

showcasing Welsh research and promoting its global

research funding, and making microscopy more

impact.

accessible for all within Wales.

Gwilym Hughes is an electron microscopist

This launch event builds off the back of numerous

and

years’

attempts, countless discussions and shared longing

vocational experience of innovating, de-risking and

for such a network. Having backing from the four

applied

scientist

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

with

over

20

afisleft) and Adams on with Pal Badyal ent.

major institutions has been pivotal to determine what equipment is housed at each of the respective institutions, what is needed and ideas about how the society can tangibly help within the scientific community here in Wales. The wider founding cohort includes contributors from key Welsh research environments, including Chris Von Ruhland, facility lead for electron and light microscopy in Cardiff University, Lydia Powell, lecturer in microbiology and infectious disease at Swansea University, Susan Girdwood, senior teaching and research technician at Aberystwyth University and David Williams, senior lab technician at the Nuclear Futures Institute at Bangor University.

WMS is still in its infancy, and early support from sponsors and industry partners has been vital in helping launch the society with strong momentum.

Gwilym Hughes pictured in conversation at the launch.

One of the first approaches came from Roy Edward,

Wales are significant and deserve to be made visible.

also a founding member of the society, recently retired after two decades with BioStatus and more

The occasion: how did it go?

than 43 years in the life sciences industry. BioStatus

The launch event was held alongside the RMS

has strong links to De Montfort and Cardiff

Introduction to Image Analysis workshop at

Universities, with key work on DRAQ5 carried

Cardiff University, which meant there was already

out in the laboratories of the Tenovus Institute in

a concentration of microscopy expertise in the city.

Cardiff by the team of Professor Paul Smith and

The evening reception widened that gathering to

Professor Rachel Errington. BioStatus products have

include the broader Welsh community.

since been cited more than 14,000 times in peerreviewed journals and are distributed globally.

Myfanwy opened the event by setting the scene, welcoming attendees and acknowledging the

The Society has also received support from

numerous people who had helped bring the

companies with a significant instrumentation

Society to life. She spoke about the long-standing

footprint in Wales and across the UK, including

desire for a community of this kind and the years

Zeiss, JEOL, Gatan and Hitachi. Representatives from

of conversations, attempts and shared hopes that

these organisations, many with Welsh connections

had led to this moment. Sali then spoke about the

themselves, have offered support, enthusiasm and

founding story – how she and Myfanwy met one

long-term encouragement for the initiative.

year ago at the Microscience Microscopy Congress

This early backing highlights three important points.

(mmc) in Manchester and both wanted to turn

First, WMS must be cross-sector, wide-reaching and

ambition of STEM advocacy into structured delivery

inclusive. Second, the Welsh scientific community

to make Wales a truly world-leading force in science

extends beyond geography; people with ties to

and innovation. Ainhoa followed with an industry

Wales continue to give their time, energy and

perspective, encouraging academics and technical

expertise to support Welsh science. Third, the

specialists to look beyond their own institutions

equipment, skills and expertise already present in

and consider the value of wider partnerships.

53

A highlight of the evening was an address from Professor Jas Pal Badyal FRS, Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales. Professor Badyal’s research has used microscopy creatively and he is internationally recognised for his pioneering research of solid surfaces and deposition of functional nanolayers. His remarks placed the Society’s ambitions in a broader Welsh science and policy context, underlining that microscopy has a role to play not only in research, but in national conversations about skills, infrastructure, innovation and economic development.

Endorsing the WMS, Professor Jas Pal Badyal said: “One of our strengths in Wales is that, because we are a relatively small nation, there is a real opportunity for close collaboration and increasing the visibility of the excellent work that is taking place here.

“Microscopy is at the absolute heart of science and contributes so much to society - for example through medicines, healthcare, computer chips and other products. Initiatives like the WMS have the potential to benefit the people of Wales, not just through research, but also by boosting industry and economic growth.”

The immediate task is to convert enthusiasm into structure. Attendees at the launch, whether in person or online, will become part of a growing database of interested members. The next meeting will take place virtually on June 25th (email wms@ rms.org.uk if interested in attending), providing an opportunity to reflect on the launch, define the Society’s structure and values, and begin shaping its

The evening continued with lively discussion,

next steps. Future plans include debuting WMS at

new introductions and clear enthusiasm for the

IMC21 in Liverpool at the end of August, developing

establishment of a national society. The launch showed that the appetite for connection already exists. WMS now offers a structure through which that energy can grow.

54

An attendee pictured arriving at the launch event.

a Welsh microscopy database by the end of the year, and exploring showcase activities including a proposed Welsh microscopy focus in the Journal of Microscopy and a Celtic session at mmc in the

The future: what happens next?

Summer of 2027.

The Welsh Microscopical Society has launched

enough to see what was always there. The Welsh

with administrative support from the RMS, but the

Microscopical Society begins from the same

ambition is to become an independent, member-

idea. Wales already has the people, expertise,

based society. Inclusivity sits at the heart of this

infrastructure, ambition and community spirit

mission. Wales’ strength lies not only in the quality

needed to make microscopy a national strength.

of its science, but in the relationships, identities and

WMS offers a way to bring that strength into focus:

shared ambitions that connect people across its

visible, connected, inclusive and ready to contribute

communities.WMS aims to make those connections

to the future of science, innovation and society in

visible, practical and sustainable.

Wales.

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

Microscopy is, at its heart, about looking closely

New Member Welcome 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. Dr Urška Jančič Dr Kendra Leigh Dr Ainsley Beaton

Dr Lourde Raj Irudayanathan Ms Abbie Scholefield Miss Felecia Sutton

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

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

Member Profiles

Why did you become a member of the RMS?

Tell Us About You?

Through my membership of the Royal Microscopical Society, I aim to deepen my understanding of microscopy techniques and their applications in biological research, particularly in pathogen detection and cellular analysis. I am keen to engage with the scientific community, stay updated with emerging imaging technologies, and contribute to interdisciplinary research.

Name A Nandakishore

I am currently pursuing an MSc in Biotechnology at Christ University, with a strong academic focus on molecular biology, biochemistry, and advanced analytical techniques. I have developed a solid foundation in core areas including gene expression systems, CRISPR-Cas9 technology, and protein expression in microbial systems.

Additionally, I am actively preparing for competitive examinations such as CSIR-NET, strengthening my theoretical and analytical skills in life sciences.

Name Aszad Hossain Akib Tell Us About You? I am a Master’s student currently working on my thesis titled ‘Fabrication of bio incorporated nanostructured thin film for food spoilage detection’ Why did you become a member of the RMS? My thesis contains a section on

Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, and Field Emission Electron Microscopy. Currently, in my country, there is no available opportunity to study these technologies. I became a member of the RMS for having better understanding of these technologies.

How do you feel being an RMS member benefits you?

I am grateful for the opportunity and hope to connect with scientific professionals worldwide

55

Name Mahima

Why did you become a member of the RMS?

Tell Us About You?

I want to learn more and keep updated with all the wonderful stories and research being done to develop my knowledge and exercise my curiosity.

Kerai

I am a second-year Biochemistry undergraduate student at King's College London.

I am an aspiring researcher and want to build a career exploring genetics, epigenetics, and molecular changes within cells.

I am eager to keep up with everything the RMS is doing and read about what’s going on in and around the world of microscopy!

Name Preksha Hooda Tell Us About You? I am a PhD student in the School of Chemical Materials and Biological Engineering at University of Sheffield. My work focuses on looking at mRNA structure for rational therapeutic design, using AFM. Why did you become a member of the RMS? I became a member of the RMS because my PhD research relies on AFM to investigate mRNA structure for rational therapeutic design. The RMS provides a great community of microscopists, and membership gives me access to valuable resources, training opportunities, and

Name Sahaja Raj Kandiraju Tell Us About You? I am an MRes student in Biological and Biomedical Sciences with a specialisation in the Cancer Biology Pathway at the University of Liverpool, and I completed my undergraduate degree in B-Tech Biotechnology. My current research focuses on Wilms Tumour, using immunofluorescence and microscopy-based techniques to study tumour biology and the tumour microenvironment and I enjoy making sense of complex biology one image at a time.

56

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

How do you feel being an RMS member benefits you?

I want to build a research career, and so keeping up with the latest developments through the RMS will help me build my understanding and grow my scientific knowledge.

networking with others working in microscopy-based research.

How do you feel being an RMS member benefits you?

Being an RMS member benefits me by keeping me connected to the wider microscopy community, which is invaluable as a PhD student developing my skills in AFM. Access to training resources, workshops, and conferences helps me advance my technical expertise, while networking with other microscopists exposes me to new techniques and ideas that can inform my own research into mRNA structure and therapeutic design.

Why did you become a member of the RMS? I became a member of the Royal Microscopical Society to deepen my understanding of microscopy beyond the lab bench, learn from experienced researchers, and stay connected with advances in imaging that shape how we study cancer biology.

How do you feel being an RMS member benefits you? eing an RMS member benefits me by giving me access to expert-led training, up-to-date resources, and a network of researchers who share a strong interest in microscopy, supporting both my technical growth and research confidence.

Name Gargi Datta Tell Us About You? I am a junior undergraduate at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, India, where the mechanistic thinking I have developed so far has crystallised my interest in cell biology.

Beyond academics, I enjoy exploring new ideas and perspectives; in my free time, I like dancing, long walks, travelling, and cooking.

Why did you become a member of the RMS? “It’s all very well to look at a dividing cell and going, ‘Gosh, this is marvellous’! but it doesn’t help you understand what’s going on behind the scenes.”

Name Mezida Saeed Tell Us About You? I am an Advanced Imaging Specialist at the COMPARE Advanced Imaging Facility at the University of Birmingham. With a background in biology, my work focuses on advanced light microscopy, quantitative imaging, and imaging infrastructure development. I support superresolution, single-molecule and large-volume light-sheet imaging, with particular interests in quality control, training frameworks, and data stewardship as microscopy becomes increasingly data intensive.

Why did you become a member of the RMS? I became a member of the RMS because it brings together a uniquely broad microscopy community, spanning biological, p h y s i c a l , and technical perspectives. As someone working in a core facility role, I value the RMS

-Paul Nurse (Interview, December 2001). In my early twenties, there was a surge in public attention to cancer through campaigns and widespread media coverage, and once this struck close to home, it ignited a burning question: why does it happen, and what forces lead to cell loss over division? My upbringing and love for movies taught me to appreciate what we see, as it is often formed by layers of unseen organisation and control, which connects me to Paul Nurse's Nobel talk.

This curiosity compelled me to explore the unseen pathways of cell biology, where processes orchestrated at microscopic scales become visible through advanced imaging, revealing a precise cellular ballet that continues to shape my scientific interests. I highly value opportunities to engage with diverse scientific communities, as learning from different perspectives strengthens both my research approach and collaborative mindset.

as a space where methodological development, best practice, and training are taken seriously alongside biological discovery.

How do you feel being an RMS member benefits you?

Being an RMS member connects me to a community that is actively shaping the future of microscopy, particularly around quality, reproducibility, and training. It provides opportunities to engage with experts across disciplines, stay informed about new technologies, and contribute to discussions around standards and good practice.

The RMS is especially valuable to me as I work on developing imaging infrastructure within a facility context. The Society supports the exchange of ideas around calibration, data management, and education, which are increasingly critical as microscopy enters an era of large, complex datasets and integrated analysis pipelines. Membership helps me situate my work within a wider professional and scientific framework.

57

Name Muhammad Zeeshan

Arshad

Tell Us About You? I am a final-year Medical Laboratory Science student at The University of Faisalabad, Pakistan, with a passion for clinical diagnostics and research.

My background includes clinical internships in Hematology, Microbiology, and Pathology at Allied Hospital and Alkhidmat Foundation. Beyond the lab, I am a published researcher in antimicrobial nanotechnology and have been recognized for my work in designing BSL-4 laboratory models. I am also an active member of the ASM and ASLM. Why did you become a member of the RMS? I joined the RMS to bridge the gap between academic theory and the rapidly evolving world of microscopy technology.As a student specializing in

Name Abbie

Scholefield

Tell Us About You? I am a first year PhD student within the Thermal Methods Research Unit at the University of Huddersfield, researching novel hyphenation and applications of thermomicroscopy, in collaboration with Linkam Scientific Instruments Ltd. I recently graduated from Huddersfield with my MSci in Forensic and Analytical Science, with academic interests spanning polarised light

Name Abeer Fatima Tell Us About You? I’m a student of BS MLT. I study in Faisalabad Medical university, Pakistan Why did you become a member of the RMS? I aim to utilise this platform to track funding opportunities, manage my investigator profile, and collaborate on institutional research proposals.

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ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

molecular diagnostics and Immunohistochemistry (IHC), I believe that staying connected with a world-class society like the RMS is essential for mastering the high-resolution imaging techniques required for modern cancer biomarker testing and pathogen identification.

How do you feel being an RMS member benefits you?

Being a member provides me with a gateway to international standards in microscopy, specifically through the infocus magazine and technical user groups like Expansion Microscopy. It allows me to align my practical clinical experience with global best practices in quality management (ISO 15189).The networking opportunities and access to discounted professional events, such as the IMC21 Congress, are invaluable for my transition from a stuent to an international diagnostic professional.

thermomicroscopy, thermoanalytical chemistry, and forensic chemistry. Outside my academic life, I enjoy martial arts and reading.

Why did you become a member of the RMS? I joined RMS to connect with an international community of microscopy enthusiasts and grow my network as a PhD student, as well as highlight the importance and utility of microscopical techniques in chemistry and thermal analysis.

Additionally, with my forensic-based background and the fact that microscopy is a cornerstone technique in this field, an RMS membership is highly relevant, especially for the expansion of my knowledge and awareness of cutting-edge microscopical innovations.

How do you feel being an RMS member benefits you?

Access to the RMS will allow me to maintain a centralised research profile, ensuring my publication and funding history are accurately represented for future applications. It will allow me to contribute to the research community as a peer reviewer in my field

Name Aidan Gallagher Tell Us About You? I am a Biomedical Science student in my third year, I also have a degree in History and Politics (1st Class) and I have a vested interested in pharmacology and drug interactions.

Why did you become a member of the RMS? I became a member of the RMS as I work as a placement student with EMResolutions, who work on precise manufacturing of EM grids so I felt it only natural to become a member! I also wanted to participate or listen to lectures on the latest technologies.

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Image courtesy of Pixabay philsite91

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Wood Under the Microscope: A Week at Kew Gardens Lee R Bilson FLS FIIC Head of Conservation at Recclesia and Co-Founder at Darwin Biological Microscopy and Wood Identification at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

Figure 1. Egyptian figure of a boatman, carved from Ficus sycomorus (sycamore fig).

For those who work with microscopy, the study

The Jodrell Laboratory, where much of the course

of wood reveals an intricate and often overlooked

was based, has been a hub for botanical research at

world of cellular complexity. In February, I had

Kew since 1877. Originally founded to study plant

the privilege of attending the Wood Identification

physiology, it has since expanded into wood anatomy,

course at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, an

forensic botany, and chemical wood identification,

intensive, week-long programme dedicated to

making it an ideal setting for this highly specialised

the microscopic analysis of wood anatomy. Led

course.

by Dr Peter Gasson and supported by a team of opportunity to develop advanced microscopy skills

A Week Immersed in Microscopy

while working with one of the most extensive wood

For RMS members, the true value of this course

collections in the world.

would lie in the hands-on experience with light

experienced specialists, the course provided a rare

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Figure 2. Microscopic tangential section of Acer campestre.

level. Much of the week was spent refining the skills

Cutting-Edge Chemical Analysis: DART Mass Spectrometry

needed to distinguish hardwoods from softwoods,

A key addition to this year’s course was an

identify key diagnostic features such as vessel

introduction to Direct Analysis in Real Time

arrangements, ray structures, and axial parenchyma

(DART) mass spectrometry, a non-destructive

patterns, and understand the cellular variations that

chemical identification method that is transforming

define different species.

forensic wood analysis. While microscopy remains

microscopy and the opportunity to analyse anatomical structures of wood at a microscopic

We worked extensively with Kew’s vast microscope slide collection, which includes reference samples from around the world, allowing for detailed

62

the gold standard for wood identification, the DART approach offers a complementary tool for verifying species by analysing their chemical fingerprint – where one might struggle the other might

comparisons between species. The Banks Building

complement. This was a perfect example of cross

wood collection, another invaluable resource,

disciplinary potentials: seeing how Kew employs

provided understanding of real-world specimens,

both traditional and modern techniques reinforced

including an ancient Egyptian figure of a boatman,

the value of integrating microscopy, chemical

carved from Ficus sycomorus (sycamore fig),

analysis, and digital databases — an approach highly

demonstrating the role of wood anatomy in heritage

relevant to scientists and researchers in a range of

conservation, archaeology, and material science.

sectors.

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

Figure 3. Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) mass spectrometry in use at Kew’s Jodrell Laboratory.

Applications for RMS Members An Excellent Learning For those in the microscopy community, wood Experience in a Worldanatomy presents a rich and technically demanding Renowned Environment area of study. The skills developed on this course

Studying wood in the historic setting of Kew

could be directly applicable to many fields, from

Gardens, surrounded by a globally significant

Forensic Science & Border Control, to Heritage

collection of specimens, state of the art microscopy

Conservation

Environmental

facilities, and fantastic botanic gardens, made this

Science & Forestry, or even Material Science &

course a truly unique experience. The combination

Engineering. As a CPD week of study this was a

of expert tuition, extensive practical work, and

very insightful and engaging course indeed.

exposure to cutting-edge analytical techniques

&

Archaeology,

63

Figure 4. Historic reference wood specimens from Kew’s collections, including labelled samples used for comparative study and species identification.

makes this an invaluable training opportunity for any RMS member interested in the intersection of microscopy, material science, and conservation.

For those looking to expand their microscopy expertise in wood anatomy, I would highly recommend the Wood Identification course at Kew — an experience that brings botanical research, forensic analysis, and heritage science together

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ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

under one microscope.

Useful links: https://www.kew.org/science/training-andeducation/continuing-professional-development/ wood-identification https://www.kew.org/science/training-andeducation/continuing-professional-development

Figure 5. Preserved botanical and material reference samples within the Kew collections, reflecting the breadth of resources supporting microscopy and identification.

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NEWS

From the RMS President Dear readers, It seems like very little time has passed since our March issue of infocus – and yet so much has been going on at the RMS! As I sat down to write this piece, a very simple but powerful thought came into my head; it occurred to me what a wonderful thing it is to be part of the microscopy community.

These days it seems there is so much to worry about in the world – from international conflicts and economic shocks to climate fears and other crises – that we all need a good dose of positivity now and again. I personally find that in abundance both within the RMS and across the wider microscopy, imaging and cytometry communities.

It is perhaps something that is easy to take for granted, but it really is a privilege to be part of this thriving and friendly community, to see and hear about the achievements of others, and to celebrate all that is good about the role of microscopy in the world.

Over the Spring (or Autumn, for our Southern Hemisphere colleagues) we saw fantastic attendance at several RMS training courses and other events.

These included ‘Virtual Flow Cytometry Data Analysis Spring Course’, ‘All Things Cryo’, and ‘Electron Microscopy Spring School’. The fact that these events continue to be enthusiastically supported is really heartening, especially against a backdrop of difficult financial circumstances for academic institutions.

We were also pleased to assist ThermoFisher Scientific in hosting a series of highly successful webinars in late April and early May, under the title of ‘CryoProfessor Peter O'Toole, RMS President.

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research, industry, education, and public engagement.

It is perhaps I look forward to seeing this exciting initiative gather momentum in the coming months. something that Looking ahead, there is a rather significant event coming into focus on the horizon, in the shape of is easy to take IMC21! for granted, This summer will mark the first time IMC has been held in the UK since the 1950s, and the event’s first but it really is a return to Europe in over 10 years. As such, the privilege to be part RMS is very proud to have been chosen to assist in delivering this year’s Congress, alongside the of this thriving International Federation of Societies for Microscopy (IFSM), the University of Liverpool and our other and friendly partners. It is hard to overstate just how big IMC for the global microscopy community – with community, to see isthousands of attendees from across the globe, an and hear about unparalleled scientific programme, and the largest gathering of microscopy manufacturers you will find the achievements anywhere. If you haven’t yet booked your ticket (and also if you have!) then take a look at what’s on the of others, and to menu in our special preview on page 4. We look celebrate all that is forward to seeing you there!

I would like to return to the theme of good about the role Finally, positivity, and celebrating all that is good within our community. One important way we do this at the of microscopy in RMS is by formally recognising the achievements of some of the leading figures in microscopy, imaging and the world.

EM SPA introductory mini-course’. The three-date course attracted an incredible 868 registrations in total, with a high of 360 attendees logged-in at one point. Taken together, these Spring events demonstrate the value of continuing to offer a mix of in-person and online events to meet the needs of attendees, and to improve accessibility for an increasingly global audience.

Also last month, the RMS was proud to assist in launching the Welsh Microscopical Society in Cardiff. This is a really important development for microscopy in Wales, which has significant expertise and facilities distributed across major institutes, but until now has lacked a regional national network to unlock its full potential.

The new Society aims to unite the microscopy community across Wales, showcase national research infrastructure and foster collaboration across

flow cytometry. The winners of our Section Awards – chosen by each of our RMS committees covering all branches of microscopy across the sciences – are all featured in this issue: Yongtao Liu (AFM & SPM); Ignacio Arganda-Carreras (Data Analysis in Imaging - DAIM); Laura Nierman (Electron Microscopy); Adam Tyson (Life Sciences); Demie Kepaptsoglou (Engineering, Physical and Materials Sciences - EPMS); Paul Guichard and Virginie Hamel (Light Microscopy); Oliver Burton (Flow Cytometry). We also recently announced Melina Schuh as winner of the RMS Pearse Prize - a prestigious international honour in the field of histochemistry and life sciences.

My warmest congratulations to all our winners, whose achievements really do represent the very best of our community.

Best wishes to all, Professor Peter O'Toole

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NEWS

IMC21: Almost 1,700 abstracts submitted in fantastic response from microscopy community A massive 1,694 talk and poster abstracts have been

global microscopy community. We are absolutely

submitted for the 21st International Microscopy

thrilled with the response, which means we can

Congress (IMC21), coming to Liverpool this

look forward to a fantastic scientific programme

summer.

and a truly action-packed Congress.”

With submissions now closed, the figure represents

Late-breaking poster abstracts

a fantastic response from the global microscopy community and ensures a blockbuster scientific programme lies in wait for attendees.

IMC21 will consist of three congress themes, comprising 32 individual symposia covering all forms

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Late breaking poster abstracts will continue to be accepted until Friday, 26 June 2026.

Late breaking poster submissions are invited to report the very latest results in microscopy. This

of microscopy and imaging across the sciences. It

is an opportunity for researchers to present the

will also feature pre-congress workshops, the IFSM

most exciting recent developments in the field,

Young Scientist Assembly (YSA/ECR), and a world-

rather than an extension of the general submission

class exhibition showcasing the latest microscopy

deadline. Authors may submit more than one

products and technologies.

abstract.

RMS Chief Executive Sali Davis said: “We would like

IMC21 takes place in Liverpool, UK, from 31 August

to thank everyone who has submitted abstracts for

- 4 September 2026, with pre-congress events on

IMC21, and for supporting this crucial event for the

30 August.

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

Krishna clocks personal best at Manchester Marathon!

The Journal of Microscopy’s newest Editorial Board Member recently demonstrated his athletic prowess at the 2026 Manchester Marathon. running with the simple goal of completing a 5km park run, gradually grew into a passion for taking on bigger challenges.

“Marathon running pushes you both physically and mentally, but that’s exactly what makes it so rewarding. After learning some tough lessons at the Manchester Marathon last year, I was determined to return better prepared. Returning this time, with more consistent training and a smarter approach, I was able to achieve a personal best, which made all the hard work worthwhile. I’m proud not just of the result, but of the journey it took to get there.”

Krishna brings a wealth of experience to the Journal editorial team, including nearly two decades working in optics and more than 10 years working in an interdisciplinary environment. He has developed various light microscopy techniques ranging from diffraction-limited to super-resolution microscopy techniques to probe cellular biology.

Dr V V G Krishna Inavalli, who joined the Journal

His developments have aided in the understanding

team in April, swapped his microscope for a pair of

of morpho-molecular interactions of Neuronal

trainers and completed the city’s annual 26.2-mile

Synapses, as well as the exploration of the Brain’s

race in just three hours, 49 minutes and 58 seconds.

extracellular space. He also secured a £1M BBSRC

Krishna is currently the Head of Microscopy Group

ALERT grant for an open-access STED.

at the University of Southampton’s Centre for Cancer Immunology, where he develops cuttingedge technology to investigate antibody-based cancer therapeutics. He is also a member of the RMS Light Microscopy Committee.

However, it was his recently-discovered passion for running which was to the fore in Manchester on 19 April, as he crossed the finish line for a personal best time.

Krishna said: “What began in 2022, when I started

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NEWS

Add a pre-congress workshop and gala dinner to your IMC21 booking If you’ve yet to secure your ticket for the 21st

and entertainment. This is always a memorable

International Microscopy Congress (IMC21) -

highlight of IMC, providing the perfect opportunity

and even if you have - don’t forget to add a pre-

to catch up with friends and colleagues in an

congress workshop and the Congress gala dinner

informal setting.

to your booking.

Delegates can kick-start their IMC21 experience

gala dinner to your booking as additional

by taking part in one of the fantastic pre-congress

options when registering online - or you can

workshops taking place on 30 August, before the

update an existing booking by logging back into

main event gets underway. More than 20 different

your online account. Places on the workshops

workshops are available, covering a huge range

are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis,

of microscopy techniques, technology and hot

with the most popular workshops expected to

topics across the Physical and Life Sciences.

fill up quickly in the coming weeks. Spaces at the

The IMC21 Gala Dinner will be taking place inside the conference centre on Wednesday 2 September, and will include a drinks reception

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You can add your chosen workshop and the

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

gala dinner are also limited, so early booking is advised to avoid disappointment.

IMC21: Register now

IMC21: More than 100 exhibitors now confirmed More than 100 exhibitors have now signed up to

RMS Chief Executive Sali Davis said: “We would

be part of the showpiece exhibition at the 21st

like to thank all our exhibitors and sponsors for

International Microscopy Congress (IMC21).

supporting IMC21 - which is really shaping up to

In what promises to be this year’s biggest gathering of global microscopy manufacturers, a host of leading international companies will be bringing their latest products and technologies to the ACC Liverpool conference centre for the event, which

be a superb event for the international microscopy community. The exhibition is very much going to be at the heart of this year’s Congress, and thanks to the response from companies so far, our visitors are sure to have plenty to explore.”

takes place from 31 August - 4 September (pre-

“We still have a limited number of stands and

congress events 30 August).

sponsorship opportunities available, so I would

The response from companies has been fantastic since exhibition space went on sale in September - and there are still a limited number of exhibition stands available (book online).

urge any companies who might be interested in joining us in Liverpool to check out the exhibition information on our dedicated IMC21 website.”

A list of companies and other exhibitors taking part in the IMC21 Exhibition can be found here.

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NEWS Journal of Microscopy announces 2025 Early Career Researcher ‘Best Paper’ prize-winners The Editors of the Journal of Microscopy are pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 ‘Best Paper’ awards for Early Career Researchers.

Each prize was £200 and was judged by General Editor Professor Michelle Peckham and our team of Scientific Editors.

Life sciences For life sciences, Dr Elnaz Fazeli was awarded the prize for ‘From cells to pixels: A decision tree for designing bioimage analysis pipelines’.

General Editor, Michelle Peckham, said: “This paper was a great, well thought out introduction to bioimaging analysis pipelines that is likely to be really useful to new starters in the field”.

Elnaz said: “From cells to pixels: A decision tree for designing bioimage analysis pipelines’ was a collaborative effort that actually began on Twitter as a light and fun exchange of ideas between bioimage analysts from Finland, Germany, France, Hong Kong and Japan. Over time it grew into a passion project, strongly inspired by challenges we encounter daily while working in a microscopy core facility.

“A recurring issue is communication: biologists often have rich imaging data but are not always sure what kinds of quantitative information can be extracted from their images, while image analysts may struggle to understand exactly what biological questions need to be answered. The goal of the paper was to help bridge this gap.We developed a guide for researchers by categorizing the types of shapes and patterns present in biological images and connecting them to suitable bioimage analysis approaches.

“My hope is that this framework helps biologists think more clearly about what they can measure from their images and facilitates more effective communication with bioimage analysts/ core facility staff when designing analysis Elnaz Fazeli pipelines.”

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Physical sciences For physical sciences, Dr Alexandra Sheader was awarded the prize for ‘Subcellular localisation and identification of single atoms using quantitative scanning transmission electron microscopy’.

Scientific Editor, Vinayak Dravid, said: “Alexandra Sheader et al. deliver a notable methodological advance by demonstrating the localisation, identification, and quantitative weighing Alexandra Sheader of individual heavy atoms within biological tissue using calibrated high-angle ADF STEM. Through meticulous detector normalisation, cross-section quantification, and simulation-validated analysis, the authors achieve atomic-scale compositional mapping in cryosectioned dorsal root ganglia—revealing nanoscale platinum aggregations following oxaliplatin treatment and establishing a pathway for subcellular elemental detection with unprecedented sensitivity.

“The work stands out for its conceptual clarity, technical sophistication, and broader implications for biomedical microscopy, representing a substantive contribution to the field.”

Alexandra said: “I’m really delighted to have been awarded the Journal of Microscopy ECR ‘Best Paper’ prize.This research focused on identifying the species of single atoms within sections of peripheral nerve tissue using HAADFSTEM imaging, in order to trace platinum that had accumulated inside cells following treatment with a Ptbased drug.

“Quantitative STEM imaging is always challenging - especially when you’re trying to detect individual atoms in a cell that is hundreds of thousands of times larger! This work took a lot of iteration and many hours at the microscope, but I think it really highlights the power and versatility of electron microscopy in tackling complex problems - as well as the value of attempting experiments that you might initially assume won’t work!” www.journalofmicroscopy.org.uk

IMC21 The 21st International Microscopy Congress

31 August - 4 September 2026, Liverpool, UK Pre-Congress Events 30 August 2026

Connect globally.

Discover science.

Experience Liverpool

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© Visit Liverpool

Velvet, Glass and Steel An account of the Lahore Science Mela 2025,

by Muneebah Fatimah

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ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

“Nature is full of infinite causes that have never occurred in experience.”

- Leonardo da Vinci

N

ature’s mastery is evident even in the

In the Lahore Science Mela 2025 (LSM25), Pakistan’s

seemingly insignificant. Some insects are

most active grassroots science education and

recluses, refusing to be divulged in the

awareness association, the Khwarizmi Science

open, existing solely in the margins beneath bark

Society (KSS) allowed minimalists like me to indulge

and stones and who, alone, value the coolness of

the public in the grandeur of the minute through the

night. They thrive in subtlety, shielding themselves

art of microscopy.The society allowed the display of

with camouflage.The butterfly can be considered an

both the ascetics and the inviting untouchables.

exception. With wings brushed in amber, turquoise, and sapphire, she perches where a flashing petal resides, as if aware that beauty deserves an audience.

When one gets too close, she flies teasingly allowing admiration only, probably laughing at our foolishness.

The setup consisted of three different microscopes, ranging from the portable HD LCD digital microscope to stereo microscopes. One of the microscopes was in fact donated to KSS by insect lovers at The Caterpillar Lab in New Hampshire, USA. A smaller screen was attached to the digital

75

and light microscope while a TV-sized LED for

detailed observation with improved resolution. This

better vista. Once assembled, the digital microscope

microscope was equipped with three objective

displays the specimen at 1-1200x magnification.

lenses (4x, 10x, 40x) and two eyepiece lenses (10x,

In contrast to the digital microscope, the light

16x).

microscope provides higher magnification, enabling

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ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

The practice and preparation began months before

At the heart of the mela stood the Khwarizmi

the big day. Our team of six diverse microscopists

Science Society’s Surpriseum. Hundreds of people

met every week, befriending the marvellous

pooled their intellect and skill to pillar for what

machine, assembling slides, making flashcards,

felt like Pakistan’s most electrifying experimental

and mounting insect specimens. We familiarized

science extravaganza. From the thudding of

ourselves with the microscopes in advance and fine-

dominoes to the electric murmur of coils and the

tuning magnification levels.

sigh of chemical reactions, with togetherness, the

The first time I handled a microscope, I had no clue what I was stepping into. I pictured myself taking it home, turning the magnification to its limit, and uncovering baffling realms. While I witnessed

environment turned science into a megaplex. And in the busy atmosphere, was the station entitled ‘Micro-World’ where our mighty microscopes charmed the bypassers.

remarkable sights, the process was far more

On these eventful days, children admired the

measured. It involved minor adjustments, and post-

venation of the Akk grasshopper and the

processing, and even then, a perfectly clear view

compound eyes of a dragonfly. Others marveled

of the specimen wasn’t guaranteed. However, the

at the mandibles of black digger wasps, mosaics on

symphony of technicalities and dramatized story

butterfly wings, and muted tones of carpenter bees.

telling kindled curiosity for the unseen.

I felt that there is a quiet wizardry in the art of

The Lahore Science Mela 2025, held on 25th and 26th October at Crescent Model Higher Secondary School, brought together more than 145 academic exhibitors and more. The event showcased live demonstrations

spanning

multiple

science communication, especially when displaying microscopes. Behind every slide lies a macrocosm, and the role of a communicator is to bring life to it without accidentally poking anyone with the slides.

disciplines,

It appeared to me that the visitors were like

including KSS’s own 80 in-house creations featured

pilgrims, travelling through the arena, yearning for

at the Surpriseum (

). Over the course

scientific enlightenment. And never were there the

of two days, approximately 150,000 visitors from

audience of the same age. Hence, the diversity of

diverse backgrounds attended.

the questions they put forward was both puzzling

77

and august.The cornerstone of our demonstrations

to the intricate ommatidia of its eyes and fine setae

was the question, ‘what if the world we see is only a

on its exoskeleton, inspiring awe in connoisseurs.

fraction of what truly exists?’

And then there is the crowning marvel: the textures

The bedazzled spectators viewed one of our ardent demonstrators catching butterflies on the spot, some were hooked, while some remained

themselves, a delicate interplay of velvet, glass and steel.

Brief Biography

sentimental once they were quelled. Meanwhile,

My

specimens under varying magnifications inspired

is

Muneebah Fatimah

questions about both the technicalities and the

and I am a school

subjects themselves. Undoubtedly, a microscope is

student in Lahore,

a benison for the meticulous, and a cruel joke for

Pakistan. I am a

anyone with shaky hands.

life member of the

Science, with its discipline, grants us the power

Khwarizmi Science

to handle nature with the fidelity it deserves. It

Society which aims

encourages us to observe with a curious mind and

to enlighten people with

a humility that acknowledges the complexity of

knowledge

what is perceived as divine revelation. Art speaks

that covers all disciplines. I am an avid science

where analysis falls silent, and it was evident when

communicator

youngsters’ jaws dropped at both the architecture

Furthermore, I am very fond of microscopes

of the microscope and the wonders it revealed. The

and insects. KSS organises an annual festival,

Micro-World booth at the Lahore Science Mela

called the Lahore Science Mela KSS LSM

combined all these traits.

where tens of thousands of people come in the

Observing under the lens reveals the spatial relationships between structures invisible to the naked eye, from the iridescent scales of a butterfly

78

name

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

and

a

biology

enthusiast.

pursuit of scientific awareness. At the Lahore Science Mela of 2025, I participated as a science demonstrator in the microscopy station.

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Spotlight on…

Marie Kokolski, Chair of the RMS Qualifications Committee In this issue, we speak to the new Chair of the RMS Qualifications Committee, Marie Kokolski, of the University of Nottingham.

A subgroup of the RMS Outreach and Education Section, our Qualifications Committee oversees the RMS Diploma programme – a flexible, portfolio-based qualification suitable for those using microscopy or cytometry as part of their career.

Diploma candidates design their own project with the assistance of their line-manager, and with input from existing Fellows of the Society. This approach ensures that the study is both challenging and rewarding whilst fitting with, and complementing, the candidate's existing employment.

The Qualifications Committee assesses applications from candidates, assigns mentors to support them through their chosen projects, and assesses candidates’ progress through to the completion of their assignments.

Let’s find out more…

Can you tell us a little bit about your current working role, and your background in microscopy?

Currently I’m an Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham. My research is in Science Education, so I’m not involved in research involving microscopy techniques, but rather teaching students about the wonders of microscopy and how it can be used, at university-level, and also through outreach work.

My teaching is mainly around light microscopy and electron microscopy, in terms of using it to show students ultra structure and understanding human health and disease. I previously worked as a technician in a specialist imaging unit, so I had

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experience with a whole range of microscopy techniques, and that was how I was first introduced to the RMS –more than 15 years ago.

How did you become interested in supporting the RMS Diploma programme?

Initially I was involved in the RMS Outreach and Education Committee, and then joined the Qualifications Committee a few years later. It was really just my interest in teaching and outreach, and seeing how people were presenting what they were learning and how they were developing their projects. I also think it’s important for people to have the opportunity to develop their skills and interests within the workplace – rather than just traditional educational routes.

Marie Kokolski.

What is unique about the RMS Diploma in terms of what it offers candidates?

their work at a meeting or conference, or to write a

I think it can sometimes be difficult for people

new experiences.

who are working in a technical role to find

report, or get involved with outreach activities. This also really helps them to develop their skills and gain

enables you to be the principle investigator. It’s an

How do Diploma candidates decide on a project and what input does the Qualifications Committee have?

opportunity to develop your own projects, interests

Our Diploma candidates carry out their projects

and expertise – and to be able to disseminate that

within their own workplace, so it will be something

expertise as well – which you might not otherwise

related to what they are already doing, but which

have the opportunity to do without going away and

allows them more ownership.

opportunities for development. Often they are involved in particular projects at work, and they may have limited input into those, but the Diploma

doing a PhD. The candidates also get the opportunity to present

We review the applications when they are submitted and make sure that it is something that looks

81

feasible, and something that we could support. It will

full-time employment – so if people need to extend

be a short study proposal, a summary of what it is

for whatever reason, then we are supportive of that

they will be researching, and we take it from there.

because, ultimately, we want to provide that support

What role do the mentors have in the Diploma programme?

Each candidate has a supervisor from their workplace, with whom they have day-to-day contact, but then we will also assign a mentor. This will be someone within the RMS who is working in the same field as the candidate, and they have

their projects.There are many challenges to navigate within the projects themselves – the development of research or challenges around kit, for instance.

We have even had people change jobs in the middle of their project and move elsewhere, but still find a way to continue.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

a really important role. The key thing is that they

I think it is seeing the development of the candidates

are external to the workplace, so it’s an alternative

and how they grow in confidence. It’s great to be

person that candidates can speak to and seek advice

able to meet with them at RMS events and see

about the technical side of things.

the confidence they have gained in that time and

They will have regular contact, and the mentor is also there if the candidate needs to reach out to them at any time. Having someone involved who is outside of work, who can provide a different perspective, and who they are not speaking to every day is really valuable, and the feedback we have had from candidates confirms this.

What ongoing involvement does the committee have during the course of a Diploma candidate’s project?

In general, it is a case of maintaining the relationship with the candidates as they move through their

the new things they have attempted – for example, attending conferences, taking part in outreach activities, writing an article, or presenting a talk or poster at a meeting. They are trying new things that are unlocking new skills, and it’s really rewarding when you see them get to the end point and they have completed the diploma.

At present we have candidates carrying out such a wide range of projects, so being able to see all of those projects progress, and the fascinating things that people are doing, is fantastic. This is also an international Diploma, so it is great to see what is happening with our candidates in different countries and to have those connections through the RMS. I’m

studies. We meet with them formally every year to

very happy to be involved in it and to help develop

discuss their progress, and address any challenges -

it in the best way possible for the people who take

including any support they may need.We have found

part.

this to be really beneficial both for ourselves and for the candidates; it enables them to ask questions and refocus, and it enables the committee to be more than just an approving body.

How long does the Diploma take?

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and encouragement to help people to complete

What would you say to anyone considering applying for the RMS Diploma?

I think the message to anyone working in microscopy is that the diploma exists for you – and whether you’re ready for it now, or later in your career,

As a guide, we anticipate people could complete the

it’s a great opportunity to develop your skills and

Diploma within two years, but we are realistic about

confidence in microscopy, while gaining a fantastic

the challenges of completing a qualification alongside

qualification.

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R E P O RT

The 8th Great Wall Symposium 15th -17th September 2025 Catania, Sicily

T

he 8th Great Wall Symposium was held at the Grand Hotel Baia Verde, Catania, Sicily from the 15th – 17th September. Accompanied by serene views of the Ionian Sea and stunning backdrops of Mount Etna, this biennial conference was an opportunity for researchers working on everything related to the robust bacterial cell wall to come together, share recent findings, exchange ideas and form new collaborations.

As a second year PhD student, it was an exciting prospect to be surrounded by other researchers who were just as interested in peptidoglycan synthesis as I was.

The conference programme spanned six sessions,

institutions whose names I recognised from my

split over three days. The most interesting session

favourite research papers, and it felt like a great

for me was how peptidoglycan synthesis is

triumph to receive lots of interest and thoughtful

coordinated with the cell cycle, comprised of six

questions from them regarding my ongoing work.

different talks. I gained a huge appreciation for the variety of imaging modalities that research groups around the world are utilising to answer some of the most important unsolved questions in bacterial cell biology- seeing is believing! I took great interest in two talks: Nils Meiresonne (ITQB, Portugal) presented compelling bacterial FLIM-FRET data on cell division machinery with exciting implications for advancing in vivo microscopy studies of proteinprotein interactions, and Paula Navarro (University of Lausanne, Switzerland) presented a tour-de-force study combining in situ cryo-ET, AFM and single-

On the social front, there was ample opportunity to interact with other researchers. Every day included a substantial lunch break and a poster session with refreshments, where I formed various connections with scientists closer to home in the UK and much further afield, which I’m sure will turn into fruitful collaborations in the future! It was so refreshing to be immersed in science in this manner; the enthusiasm at the conference was infectious. We enjoyed an extensive Italian gala dinner on the evening of 16th September which facilitated in-depth discussions

particle tracking methods to better characterise

about various talks and posters earlier in the day,

the role of a class A penicillin-binding protein

and there were two excursions planned for the

called PBP1b, with divergent insights from previous

final day by the conference organisers, including a

literature that extend our understanding of division

trip to Catania Old Town, and a visit to the alluring

site reinforcement.

Cyclopean Isles.

I presented my very first poster which was a

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the

gratifying experience. My poster, entitled “Single-

Royal Microscopical Society and the BBSRC-MIBTP

molecule studies of peptidoglycan synthases in

for providing funding which allowed me to attend

Pseudomonas aeruginosa” was an introduction to

this conference; this trip has instilled an invigorated

my PhD project and summarised the first instance

sense of excitement about my research!

of establishing single-molecule FRET studies of PG synthase conformational dynamics in the context of P. aeruginosa cell division. I interacted with many

Saba Alhagagi University of Warwick

group leaders and early career researchers at other

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C O M PA N Y N E W S

CoolLED heads to ELMI 2026 with live demonstrations Get ready for one of the key highlights of this year’s

pE-10 when paired with the Kromnigon

light microscopy calendar! If you’re attending ELMI

SpectraSplit® 10 filter sets enables fast, robust

in Coimbra, you’ll have the opportunity to see

multiplex imaging for advanced spatial biology

CoolLED’s latest LED Illumination Systems in action

applications.

at Booth #17 and across a range of workshops throughout the meeting.

At CoolLED, we design and manufacture LED illumination solutions that give scientists precise control, stability and flexibility across every stage of fluorescence imaging, including: •

High-speed live cell applications – elevate your research with the 8-channel pE-

•

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•

Routine to advanced fluorescence – the pE-400 Series provides four LEDs covering DAPI and YFP through to Cy5, delivering reliable performance with intuitive control for everyday imaging needs.

Visit the CoolLED team at Booth 17 to learn more about our LED Illumination Systems and where

800, offering eight individually controllable

they’ll be on show across the workshop programme,

LEDs and ultra-fast TTL triggering speeds of

giving you the opportunity to see first-hand how

<7 µs.

they perform under real experimental conditions.

Spatial biology – the new 10-channel

www.coolled.com

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3D to 2D spatial workflow: Start your workflow with 3D imaging – don’t miss a thing.

Before you section for 2D multiplex imaging, see

3D imaging with high-plex spatial analysis, enabling

what is happening within your sample in 3D. With

multiscale investigation of complex biological

3D investigation, you can find the ideal planes to

systems within intact specimens.

section within your sample. So every slice is a treasure trove of data.

Harold Cremer, PhD, (Université Aix-Marseille) says of the workflow: “The quality is super – I’ve

Spatial biology has revolutionised our understanding

never seen such a thing before. I think it’s the first

of tissue architecture by enabling the contextual

time this really worked, and I’m glad that we were

analysis of cellular and molecular constituents within their native microenvironments. However, conventional methodologies are confined to two-

chosen as beta testers for this new approach.” See the whole interview with Harold Cremer PhD here.

dimensional thin sections, limiting the capacity

Contact Jak at jakg@miltenyi.com for more

to capture large-scale tissue organisation and

information.

potentially missing critical cellular relationships. To

https://www.miltenyibiotec.com/GBen/lp/3d-2d-spatial-biology-workflowfor-precision-tissue-profiling.html

overcome these limitations, Miltenyi Biotec presents an integrated workflow that combines volumetric

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.

85

NEW PRODUCTS

FIB Lift-Out Grids In recent times the need for different types of EM

Over the years the design and quality requirements

grids has expanded, and the commercial introduction

of the grids has changed, driven by the increased

around 15 years ago of Nanomanipulators was

demands of the analysis and automated workflow

perhaps the start of this.Their requirement for half-

systems. This is something that Graticules has

moon type grids with pins or slots to hold lamella

addressed with improvements in processing and

samples led to the introduction of FIB Lift-Out

investment in new plant. The latest innovation has

Grids.

been the addition of unique DMC marking on each

Having made custom grids for many OEM companies since the inception of these products, Graticules has recently introduced their own brand of products with multiple pin configurations and in copper or molybdenum.

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ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

grid for true traceability. This has meant significant development and major investment in bespoke systems that are capable of achieving the 100% readable micro coding demanded. www.graticulesoptics.com

Nikon Launches New ECLIPSE LV and MA Microscopes Nikon Corporation (Nikon) has launched new

high colour-rendering LED light source

ECLIPSE microscope models, the LV150NA LED,

upgrades brightness, colour, and colour

LV150N LED, and MA200 LED, to strengthen the

rendering properties compared to the

company’s comprehensive range of industrial

existing halogen source, extending lamp

microscopy solutions. Following the LV100N series

life from 1,100 to 50,000 hours. For the

announced in March 2025, the new models use a

MA200 LED, space efficiency is improved by

high colour-rendering LED light source and improve

incorporating the LED light source into the

maintainability.

microscope stand, reducing footprints by up

The ECLIPSE LV150NA LED and LV150N LED are upright microscopes designed specifically for reflected illumination, with accessories selectable to suit your observation method and purpose.

The MA200 LED is an inverted microscope with reflected illumination that is ideal for inspecting industrial parts and utilising for research and development.

Key Features: •

Improved maintenance: The newly developed

to approximately 100 mm.

•

Enhanced usability: The microscopes offer high scalability through the compatibility of accessories between old and new products.

Existing accessories can be used with the new microscopes providing extensive expandability with a wide range of accessories.

More information about the microscopes can be found here.

LV150NA LED / LV150N LED / MA200 LED

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.

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Submission Guidelines

infocus is the Royal Microscopical Society’s (RMS) vibrant and striking quarterly magazine for members. It provides a common forum for scientists & technologists who use any form of microscope, including all branches of microscopy. Published four times a year, infocus is free to members of the RMS.

• Spelling should conform with The Concise Oxford Dictionary and SI units must be used.

• Abbreviations should be used sparingly and only if a lengthy name/expression is repeated throughout the article. When used, the abbreviated name or expression should be cited in full at first usage, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses.

infocus features articles on microscopy related topics, techniques and developments, an events calendar, news, event reports, book reviews, new product information, and much more.

• Authors should provide a photograph, brief biography as well as contact information that will be published.

infocus welcomes submissions of:

References in the text should be in the form Joy (2000) or Joy & Williams (2000). For three or more authors, use the form Echlin et al. (2000). The reference list should:

Articles - Full articles or reviews of general interest to microscopists, of approximately 30004000 words (excluding references), with images/ figures (as many as appropriate, 4-8 as a guide).

Longer articles can also be considered.

Short Articles - Short topical articles, review articles or articles providing hands-on help for microscopy methods.

Primer Articles - Short general articles that are focussed on specific techniques.

Debuts - Student articles publishing emerging results from a project. Results may still be incomplete, but areas of progress/problems should be highlighted, with the aim of provoking feedback.

Book Reviews – if you are a member of the RMS and are interested in writing book reviews for infocus, please contact Owen Morton owen@rms.org.uk.

Please see recent issues of infocus for examples of articles and reviews.

If you are interested in submitting to infocus, contact: editor@infocus.org.uk

Article Text

References

• be listed in alphabetical order of first authors’ surnames.

• (where a journal is cited) - include authors’ surnames and initials, date of publication, title of paper, name of journal, volume number, and first and last page numbers.

• (where a book is cited) - include authors’ surnames and initials, title of book, year of publication, edition, followed by publisher and town, county/state (and country if necessary) of publication.

• (where a URL is cited) – include authors’ surnames and initials, year of publication, title of page, URL and date accessed.

Images / Figures • Figures can be one column/half page width, 65.5 mm or two column/full page width, 135 mm.

• Larger images may fill the page/spread. A full page of the magazine is 170 x 250 mm, a double page is 340 x 250 mm.

• Text in figures (labels, axis labels, legends, etc) should be Helvetica or Arial, 8pt size.

• Text should be in a standard font (e.g. Times New Roman or Arial) at a size of 12 pt.

• Figure and table captions should be listed numerically at the end of the article text

• Articles should begin with a brief summary, which accurately summarises the content and is intelligible without reference to the text.

• Line weights and line strokes should have a maximum value of 1 and a minimum of 0.25.

• Footnotes and appendices should not be used unless absolutely necessary.

• The hierarchy of headings within the text should be clear.

• For graphs and plots, whenever possible, please submit vectorized images.

• As much as possible, please avoid white spaces.

• All images must be high resolution – 300dpi or more.

Double page of magazine, 340 x 250mm (Trim size) 88

ISSUE 82 JUNE 2026

• Submission files should be in CMYK format and can be supplied as tiff, jpeg or eps files.

• Images MUST include scale bars or field widths where relevant.

• Total number of images/figures/tables should not exceed 15 including tables.

Proofs Prior to publication, authors will be sent a PDF of the article by email for approval.

Authors should ensure articles are thoroughly checked before submission – proof amendments should be limited to minor corrections only.

Copyright Authors are requested to assign copyright to the RMS. However, authors may make copies of their own articles without seeking permission from the RMS, provided that such copies are for free distribution only (they must not be sold) and provided that infocus is properly acknowledged (issue number, month and page number should be given). Permission to reproduce material from infocus in other publications will not be given to third parties except with the consent of the authors concerned.

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce copyright material from other sources.

Approval for reproduction/modification of any material (including figures and tables) published elsewhere should be obtained by the authors before submission of the manuscript and the source of the material should be properly acknowledged. Authors are responsible for any copyright fee involved.

One column/half page width, 65.5mm

Authors are requested to complete and submit a signed copy of our copyright sign-off form. This is available on the RMS website (www.infocus.org.uk).

Figure 1. Width of figure or table confined to one column.

Two column/full page width, 135mm

Figure 2. Width of figure or table spanning full width of page.

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