Accurately measuring biochemical activity in living cells is a major challenge in bioimaging. FRET microscopy (Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer) is widely used for this purpose: it relies on energy transfer between two fluorophores in close proximity, making it possible to monitor molecular interactions or protein conformational changes in real time. While powerful, FRET remains difficult to exploit quantitatively, as results are often highly dependent on instrumental settings and experimental conditions.

To address these limitations, a multidisciplinary team of physicists and biologists from LIPHY, led by Aurélie Dupont, developed QuanTI-FRET, an innovative approach now available as a plug-in for napari.

The originality of the method lies in an auto-calibration strategy performed directly on the experimental images, exploiting the known stoichiometry of intramolecular FRET biosensors. This approach eliminates the need for additional calibration constructs and significantly simplifies the experimental workflow. Validated on live-cell FRET experiments, it enables the extraction of robust and comparable quantitative FRET values.

Released as open-source software and integrated into an open Python-based analysis environment, QuanTI-FRET contributes to making quantitative FRET imaging more accessible and reproducible for the bioimaging community.

Here’s the napari plug-in: https://napari-hub.org/plugins/quanti-fret.html

Interested to learn more? Read their scientific article here.

Tomographic Diffraction Microscopy (TDM) enables quantitative, label-free three-dimensional imaging of transparent samples, but its performance is limited when applied to thick or structurally complex specimens. Depth-dependent signal degradation and asymmetric frequency sampling can compromise both image quality and quantitative accuracy. To address these challenges, a research team from IRIMAS (France-BioImaging Alsace node) has developed a dual-view TDM approach. By combining two opposite and complementary views of the same sample, this method improves the robustness, reliability and applicability of 3D TDM reconstructions.

Limitations of conventional transmission TDM

TDM relies on the diffraction of light as it propagates through materials with different optical properties. By recording the phase and amplitude of the diffracted light under multiple illumination angles, TDM reconstructs a 3D map of the sample’s refractive index and absorption without the need for fluorescent labelling.

However, in its conventional transmission configuration, TDM suffers from intrinsic limitations. As imaging depth increases, signal quality progressively degrades due to absorption, defocusing and multiple scattering. In parallel, incomplete and asymmetric sampling of spatial frequencies can lead to reconstruction artefacts, such as axial distortions or ambiguities between refractive index and absorption. These effects reduce the reliability of 3D reconstructions, particularly for thick, dense or structurally complex samples.

Fig 1. Example of silica beads
While a 5 µm silica bead is correctly imaged as a circular object in the transverse plane (Fig. 1(b)), the longitudinal view (Fig. 1(c)) shows a stretched object, which borders appear to “vanish” along the optical axis (z-axis).

Carlos Alberto Chacón Ávila, Nicolas Verrier, Matthieu Debailleul, Bruno Colicchio, and Olivier Haeberlé, “Dual-view tomographic diffraction microscopy,” Opt. Express 33, 51444-51458 (2025)

Dual-view TDM: principle and implementation

To overcome these limitations, the proposed dual-view TDM approach is based on the simultaneous acquisition of two tomographic datasets from opposite directions. Each view provides a full 3D reconstruction of the sample, but with different depth-dependent signal attenuation and complementary spatial frequency coverage.

In this configuration, structures that appear deep and poorly resolved in one view are closer to the surface and better resolved in the opposite view. The two reconstructed volumes are then spatially registered and combined using a dedicated fusion strategy that selects, for each axial plane, the view exhibiting the richest spatial frequency content. This process effectively compensates for depth-related signal loss and mitigates asymmetries in the Optical Transfer Function, resulting in improved axial resolution, reduced reconstruction artefacts and more homogeneous image quality throughout the volume. Both refractive index and absorption maps benefit from this enhanced robustness, leading to more faithful and reliable 3D reconstructions.

Applications in label-free imaging of complex samples

Dual-view TDM is particularly well suited for the label-free imaging of structurally complex samples, where conventional TDM may fail to provide reliable results. Typical applications include the study of samples such as diatoms and pollen grains, whose intricate surface features and internal compartments require homogeneous image quality across the entire sample. The method could also be relevant for small 3D cellular assemblies or spheroids, where depth-dependent signal degradation limits quantitative analysis.

Fig. 6. Diagram of dual-view fusion strategy: alignment and combination of refractive index data from T1 and T2 views.

Carlos Alberto Chacón Ávila, Nicolas Verrier, Matthieu Debailleul, Bruno Colicchio, and Olivier Haeberlé, “Dual-view tomographic diffraction microscopy,” Opt. Express 33, 51444-51458 (2025)

By improving the robustness of refractive index and absorption reconstructions, dual-view TDM enables more accurate characterization of dense or absorbing regions, extending the applicability of TDM to a broader range of biological and biophysical studies without additional labelling or complex sample manipulation.

While dual-view Tomographic Diffraction Microscopy significantly improves the robustness of 3D TDM reconstructions, it does not fully eliminate the intrinsic limitations of transmission-only TDM, such as multiple scattering or anisotropic resolution in very complex samples. This approach nevertheless represents an important contribution in extending the applicability of label-free 3D imaging. This dual-view approach also paves the path towards 4Pi tomography, which aims at delivering isotropic-resolution imaging. Note that another French team at Institut Fresnel-Marseille works on a similar approach, called mirror-assisted tomography.

Readers interested in the technical details and experimental validation can consult the scientific article here.

Carlos Alberto Chacón Ávila, Nicolas Verrier, Matthieu Debailleul, Bruno Colicchio, and Olivier Haeberlé, “Dual-view tomographic diffraction microscopy” Opt. Express 33, 51444-51458 (2025)

Dans le cadre du programme “Imaging 4 All – Access Track”, le Dr Brice Tonfack, de l’Université de Yaoundé (Cameroun), a bénéficié d’un grant pour collaborer avec Jean-Luc Verdeil, le responsable scientifique de la plateforme d’imagerie MRI-PHiV du CIRAD à Montpellier. Ce séjour allant au-delà de l’aspect technologique, a permis de structurer une collaboration scientifique sérieuse et durable entre le laboratoire du Dr Tonfack et le MRI-PHiV.

Nous avons rencontré Jean-Luc et Brice, qui nous ont fait le plaisir de répondre à nos questions pour mieux comprendre les enjeux et bénéfices de cet échange.

English-speaking readers, the interview can be found in English at the end of the article.

Brice, pouvez-vous brièvement vous présenter ?

[Brice] Je suis Dr Libert Brice TONFACK, Maître de Conférences en Biotechnologies Végétales et Environnement à l’Université de Yaoundé I depuis 2011. Mon parcours s’est construit entre le Cameroun, la France et l’Afrique du Sud, avec un doctorat en biotechnologies végétales et une expérience postdoctorale à l’Université de Pretoria. Mes recherches portent sur la valorisation des plantes tropicales sous-exploitées, l’agriculture durable en conditions de stress et la génomique fonctionnelle, avec pour objectif de relier recherche fondamentale et applications concrètes au service du développement durable en Afrique.

Sur quel projet de recherche travaillez-vous actuellement ?

[Brice] Je travaille actuellement sur un projet consacré à la valorisation d’espèces tropicales sous-exploitées du genre Aframomum, en collaboration avec le CIRAD à Montpellier. À l’aide d’outils de bioimagerie et de microscopie, nous étudions la diversité et la structure des graines. L’enjeu est à la fois scientifique et sociétal : mieux comprendre ces espèces encore peu étudiées, révéler leur potentiel médicinal, alimentaire ou cosmétique, et contribuer à leur conservation ainsi qu’au développement des communautés qui en dépendent.

Brice, comment avez-vous vécu le programme Imaging 4 All – Access Track ?

[Brice] Mon expérience avec ce programme a été très enrichissante. Ce séjour a permis de poser les bases d’une collaboration scientifique ambitieuse et durable entre mon laboratoire et la plateforme MRI-PHiV du CIRAD. L’accueil, l’organisation et l’accompagnement scientifique ont été exemplaires, et les infrastructures de pointe ont permis de générer des données de très grande qualité. Le soutien financier du programme a été déterminant pour la réussite du projet et a eu un impact fort sur mes travaux et mes collaborations internationales.

Pourquoi avoir choisi une plateforme France-BioImaging ?

[Brice] J’ai choisi une plateforme France-BioImaging car l’imagerie végétale reste encore peu représentée, et la MRI-PHiV de Montpellier est l’une des rares infrastructures de haut niveau dédiées à la recherche sur les plantes. J’ai été mis en contact avec Jean-Luc Verdeil par Jean Salamero, puis une première visite de la plateforme en 2024 a permis d’initier les échanges scientifiques et de faire émerger un projet commun, ensuite construit collectivement à distance.

En quoi ce séjour a-t-il fait avancer votre projet ?

[Brice] Ce séjour a permis d’obtenir des données inédites que je n’aurais pas pu acquérir dans mon laboratoire. Nous avons réalisé une caractérisation complète des graines d’Aframomum par imagerie non invasive et analyses histologiques et histochimiques avancées. Ces approches ont généré des jeux de données riches et prometteurs, constituant une avancée méthodologique majeure et posant les bases de travaux collaboratifs approfondis.

Jean-Luc, comment la plateforme a-t-elle bénéficié de cette collaboration ?

[Jean-Luc] Cette collaboration a été très stimulante pour l’ensemble de l’équipe de la MRI-PHiV. Elle nous a permis de travailler sur un matériel biologique original et peu étudié, présentant une grande richesse morphologique et biochimique. Le projet nous a amenés à combiner plusieurs modalités d’imagerie dans une approche intégrative, renforçant notre expertise méthodologique, notamment sur des échantillons complexes riches en métabolites secondaires. Les échanges avec Brice ont été particulièrement riches et son regard de biologiste tropical a donné une nouvelle dimension aux images produites.

En quoi cette collaboration a-t-elle enrichi vos approches scientifiques ?

[Brice] Cette collaboration a renforcé ma conviction que l’imagerie est un outil central pour comprendre le fonctionnement du végétal: une bonne image valant mille mots! Elle m’a conduit à repenser l’ensemble de la chaîne expérimentale, de la préparation des échantillons à l’analyse des images. L’imagerie, en interaction avec la physiologie, la biochimie, la génomique et l’agronomie, ouvre un véritable changement de paradigme scientifique.

[Jean-Luc] Travailler avec Brice sur des espèces tropicales orphelines a profondément enrichi ma manière d’aborder l’imagerie végétale, en la replaçant au cœur de questions biologiques, écologiques et sociétales concrètes. L’imagerie ne doit pas être perçue comme une discipline isolée, mais comme un langage transversal reliant la physiologie, la biochimie, la génomique, l’agronomie et l’écologie. Cette collaboration nous a amenés à repenser la conception des protocoles et la finalité des données produites, et a également été très riche sur le plan humain, en instaurant une relation de confiance essentielle à des partenariats durables.

Brice, qu’avez-vous retiré de cette expérience sur le plan professionnel ?

[Brice] Au-delà de l’accès aux technologies, cette expérience a fortement renforcé ma visibilité internationale et celle de mon institution. J’ai pu me familiariser avec des outils de microscopie de haut niveau et générer un volume important de données, qui seront analysées en étroite collaboration avec l’équipe de la MRI-PHiV.

Comment Global BioImaging favorise-t-il des collaborations équilibrées ?

[Jean-Luc] Les initiatives portées par Global BioImaging dépassent une simple logique d’accès aux équipements. Elles encouragent la co-construction de projets, la reconnaissance des expertises et des priorités scientifiques des pays du Sud, et contribuent à réduire les inégalités d’accès aux technologies. Elles bénéficient autant aux chercheurs invités qu’aux plateformes hôtes et créent un cadre de confiance propice à des collaborations durables. J’ai par ailleurs énormément apprécié de travailler avec Brice, que je ne connaissais que très peu avant cette collaboration. Cette rencontre a été pour moi une expérience humainement très enrichissante, tant sur le plan personnel que culturel et scientifique, et elle a largement contribué à la qualité, à la confiance et à la profondeur de notre collaboration.

Comment envisagez-vous la suite de cette collaboration ?

[Brice] Oui, clairement. L’analyse des données nécessitera une collaboration étroite sur au moins un an, avec des publications, des communications scientifiques et de nouveaux séjours de recherche. À plus long terme, nous envisageons des échanges d’étudiants, des actions de formation et des projets communs, notamment en biotechnologie forestière et en imagerie appliquée aux écosystèmes marins.

[Jean-Luc] Cette collaboration constitue le point de départ d’un partenariat scientifique structurant et durable. À court terme, l’analyse conjointe des données ouvrira la voie à plusieurs publications. À plus long terme, nous souhaitons développer des échanges de jeunes chercheurs, des formations en imagerie et répondre ensemble à de futurs appels à projets autour de l’imagerie végétale et du phénotypage des plantes tropicales.

Meeting with Brice Tonfack and Jean-Luc VerdeilDownload

Researchers from the University of Rouen (INSERM UMR1096, EnVI Laboratory), in collaboration with engineers from the Normandy microscopy platform PRIMACEN, both members of France-BioImaging, have identified genetic and cellular remodelling mechanisms of the cardiac lymphatic system in mice with cardiovascular diseases. This work provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying cardiac lymphatic dysfunction(1).

PRIMACEN, a platform at the heart of the project

As part of a research project dedicated to cardiovascular diseases, the PRIMACEN microscopy platform played a central role in the study of cardiac lymphatic vessel remodelling. The platform was selected for its expertise in microscopy applied to complex biological tissues and for its ability to support advanced imaging strategies.

Seeing to understand: the key contribution of light microscopy

While molecular approaches, including transcriptomics, revealed disease-associated genetic changes, microscopy was essential to visualise and validate these findings at the cellular and tissue levels. Light microscopy enabled direct observation of cardiac lymphatic structures and their organisation.

3D imaging to uncover cardiac lymphatic remodelling

Using advanced microscopy techniques, including light-sheet microscopy and deep confocal imaging, researchers accessed a three-dimensional view of the cardiac lymphatic network, not achievable with conventional histological sections. This approach demonstrated, for the first time, the presence of valves within cardiac lymphatic capillaries and loss of these structures in mice with cardiovascular disease.

Figure 4: Modification of cardiac LEC [Lymphatic endothelial cells] subpopulations post-TAC in BALB/c. (D) Examples of cardiac lymphatic valves in healthy versus post-TAC mice (Lyve1 [lymphatic marker], gray; Podocalyxin [blood capillaries marker], red; yellow arrows: lymphatic valves in capillaries, white arrowheads: valved precollectors. Scale bar, 200 µm. (E) Quantification of lymphatic capillary valves (n = 5 mice/group) in sham (white circles) and TAC (black circles), and assessment of average lymphatic intervalve distances. ##P < 0.0079 Mann–Whitney U test. Data shown as mean ± s.e.m. (Heron, C., Lemarcis, T., Laguerre, O. et al. Molecular determinants of cardiac lymphatic dysfunction in a chronic pressure-overload model. EMBO Mol Med 18, 325–355 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44321-025-00345-w)

Towards a better understanding of cardiac lymphatic dysfunction

These results highlight a link between lymphatic valve loss and impaired cardiac lymphatic drainage. By combining tailored 3D imaging and complementary transcriptomic analyses, the Rouen branch of France-BioImaging node contributed to the identification of new markers of cardiac lymphatic remodelling, opening new avenues for research into cardiovascular diseases.

Schematic view of the cardiac lymphatic dysfunction mechanism. (Heron, C., Lemarcis, T., Laguerre, O. et al. Molecular determinants of cardiac lymphatic dysfunction in a chronic pressure-overload model. EMBO Mol Med 18, 325–355 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44321-025-00345-w)

(1) Heron, C., Lemarcis, T., Laguerre, O. et al. Molecular determinants of cardiac lymphatic dysfunction in a chronic pressure-overload model. EMBO Mol Med 18, 325–355 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44321-025-00345-w

Access the scientific article here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1038/s44321-025-00345-w

Deadline: February 13th, 2026

The three national infrastructures ProFi, France-BioImaging and FRISBI along with the GIS IBiSA are pleased to announce a fourth call for a funded access to IBiSA-labelled facilities. Our aim is to promote IBiSA facilities networking through transdisciplinary research projects.

Applications should request access to at least two different IBiSA facilities from two disciplines (structural biology, Biological imaging and proteomics, see below a non-exhaustive list). The call is open to any academic laboratory.

Modalities for application are described in the attached document.

Applications should be submitted to Call-IBISA-FBI-FRISBI-PROFI@i2bc.paris-saclay.fr using the template document https://sdrive.cnrs.fr/s/kAcGyS8SNfjRadJ

Call description

Access call 4 inter-infra IBiSA 2026Download

France-BioImaging CLEM Working Group will organize its next Workshop from March 10 to 12, 2026 in Rouen (Normandie).

This edition, mainly focused on cryo-CLEM will combine theoretical presentations the 1st day, practical workshop the 2nd day and a visit of the Primacen facility the 3rd day (morning only).

Look at the complete program:

Working Group CLEM-Flyer (1)Download

Registration are open until February 18, 2026. All WG-CLEM members are welcome in Rouen, up to a maximum of 12 participants (travel, accommodation, restaurant supported by your home node).

To register, fill in the form: https://forms.gle/dvFTjiDnvVQk4HkWA

Download the file below for practical information.

Working Group CLEM-Practical informationsDownload

A model symbiosis reveals a specific nutrient exchange strategy

Many insects rely on intracellular bacterial symbionts to support their growth and development. These bacteria provide essential nutrients that the host cannot synthesize on its own, while depending on the insect for metabolic resources. Although this mutual dependence is well established, the cellular mechanisms underlying nutrient exchange between hosts and symbionts have long remained unclear.

In this study, the authors focus on a model of nutritional symbiosis between the cereal weevil Sitophilus spp. and its intracellular bacterial symbiont Sodalis pierantonius. By investigating this specific host-symbiont system, the researchers reveal how S. pierantonius directly accesses carbohydrates derived from the insect diet. Using advanced imaging approaches, they uncover an unexpected intracellular organization that enables efficient nutrient transfer at the nanoscale in this particular symbiotic context.

Seeing nutrient exchange across scales

To investigate this well-defined symbiotic model, the study relied on a combination of complementary imaging techniques to visualize nutrient exchange from the tissue scale down to the nanoscale.

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron tomography, performed after high-pressure freezing (HPF), provided high-resolution 3D views of host cells, with excellent preservation of membranes. These experiments, carried out at the Centre Technologique des Microstructures, a platform of the Rhône-Alpes node of France-BioImaging, were essential to resolve fine bacterial membrane structures. In parallel, spinning disk confocal microscopy enabled fluorescence imaging of intact tissues, while scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) provided in situ chemical information.

Imaging reveals tubenets as key nutrient exchange interfaces

The imaging data first establish the spatial organization of the symbiosis within the insect. Symbiotic bacteria are confined to a specialized organ, the bacteriome, and are intracellularly localized within host bacteriocytes. This organization defines a highly structured cellular environment in which host and symbiont interactions take place.

At the cellular level, the bacteria display an unexpected morphological complexity. Rather than remaining as isolated intracellular units, Sodalis pierantonius forms an extensive network of tubular membrane structures, termed tubenets, within bacteriocytes. These structures extend from the bacterial surface and interconnect neighboring bacterial cells, giving rise to a continuous three-dimensional network embedded in the host cytoplasm.

Figure 2 Endosymbionts produce numerous tubular membranous extensions inside bacteriocytes
(A–E) TEM observation of sections of bacteriomes fixed by HPF. Tubular structures (arrow: examples) are observed longitudinally or transversely sectioned, revealing their membranous nature. These structures, hereafter referred to as “tubenets,” are located between bacteria and vesicles (arrow in B) or between bacteria (arrows in A, C, D, and E).
(F) Tubenets are stained by antibodies directed against the bacterial protein Lpp after an immunogold protocol, indicating a bacterial origin of tubenets. Antibodies are localized thanks to gold particles (black dots). ∗, bacteria, v, vesicles.
(G) Tomogram slice with superimposed 3D segmentation of bacteria (bact) and tubenets. Bact 2 and 3 are represented as transparent layers to allow visualization of the lateral connections between bacteria and tubenets (black arrowheads).
(H and I) 3D rendering from the same tomogram as in (G). The segmentation of bact 3 is not shown for better visualization. (H) Connections are observed between bacteria and tubenets (black arrowheads). For clearer representation, not all tubenets are displayed in this panel. (I) Complex interconnections between the tubenets and between tubenets and bacteria are visualized along their long axes.

High-resolution observations further reveal that tubenets originate from the bacterial outer membrane. Their molecular features include characteristic components of bacterial outer membranes, indicating that they result from a controlled remodeling of the bacterial envelop rather than from host-derived compartments. This remodeling generates an expanded membranous architecture while preserving bacterial membrane identity.

High-resolution observations further reveal that tubenets originate from the bacterial outer membrane. Their molecular features include characteristic components of bacterial outer membranes, indicating that they result from a controlled remodeling of the bacterial envelop rather than from host-derived compartments. This remodeling generates an expanded membranous architecture while preserving bacterial membrane identity.

Figure S1 Ultrastructure of the larval gut epithelium in the bacteriome vicinity
(A) Drawing (left) and photo (right) of S. oryzae larva. The bacteriome is in purple. The frame indicates the area corresponding to the TEM image in (B). Anterior is left.
(B) TEM imaging of the gut epithelial cells and of bacteriocytes in the nearby bacteriome. Frames correspond to the regions observed with higher magnification in (C–F).
(C) Apical side of a gut epithelial cell with endocytic vesicles.
(D–H) Basal side of gut epithelial cells. In (E), the nearby bacteriome is visible, with complex membranous structures at the gut-bacteriome interface. Red arrowheads, endocytosis; Blue arrowheads, exocytosis; Arrows, intracellular vesicles; lu, gut lumen; MVB, multivesicular body; Mi, mitochondria; M, microvilosity; gBM, gut basal membrane; bBM, bacteriome basal membrane; ∗, endosymbionts; Nu, nucleus; Bact, bacteriome; Gut epith, gut epithelium.

The spatial arrangement of tubenets places them in close proximity to host intracellular vesicles associated with nutrient trafficking from the digestive epithelium. Based on the convergence of spatial, structural and molecular observations, the authors propose that tubenets function asspecialized interfaces at the host-symbiont boundary.

According to this proposed model, the expansion of membrane surface provided by tubenets would facilitate the access of symbiotic bacteria to host-derived nutrients. These nutrients would support bacterial metabolism and contribute to the synthesis of essential compounds, such as amino acids, which are required for the normal growth and development of the insect host during key developmental stages.

Imaging to understand the diversity of host-symbiont interactions

By elucidating the cellular organization of the Sodalis-Sitophilus symbiosis, this study provides new insights into the diversity of strategies used by endosymbiotic bacteria to interact with their host. Rather than relying on simple diffusion or passive exchange, the bacteria appear to deploy a complex architecture that may optimize interactions with the intracellular environment.

Beyond this specific model system, the work highlights how advanced imaging approaches are essential to uncover the structural basis of biological functions that remain inaccessible through genetic or biochemical analyses alone. By integrating information across spatial scales, from tissues to membranes,imaging makes it possible to connect cellular architecture with metabolic and developmental processes.

Read the scientific article here!

Explore the endless possibilities of microscopy through the 2025 FBI digital calendar!

Once again this year, the participants in the France-BioImaging Image Contest have outdone themselves, providing us with stunning microscopy images captured using a variety of techniques. These images also showcase the diversity of models and applications, highlighting the many possibilities offered by microscopy. Take a look at 12 of the 37 images submitted to the France-BioImaging Image Contest 2025!

A big thank you again to all the participants!

You can download the A4 print version (one month per page) 2025 FBI digital calendar here:

France-BioImaging digital calendar 2026Download

If you wish to use it as your computer desktop, you can download a PNG version of each month here:

January 26Download
February 26Download
March 26Download
April 26Download
May 26Download
June 26Download
August 26Download
September 26Download
October 26Download
November 26Download
December 26Download

The France VolumeEM network is organizing its first Scientific Days in Bordeaux (Broca Center – Bordeaux University) on September 28 and 29, 2026.

The aim of this event is to bring together the community around 3D electron microscopy approaches and complementary techniques, such as TomoX, in the fields of life sciences and materials science.

A bonus session will take place on the afternoon of September 29 and will be dedicated to workshops on CryoFIB-SEM, SBF-SEM, array tomography, plasma FIB, cryogenic and room-temperature sample preparation, as well as various image analysis software tools. Places are limited!

Take a look at the preliminary programme below

programmeDownload

Interested in sharing your work? You can submit an abstract to present your research during one of the three thematic sessions!

Abstracts can be submitted via the Sciencesconf website, either during registration or at a later stage, or by email. Please find the submission guidelines here.

If you do not wish to give an oral presentation but would still like to share your work, you can also submit a poster for the Monday evening poster session.

Both oral presentations and posters will be entered into a contest with great prizes to be won!

General information

When: September 28-29, 2026

Where: Broca Center, Bordeaux

The event is free and open to all, but the registration is mandatory.

Register here

Registrations for SPRINT 2026 are open! This five-day intensive training course dedicated to photonic microscopy will take place from March 16 to 20, 2026 in Paris.

SPRINT 2026 is designed to train researchers and engineers in the practical mastery of advanced imaging techniques, with a particular focus on acquisition speed and resolution.

The program combines theory and intensive practical sessions on cutting-edge equipment, covering:

  • Widefield,
  • Confocal Microscopy,
  • Dynamic Imaging,
  • Light-sheet,
  • Super Resolution (STED),
  • Holotomography,
  • Expansion Microscopy,
  • Image Analysis.

General information

Practical information

Location: Gustave Roussy, Plateforme d’Imagerie et Cytometrie PFIC, Pavillon de Recherche nr2, 20 Rue du Dr. Pinel 94800 Villejuif

Participation Fee: €250 per person. This amount covers pedagogical costs, consumables, lunches, and coffee breaks for the five days.

Registration details

Target Audience: Researchers, engineers, post-docs, and phD students with a foundational knowledge of microscopy.

Capacity: Strictly limited to 10 participants to ensure optimal supervision and maximum hands-on time with the equipment.

How to Apply: A selection process will be applied due to the limited number of places.

  • Application Deadline: January 31, 2026
  • To submit your application: Simply send your letter of motivation to the following address: tudor.manoliu@gustaveroussy.fr
afiche SPRINT 2026.pptxDownload

The second meeting of the FBI Mechanobiology WG will take place on March 26–27, 2026 at the Institut de Biologie Paris Seine and the Institut Jacques Monod in Paris.

The programme will include a seminar by Kate Miroshnikova (NIDDK/NIH, Bethesda USA and Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany), presentations by participants and practical mechanobiology workshops (a choice of 4 workshops from a dozen: optical tweezers, micro/nano-fabrication, microfluidics, AFM, micropipette aspiration, mechanical confinement, force measurements, etc.).

Program

Day 1 – 26/03/2026, Paris 5e (IBPS / Curie / IPGG)

  • Morning : scientific presentations, small group discussion
  • Afternoon : 2 sessions of practical workshops on real set-ups in participating labs (Paris 5e)

Day 2 – 27/03/2026, Paris 13e (IJM / MSC / LIED)

  • Morning : scientific presentations, poster session
  • Afternoon : 2 sessions of practical workshops on real set-ups in participating labs (Paris 13e)

Find here the full program:

WG_MechanoBiology_2026_program —Download

Infos & registration

Registration is free, but places are limited and priority will be given to contributors whose abstracts have been selected.

Register by filling the form below, before the 31st January:

This form is currently closed for submissions. If you are interested to be on waiting list, please send an email to joseph.dalessandro@ijm.fr

Any question? Please contact: Joseph d’Alessandro (joseph.dalessandro@ijm.fr)

This event is supported by

As 2025 comes to an end, this year once again proved to be rich in exchanges and collaborations. Through interviews, webinars and events, discover a snapshot of an inspiring year for the France-BioImaging community.

International collaborations

Through various international events and collaborations, France-BioImaging strengthened its presence on the global stage.

Official launch of the IRN BioImage

An International Research Network (IRN) has been launched to strengthen collaboration between France and China in biological optical imaging research. This initiative brings together leading institutions from France-BioImaging and the National Biomedical Imaging Center (NBIC) in China to advance microscopy technologies and methodologies.

The partnership focuses on four main areas: image analysis and data management, probes, super-resolution imaging, and deep-tissue imaging.

All Hands Nodes Meeting

In March, several FBI members attended Euro-BioImaging All Hands Meeting at EMBL in Heidelberg. This event provided an opportunity to meet colleagues from all Euro-BioImaging nodes and discuss imaging technology innovation, data, access, training, and international collaboration.

A session was specifically dedicated to the Euro-BioImaging User Access Experience, featuring an interactive discussion during which Yves Lutz (IGBMC) presented the experience of the France-BioImaging Alsace Node.

10th Global BioImaging Exchange of Experience

In October, FBI participated in the GBI Exchange of Experience 2025, to explore “Imaging in 2035 – Sustaining Infrastructure Ecosystems & Advanced Technologies.” France-BioImaging was represented by Caroline Thiriet and Jean Salamero.

As Mission Officer for Inter-Infrastructure Relationships at FBI and member of the GBI Working Group on Impact, Jean Salamero moderated the session “Micro-to-Macro: Measuring the Hidden Impacts of Imaging Scientists & Networks.”

Normandie & Rhone-Alpes nodes officially joined Euro-BioImaging

Since their integration in June, the Normandie and Rhône-Alpes nodes have significantly expanded the scope and excellence of the French node of Euro-BioImaging.

The Normandie Node brings unique expertise in:
* Intravital imaging for vascular diseases,
* Microalgal biosciences and marine biology imaging,
* Advanced cryo-correlative microscopies and super-resolution imaging.

The Rhône-Alpes Node enhances national capabilities with:
*Deep expertise in large-volume 3D EM with integrated image analysis pipelines,
* Pioneering technologies in biomechanics and mechanobiology,
* Rare capacities in spatial transcriptomics, adaptive optics, and metabolic imaging.

Insightful job shadowing

In October, several members of FBI took part in the opportunities offered by EVOLVE project, enabling valuable exchanges and experiences.

Through the Job Shadowing initiative, Guillaume Gay, Data Engineer for the FBI.data mission welcomed Kenneth Ho from the Francis Crick Institute to discusse shared challenges and solutions in microscopy data management. Caroline Thiriet, Deputy Administrative Director for International Relations and Industry at FBI, hosted Virginia Pierini from the EMBL Imaging Centre to exchange on how France-BioImaging coordinates its distributed national infrastructure.

Finally, Fabrice Cordelière, Head of Training for FBI, took part in the Train-the-Trainer event, mentoring Iva Švecová from the Light Microscopy Facility at the Institute of Experimental Medicine. Eva benefited from Fabrice’s extensive experience in team management, user training, coding practices, and user-driven data backup workflows.

Competitions in the spotlight

Challenge Fuse My Cells

For the second consecutive year, France-BioImaging organized its data and machine-learning competition. The challenge aimed to predict a fused 3D image using only one or two available 3D views, addressing key limitations of current microscopy techniques such as image quality, live-imaging duration, photon budget optimization and image analysis facilitation.

The winners were:
1st place: Marek Wodzinski
2nd place: Shengyan Xu
3rd place: Cyril Meyer

FBI Image Contest 2025

Once again, we were delighted by the diversity of submitted images, showcasing a wide range of microscopy techniques, models and applications. This competition highlights how microscopy images can also take on an artistic and creative dimension, revealing the beauty of the invisible world.

The winners were:
1st place: Nicolas Barois with Gut Flower-Flora
2nd place: Vishwadeep Mane with The Puzzled Awakening
3rd place: Simli Dey with Kaleidoscope

Focus on our community

User Success Stories

In 2025, we highlighted several users who benefited from the FBI User Access Fund in 2024. Through their portraits, you discovered their research journeys and how access to FBI platforms supported their projects.

We were pleased to interview:
Atitheb Chaiyasitdhi
Carolina Eliscovich
Mariia Nazarova
Hamed Abbasi

Inspiring scientific articles

Throughout 2025, numerous scientific articles were published by FBI members and platform users.

From new protocols to innovative research results, a wide range of topics were covered, including cancer research, virology, plant biology, developmental biology and data analysis.

Digital events

FBI Connect

In November, we launched the first edition of FBI Connect, a new webinar series dedicated to the France-BioImaging community. This initiative aims to highlight cutting-edge techniques developed within FBI facilities and demonstrate how they support research projects.

For this inaugural session, we welcomed Robert Quast (CBS, Montpellier), who presented a novel multicolor single-molecule FRET technique, unique in France and Europe, enabling precise visualization of membrane protein dynamics.
The replay is still available on Youtube!

Lots of webinars

Throughout the year, many webinars hosted by FBI members were shared with the community. These events provided opportunities to disseminate expertise, share knowledge and present the latest developments.

Several Working Groups also held online meetings, ensuring continued exchange even when in-person events were not possible.

Conquering new audiences

General public events

This autumn, two FBI microscopy platforms invited the public to dive into the fascinating world of microscopy!


The Montpellier Ressources Imagerie platform presented “Life is Beautiful,” a photography exhibition showcasing microscopy images at several public events. This project was awarded funding through an EVOLVE call.


IMAG’IC, the Institut Cochin imaging platform, participated in the CNRS “Visites Insolites,” offering visitors a rare opportunity to access usually restricted scientific spaces and discover science in unexpected ways.

Looking for industrial partners

Our Business Engineer, Samy Al-Bourgol, represented France-BioImaging at several trade shows targeting the industrial sector.

From environment and health to cosmetics and materials science, he presented the wide range of services and expertise offered by FBI platforms to industrial partners.

We hope you enjoyed this overview of our 2025 activities and discoveries! We look forward to continuing these collaborations and welcoming you again in 2026 for new projects and shared initiatives!