France Volume-EM held its first thematic meeting in Bordeaux!
Category: News from Nodes
In September 28–29, 2026, the France Volume-EM community gathered in Bordeaux for its first thematic meeting, co-organised with several France-BioImaging members, including the Electron Microscopy facility of the Bordeaux Imaging Center (BIC).
The event brought together experts and researchers to explore the latest advances and applications of volume electron microscopy. The programme featured scientific talks highlighting the contribution of 3D imaging to research projects, alongside keynote lectures by Isabelle Bonne (National University of Singapore), Timm Weitkamp (CEA) and Karel Mocaer (EMBL). Roundtable discussions also addressed the future of volume EM, particularly the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence and the challenges currently facing the community.
The final half-day was dedicated to hands-on technical workshops, introducing participants to equipment and techniques available at the BIC, including FIB-SEM and cryo-plunging, as well as image analysis workshops led by event sponsors.
As part of the French Node of Euro-BioImaging, the event benefited from funding through Euro-BioImaging’s EVOLVE project, which was represented at the event by Johanna Bischof, Head of Bio-Hub Operations.
Through this first meeting, France Volume-EM aims to strengthen the French volume electron microscopy community, encourage knowledge sharing and foster new collaborations in this rapidly developing field.
A new study(1) published in Nature Communications shows that membrane enrichment with two polyunsaturated fatty acids, DHA and DPA, reduces agonist-induced endocytosis of the dopamine D2 receptor, a major target of antipsychotic drugs. By combining confocal microscopy and live-cell TIRF imaging, the researchers showed that D2R clustering at the plasma membrane is preserved, while β-arrestin2 recruitment to D2R endocytic sites and the formation of D2R-containing endocytic vesicles are reduced.
Linking membrane lipids and dopamine receptor trafficking
The brain is highly enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs, and altered PUFA levels have been associated with several neuropsychiatric disorders. Previous work had linked dietary PUFA deficiency in mice to behavioural changes, including altered motivation, involving neurons expressing the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R). In this new study, Silvia Sposiniet al. investigated whether PUFA levels in cellular membranes could directly affect the trafficking of the D2R, a G protein-coupled receptor involved in dopaminergic signalling and a major target of antipsychotic drugs.
By enriching cell membranes with two different PUFAs, DHA and DPA, the team showed that agonist-induced D2R endocytosis was strongly reduced. This effect was observed in HEK-293 cells and confirmed in cultured cortical neurons. Importantly, PUFA enrichment did not affect clathrin-mediated endocytosis in general, assessed using transferrin uptake, nor the internalization of several other GPCRs tested. These results highlight a specific sensitivity of D2R endocytosis to membrane PUFA levels.
Imaging the altered steps of D2R endocytosis
Microscopy played a key role in understanding this mechanism. Confocal imaging showed that fewer D2R-containing endosomes formed in PUFA-enriched cells after receptor activation. Live-cell TIRF microscopy then allowed the researchers to observe early endocytic events at the plasma membrane. While D2R clustering at endocytic sites remained unchanged, the recruitment of β-arrestin2, an essential protein for D2R endocytosis and signalling, was reduced. Using the pulsed-pH assay, the team further showed a lower frequency of D2R-containing endocytic vesicle formation.
Finally, the study identified two key residues in the second intracellular loop of D2R, serines 147 and 148, as essential for the sensitivity of D2R endocytosis to PUFA levels. When these residues were mutated, the receptor still internalized after activation, but PUFA enrichment no longer reduced its endocytosis.
Together, these results show that membrane lipids do not only influence general membrane properties such as fluidity or rigidity. They can also specifically regulate the trafficking of membrane proteins such as the dopamine D2 receptor. This study opens new perspectives on how membrane composition may influence D2R trafficking, with potential consequences for dopaminergic signalling in the brain.
(1)Sposini, S., Baccouch, R., Lescuyer, M. et al.Membrane lipid poly-unsaturation selectively affects dopamine D2 receptor endocytosis. Nat Commun17, 6661 (2026).https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-73057-5
The Advanced Microscopies team at the Laboratory for Optics and Biosciences has shown that third harmonic generation (THG) microscopy, mainly used to visualize tissue structure, can also help distinguish certain biological pigments. By exploiting their response to different wavelengths, the researchers open new possibilities for label-free multiphoton imaging that can provide complementary information about sample composition.
Multiphoton microscopy is widely used to explore biological tissues in three dimensions. While many approaches rely on fluorescent labels to precisely identify specific structures or molecules, label-free techniques can also make use of the intrinsic properties of biological samples.
Among them, third harmonic generation (THG) microscopy can reveal interfaces and variations in optical properties within tissues. It is therefore particularly useful for providing information about tissue organization and morphology without requiring staining or fluorescent labeling. Until now, however, THG has mainly been used for structural imaging.
In this study1, Stella Dees et al. investigated another property of THG: its signal can be strongly enhanced in the presence of certain absorbing molecules when they are illuminated at specific wavelengths.
The researchers studied three representative biological pigments: hemoglobin in red blood cells, pteridines found in xanthophores (pigment cells in zebrafish) and melanin in human hair. For each of them, they measured how the THG signal changed depending on the excitation wavelength.
They observed signal enhancements ranging from 10- to 100-fold in these pigmented structures. Importantly, this enhancement did not occur in the same way for all pigments. Each showed a different response to the excitation wavelengths, providing information that can be used to distinguish them.
Distinguishing structures in a living sample
The team then applied this principle to the imaging of live zebrafish larvae. The researchers used an approach called third-order sum-frequency generation (TSFG), which provides simultaneous access to several spectral responses.
By taking advantage of the differences between the pigments, they were able to distinguish red blood cells containing hemoglobin from xanthophores and from surrounding structures.
This simultaneous readout is also particularly useful for imaging living and dynamic samples, as it provides spectroscopic contrast without requiring the excitation wavelength to be changed successively to acquire multiple images.
Color TSFG microscopy. (b) Tiled large-area TSFG image of a zebrafish larva (reanalysis of data used in Ref. 21). (c) Three-color image extracted from the same data, combining the following signals. RBC: red blood cells; xantho: xanthophores; noto: notochord interface.
FIG. S3. Color TSFG image of xanthophores and red blood cells in a zebrafish larva. Zoomed-in view of Fig. 5C showing the three individual channels (TSFG1, TSFG2, THG) in greyscale lookup table and the overlay in RGB.
Going beyond morphological information
These results show that THG could provide more than structural information alone. By exploiting the spectral properties of pigments naturally present in biological samples, THG and TSFG could add a degree of specificity to label-free multiphoton imaging.
This approach is not intended to replace fluorescence imaging, which remains particularly powerful for specifically targeting molecules or biological structures, but could provide complementary information without requiring additional labels.
The work therefore opens new perspectives for studying pigments and other naturally absorbing structures in biological samples, while also highlighting the need for further characterization of their spectral properties and for a better understanding of how light propagation through tissues influences the measured signals.
1Stella Dees, Júlia Ferrer Ortas, Pierre Mahou, Willy Supatto, Nicolas Olivier, Emmanuel Beaurepaire; Resonant third harmonic generation in biological pigments. APL Photonics 1 August 2026; 11 (8): 086116.https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0341777
For the 2026 edition of the CNRS “Visites Insolites”, four France-BioImaging member research institutes and imaging facilities will open their doors to the general public. The Institut Fresnel, IBDM, the IMAG’IC facility at Institut Cochin, and theImagoSeine facility at Institut Jacques Monod will welcome visitors in October for a series of hands-on activities and demonstrations exploring imaging, light and the hidden world of living systems. Find out more about each event below.
Please note: registration for all four events closes on 20 September 2026.
Institut Fresnel: Photonics is fantastic!
Hervé Rigneault’s MOSAIC R&D team, together with the Photonics facility, will introduce visitors to the fascinating possibilities of manipulating light to reveal what cannot be seen with the naked eye, through interactive experiments and demonstrations.
Institut Jacques Monod: Take a closer look at your plate with flow cytometry
The flow cytometry unit of the ImagoSeine facility will invite visitors to discover the hidden world of living organisms found in our food. Participants will also have the opportunity to visit the facility and discover some of its imaging equipment.
At IBDM, the visit will focus on developmental biology and the earliest stages of life. Through hands-on activities and observations using a stereomicroscope, visitors will explore this otherwise invisible world and discover how scientists study the first steps of development.
Institut Cochin: Biomedical research – a journey into the heart of cells
The IMAG’IC imaging facility will welcome visitors for an exploration deep inside cells using fluorescence imaging. Participants will also be able to build their own mini optical microscope, the Foldscope, which can be used with a smartphone.
And there’s more to come! The following weekend, several laboratories and imaging facilities will also open their doors for the Fête de la Science. Check what is happening near you and take the opportunity to discover even more behind-the-scenes science!
The In Vivo Imaging Unit of the PFIC at Gustave Roussy together with the Revvity team invite you to a half-day session dedicated to in vivo imaging instruments and their preclinical applications.
The event will take place on October 2, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM and will focus on photonic imaging and micro-computed tomography.
The programme will include:
A presentation of in vivo imaging applications
Practical demonstrations on IVIS and Quantum GX3 imaging systems
Planning to attend? To help tailor the presentations and demonstrations to participants’ projects and areas of interest, please complete and return the dedicated form available below, before September 25, 2026.
The Institut Pasteur (France-BioImaging Paris Centre Node) is organizing a seminar in collaboration with Exciting Instruments on September 21, 2026, in Paris. This event will be dedicated to single-molecule fluorescence methods and how they can complement structural biology and biophysics workflows.
Structural biology methods such as cryo-EM and X-ray crystallography provide powerful snapshots of biomolecular systems. This seminar will explore how smFRET and FCS can add a dynamic layer by revealing conformational changes, biomolecular interactions and heterogeneous populations directly in solution.
On the program
1:30 – 1:45 PM Welcome and Introduction – Dr. Patrick England & Dr. Audrey Salles
1:45 – 2:30 PM See your favorite biomolecules in action – Easy-to-use single-molecule fluorescence tools to observe biomolecular dynamics and interactions – Dr. Roman Renger (Exciting Instruments, Sheffield, United-Kingdom)
2:30 – 3:00 PM Peptides at the membrane interface: quantifying binding, understanding translocation – Dr. Alexandre Chenal (Institut Pasteur, Paris, France)
3:00 – 3:30 PM Coffee Break and discussions
3:30 – 4:00 PM Fantastic biomolecules and how to find them – Dr. Steven Quinn (University of York, United-Kingdom)
4:00 – 4:30 PM Q&A and closing remarks
4:30 – 6:00 PM One to one discussions between Exciting instrument scientists and researchers interested in testing single-molecule fluorescence on their biological system
As we have a limited number of seats, we encourage you to secure your place by registering below.
As part of the BIOGEN project, supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR-24-INBS-0005 FBI BIOGEN), some facilities within France-BioImaging are progressively acquiring or upgrading advanced microscopy systems. These investments support a coordinated equipment mutualisation strategy, aligned with key priorities of the infrastructure, including super-resolution imaging and single-molecule tracking.
Among them, the ImagoSeine facility at the Institut Jacques Monod (Paris-Centre node) has recently strengthened its capabilities with the acquisition of a Stellaris TauSTED microscope.
This next-generation confocal system enables:
Imaging deeper in the far-red spectrum thanks to an extended white light laser,
3D super-resolution imaging using STED technology, reaching resolutions down to ~70 nm,
Reduced phototoxicity and photobleaching through TauSTED, leveraging fluorescence lifetime information to improve resolution without increasing laser power, a key advantage for live-cell imaging
Open to both academic and industrial users, this system supports a wide range of samples, from cells and tissues to organoids, embryos and whole organisms. The microscope is already contributing to studies on protein colocalisation in yeast membranes and chromosome dynamics during cell division.
This first example highlights how France-BioImaging is implementing its strategic roadmap by reinforcing access to cutting-edge technologies across its network. More updates will follow as the BIOGEN initiative progresses!
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
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
The Rhône-Alpes node, co-led by Xavier Jaurand and Olivier Destaing, unites the imaging communities of Lyon and Grenoble. With platforms such as ISDV and LyMIC, and several R&D teams, the node covers a broad range of applications from metabolic imaging to spatial transcriptomics. Recent years have seen major scientific publications and significant technical upgrades. Looking ahead, the node aims to expand training, foster joint technology developments, and will proudly host the infrastructure Annual Meeting in 2027, while deepening collaborations within Euro-BioImaging.
Could you introduce yourself and your role within the Rhône-Alpes node?
The Rhône-Alpes node brings together the large imaging communities of Lyon and Grenoble. I’m Xavier Jaurand and I’m co-leading the node with Olivier Destaing. This way of co-sharing responsibility is at the heart of our project in order to have synergy of both science-technology and Grenoble-Lyon communities. This organization has been transposed at the different levels of our node, through duo of peoples from Lyon and Grenoble invested in the multiple working group of FBI.
[Xavier Jaurand]: I’m the technical director of the “Centre Technologique des Microstructures (CTµ)”, a microscopy core facility of University Claude Bernard Lyon1, where I have been working for 20 years now, mainly in the field of electron microscopy (SEM and TEM).
[Olivier Destaing]: I am DR2-CNRS and co-leader of a research team on the cell biology of invasion processes and their associated signaling regulations. Implicated in imaging development and optogenetics since many years, I am also the co-scientific leader of the imaging platform MicroCellof the Institute for advanced Biosciences (IAB).
Having organization with shared responsibilities is always a challenge and take time, but present the advantages of being potentially highly robust and well accepted by large communities.
Which platforms and R&D teams compose your node?
There are 2 main platforms on the nodes (ISDV and LyMIC):
For the Grenoble part, the ISDV (Imagerie Science du Vivant) network is composed by 7 platforms (LBFA, Liphy, PIC-GIN, ME-GIN, MicroCell-IAB, MuLife-CEA, TIMC, M4D-IBS)
For the Lyon part, the associated facility is LyMIC (Lyon Multiscale Imaging Center) which is the federation of 3 imaging platforms: PLATIM (south of Lyon), CIQLE (east of Lyon) and CTµ (north of Lyon).
There are both biology and Physics R&D teams:
ILM UMR5306 Team Dehoux – Unique expertise in Brillouin microscopy for imaging cells and tissues at various scales.
RDP UMR5667 Team Ingram – Measuring cell hydrostatic pressure and cell wall properties is challenging but of critical importance in the field of plant biology.
IGFL UMR5242 Team Enriquez/Ghavi-Helm – The Spatial-Cell-ID EQUIPEX facility enhance the spatial resolution of MERFISH by pinpointing transcripts of specific genes (ranging from a few to thousands) in situ, achieving cellular and subcellular precision over time.
IAB UMR5309 Team Destaing – the lab is focused on coupling optogenetics, biosensors and metabolism imaging through FLIM imaging.
Liphy UMR5588 Team Dupont – The OPTIMA team brings together expertise in imaging (optical, acoustic, X-ray) to develop new instruments, explore the physics of wave-matter interactions, and address biological and biomedical challenges where its scientific and technical know-how provides significant added value.
Liphy UMR5588 TeamDébarre – The MC2 team conducts interdisciplinary research at the crossroads of mechanics, physics, and life sciences to investigate, across scales, the dynamics and interactions of biological or bioinspired systems in complex environments.
GIN U1216 Team Pernet-Gallay– The electronic microscopy facility is located at the Grenoble Institute for Neuroscience (GIN, INSERM U1216, UGA) and proposes classic epoxy resin embedding for morphological analysis, as well as the Tokuyasu protocol for immunogold labeling on cryosections.
Which are the main application domains of your node?
Biomechanics: from single molecule to tissue, from animals to plants
Spatial cell transcriptomics
3D multiscale imaging through development in adaptive optics or original analysis of deep FIB-SEM acquisition
3D and high content image processing
Can you share a scientific or technical success achieved within your node?
Over the past two years, our node’s scientific impact is reflected by the co-authorship of our core facility staff in several high-profile publications, covering topics from immunology to molecular imaging and dermatology:
Functional diversity of NLRP3 gain-of-function mutants associated with CAPS autoinflammation (2024) J Exp Med. doi.org/10.1084/jem.20231200
Sperm motility in mice with Oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia restored by in vivo injection and electroporation of naked mRNA (2024) eLife. doi.org/10.7554/eLife.94514.1
Nanoassemblies of Chitosan-Based Polyelectrolyte Complexes as Nucleic Acid Delivery Systems (2024) Biomacromolecules. doi.org/10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00054
Dermal stiffness governs the topography of the epidermis and the underlying basement membrane in young and old human skin (2024) Aging Cell. doi.org/10.1111/acel.14096
Plasmacytoid dendritic cell sensing of hepatitis E virus is shaped by both viral and host factors (2024) Life Sci Alliance. doi.org/10.26508/lsa.202503256
On the technical side, our node has recently strengthened its infrastructure and expertise through major investments and upgrades, ranging from state-of-the-art microscopy systems to reinforced image analysis capacities and dedicated staffing:
Purchase and deployement of new and unique material at Lyon: AFM coupled to an inverted epifluorescence microscope, equipped with a motorized and piezoelectric stage (Hybrid Stage) that enables the acquisition of measurements on samples extended in the plane (e.g., tissue sections) or in height (e.g., whole tissues/organs).
Upgrade of confocal microscopy ressources: We replaced our aging Leica SP5X with a Leica Stellaris 5, featuring TauSense temporal dimension imaging and a resonnant scanner. Funding was secured through a strategic partnership between the university, region, and internal investment. A new spinning disk system was integrated to a FastFLIM-TIRF module in order to provide new metabolic imaging possibilities in 4-5D.
Enhance STED FLIM capabilities: We equipped our Abberior STED system with a FLIM module, delivering super-resolved temporal imaging with < 40 nm spatial resolution while preserving excellent time and signal fidelity. This integration enables dynamic, quantitative imaging of molecular interactions and environments.
Strengthen image-analysis infrastructure: We deployed three dedicated workstations equipped with AI-assisted tools such as for segmentation and analysis. These platforms enable advanced processing, rapid 3D visualization, and robust quantification, empowering both academic and translational research workflows.
Launch of a permanent image-analysis engineer role: In 2025, we transitioned from temporary contracts to a permanent research engineer position specialized in image analysis. This ensures stable expertise in AI-driven segmentation, 3D visualization, and quantitative imaging. The engineer also leads user training and engages actively in national (FBI) and European (NEUBIAS) working groups.
What are your perspectives following your node’s integration into France-BioImaging?
Following our integration into France-BioImaging, we aim to foster stronger connections between AURA’s users (academic users and private companies) and the opportunities offered by the infrastructure. We also seek to highlight and transfer original technologies (Brillouin imaging and quantitative RICM), improve access to advanced data management and image analysis to our user, and democrate these cultures to the numerous biology laboratories of Rhône-Alpes. We also plan to contribute to Euro-BioImaging initiatives, all while enhancing our international visibility.
To achieve these goals, our node is committed to participating in expert working groups (RTmfm network and FBI), deploying nationally shared training modules and engaging in joint technology developments in 3D tissue imaging, sample clearing, and multimodal microscopy. We will also continue to strengthen data and AI workflows, and we are proud to be preparing the organization of the France-BioImaging Annual Meeting in 2027.
Your node has recently joined Euro-BioImaging, what added value do you think you bring to the European community?
As part of a Euro-BioImaging fellowship, the MicroCell platform at IAB Grenoble hosted Sarah Vorsselmans and Susana Rocha (KU Leuven, Belgium). Together, we worked on the development of innovative FRET-based multiplexing molecular tension sensors, strengthening transnational expertise in molecular imaging
In April 2025, the LYMIC platform welcomed a job shadowing candidate from Germany for ten days. This exchange provided an opportunity to share practices on biological sample preparation for electron microscopy, as well as image analysis, data storage, and quality management.
This autumn, two France-BioImaging microscopy platforms are inviting the public to dive into the fascinating world of microscopy! Discover their upcoming events.
“Temps d’Expo” in Pézenas – October, 24th to November, 2nd
IMAG’IC
IMAG’IC, the Institut Cochin imaging platform, will take part in the CNRS “Visites Insolites”, giving the public a rare chance to explore usually inaccessible scientific spaces and experience science in unexpected ways!
Applications are mandatory to join this visit and are open until September, 17th. Apply here
When? October, 8th – Starting from 13:30
These events offer the public a chance to discover the fascinating world of science, and microscopy in particular, through accessible and engaging formats, from art to playful experiences.
The NeurImag cellular and molecular imaging Facility, member of the Paris Centre Node of France-BioImaging, has initiated the development of a new tool called ExoJ, in collaboration with the teams of Guillaume Van Niel (CRCI2NA, Nantes University), Frederik Verweij (Utrecht University), Thierry Galli (IPNP, Inserm, Université Paris Cité) and Junjun Liu (Shandong First Medical University).
What is ExoJ?
ExoJ is a plugin developed for the Fiji/ImageJ2 software, specifically designed to automate the reliable detection and analysis of exocytosis events from fluorescence microscopy images. Exocytosis is a cellular process where molecules or substances contained within a cell are released to the extracellular environment. This process involves the fusion of a vesicle, a membrane-bound sac, with the cell membrane. Once fused, the contents of the vesicle are expelled into the extracellular space.
How does ExoJ work?
ExoJ automatically identifies user-defined exocytosis events. It extracts key quantitative information such as the intensity, apparent size and duration of each event. ExoJ is fully parameterizable and configurable, making it suitable for studying different types of exocytosis, whatever the imaging modality (TIRF [1] and/or spinning disk [2]). ExoJ is a robust and reliable tool for analyzing large datasets!
What are the benefits of ExoJ?
ExoJ automates the detection of exocytosis events, considerably reducing analysis time compared with manual annotation. Moreover, the results obtained are reproducible, facilitating comparisons between different experiments. Finally, ExoJ is based on Fiji/ImageJ2, an open-source software widely used in the scientific community.
