In spring 2026, the IGBMC imaging facility, ICI, located in Illkirch, acquired two new light-sheet microscopes thanks to France-BioImaging and the BIOGEN project, supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR-24-INBS-0005 FBI BIOGEN).

One of the strategic priorities of BIOGEN is to strengthen the national offer in multiscale light-sheet microscopy for the scientific community. By addressing major imaging bottlenecks such as sensitivity, acquisition speed and phototoxicity, light-sheet microscopy opens up new possibilities for the observation of live and delicate biological samples.

At the ICI facility, two complementary systems have been acquired, each designed to address specific imaging needs.

• The lattice light-sheet 7 microscope enables the observation of fast dynamic processes over long periods of time, with very low phototoxicity and photobleaching compared to confocal microscopy. It is particularly well suited for fast volumetric imaging of live samples, without requiring specific sample preparation.
• The lattice SIM microscope, installed on a dedicated system, provides live super-resolution imaging, offering an excellent balance between acquisition speed and resolution gain.

Together, these two instruments significantly reinforce IGBMC’s technological offer by covering a broad range of biological questions, from fast cellular dynamics to super-resolved imaging of subcellular structures.

Light-sheet microscopy is particularly relevant for live and fragile samples, such as living cells, small organoids or early-stage embryos. The systems available at IGBMC are compatible with several common experimental formats, including dishes, multi-chamber slides and multi-well plates, making them easy to integrate into existing workflows.

These technologies are especially suited for projects focusing on intracellular dynamics, cell division, calcium signalling, developmental biology and, more broadly, quantitative cell biology requiring fast and minimally invasive imaging.

Operational since March 2026, these two systems are now part of the technological offer of the IGBMC imaging facility and the France-BioImaging Alsace node. They strengthen access to advanced light-sheet microscopy within the national network and open new opportunities for projects requiring fast, high-resolution and minimally invasive live imaging.

Researchers interested in using these microscopes, or in developing collaborative projects within the France-BioImaging network, are invited to contact the IGBMC imaging facility at: ici@igbmc.fr