We’ve got many news and upcoming events to share with you! Here is a quick rundown.

Call for access funding to IBiSA-labelled core facilities

Three national infrastructures ProFi, France-BioImaging and FRISBI are thrilled to announce, with the GIS IBiSA, the second call for access fundinng to IBiSA-labelled core facilities (cf flyer).

Our aim is to promote the networking of IBiSA facilities through transdisciplinary research projects. Applicants must request access to at least two different IBiSA platforms using two disciplines (structural biology, biological imaging or proteomics).
The deadline is 21 April 2023.

For further information, please contact Call-IBISA-FBI-FRISBI-PROFI@i2bc.paris-saclay.fr

A yeast responsible for horse sweat in wine: the Brettanomyces bruxellensis

Brettanomyces bruxellensis is one of the most damaging spoilage yeasts in the wine industry because of its impact on the beverage’s flavor. Lysiane Brocard, research engineer specialised in plant biology at the Bordeaux Imaging Center (FBI Bordeaux node), recently co-published an article on this yeast cell surface and bioadhesion properties.  

Fruits are transformed into beverages through fermentation processes carried out by microorganisms naturally present in the environment. In wine, yeasts and bacteria play this role and contribute to the development of volatile compounds. Scientists targeted Brettanomyces bruxellensis in this study, a yeast famous for the production of volatile phenols, characterized by horse sweat odors which is – usually – not very enjoyable for the consumer.

Beside adding an unpleasable flavor to the beverage, the issue is that the spoilage yeast is persistent in cellars over several years, resulting in recurrent wine contamination. This suggests a bioadhesion process that helps the microorganism to survive in its environment.  Here, 54 strains of B. bruxellensis were characterized for their cell surface physico-chemical and bioadhesion properties. And all of them have shown bioadhesion abilities (after only three hours on stainless steel) both on synthetic medium and wine. Enough to highlight the persistence of our favorite horse sweat flavored yeast…

Learn more about this: france-bioimaging.org/announcement/publications/brettanomyces-bruxellensis

Building the bioimaging community: focus on COMULIS & NEUBIAS

Two projects recently received funding from the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), in which France-BioImaging members take part actively: COMULIS and NEUBIAS. Two community building activities breaking up frontiers to gather scientists around one goal: developing biological imaging.

COMULIS received a 2-year funding from CZI to expand their network both globally and sustainably. Being designed to harness the power of multimodal imaging (MMI) across scales, from basic to clinical diagnostics, this European initiative aims at facilitating access and training a new generation of scientists for whom multimodal imaging will be the new norm. Thanks to this grant, the project will be consolidated and it will help extend the collaborative and innovative network to establish a global multimodal imaging association (COMULISglobe) and ensure long term sustainability.

The international Network of European BioImage Analysts (NEUBIAS), hosted by German BioImaging has also received a 2-year funding from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) as part of their Advancing Imaging through Collaborative Projects program. This grant will secure the sustainability of NEUBIAS, establish strong connections to similar initiatives, and share knowledge about state-of-the-art bioimage analysis tools and methods globally.

Learn more about these two European projects: france-bioimaging.org/announcement/fb-members-acting-for-the-bioimaging-community

CXEM: finding a needle in a haystack

Correlative X-ray imaging and electron microscopy (CXEM) is the combination of X-ray imaging and electron microscopy. This correlative approach makes it possible to characterise a sample of interest and locate a structure of interest in a non-destructive way. Nicolas BROUILLY is in charge of the Electron Microscopy Unit of the PICsL imaging facility on the Marseille node of France BioImaging, where CXEM is used for developmental biology studies. He explains more about this innovative approach.

Correlative X-ray Imaging and Electron Microscopy is the combination of 2 imaging modalities to take advantage of each. At the Marseille node of France-BioImaging, in the Electron Microscopy Unit of the PICsL Imaging facility, they routinely use Correlative Micro-CT and Electron Microscopy to answer developmental biology questions.

Overall, CXEM is a timesaving tool within the frame of a 2D electron microscopy project and should be a must-have upstream technique to use before any destructive Serial BlockFace or Focused Ion Beam techniques that allow no comeback.

Follow this link to read the full article: france-bioimaging.org/announcement/news-from-nodes/cxem-finding-a-needle-in-a-haystack 

France - Uruguay: ECOS call for projects 2023 (all fields)

The ECOS programme is designed to support projects of excellence in scientific collaboration. It supports joint research projects and funds exchanges between researchers in the form of short-term assignments and specialisations of researchers (including Post doctoral fellows) participating in the selected projects. Priority is given to projects impacting training of doctoral students.

Collaborations on a joint scientific project with a Uruguayan partner are currently being selected. Doctoral training has to be included in the collaboration.

Eligibility: To be admissible, the projects must involve at least 2 professors/researchers and minimum a student (Uruguayan Masters or PhD student and a PhD student on the French side) per country (France and Uruguay). Three-year projects will be selected in all areas of knowledge.

• Note that tripartite projects with Chilean or Argentinian partners can be funded. Check the call for more details.

The Uruguayan partner must submit his project simultaneously to UdelaR.

Deadline: 21 April 2023.
More : https://www.univ-paris13.fr/ecos-sud/

Reminder: FBI launches 2 calls for funding - Africa-France Joint Initiative for Biological Imaging

France-BioImaging, partnered with the African BioImaging Consortium and Imaging Africa, has announced our first open calls for projects to support collaborative initiatives between African and French scientists from all fields where biological imaging became essential! 

The two calls have been designed to strengthen collaboration between African and French researchers and engineers, with different approaches:

• Call 1) External Access: African user projects that will demonstrate the need for at least one technology and/or expertise available in a FBI core facility or R&D team, that is not readily available on the African continent (up to 5k€)
• Call 2) Twinning Exchange Program: Bilateral exchange of personnel between an imaging facility or a laboratory in Africa and one of its counterparts within the FBI perimeter. This exchange is focused on service activities and practices, training approaches and comparison of needs (up to 4k€)

Submit your project proposal through the France-BioImaging web portal before April 30st, 2023. Successful applicants will be notified by late September 2023 and successful projects should be started before March 2024. 

Applicants are invited to visit our website to discover the range of technologies provided by France-BioImaging Nodes: https://france-bioimaging.org/services/

Applications have to be submitted here: https://france-bioimaging.org/application/africa-france-joint-initiative-for-biological-imaging/

Looking for funding to cover your access? Here is an overview

You are looking for funding to cover your access to France-BioImaging imaging facilities? Here you will find several funding and calls for projects currently open and specifically targeting access costs:

– France-BioImaging Access Fund (More information: https://france-bioimaging.org/how-to-cover-user-access-costs/)

– ISIDORe TNA Calls are still OPEN! Researchers interested in the following infectious diseases can apply for funding to access imaging technologies and services from Euro-BioImaging portfolio, including France-BioImaging facilities:

• Respiratory Pathogens: Zoonotic betaCoronaviruses, Influenza A, Y. pestis, M. tuberculosis / bovis, C. burnetii.
• Vector-borne pathogens and their vectors: Rift valley fever virus, Zika virus, Chikungunya virus, West Nile virus, Dengue virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, Yellow fever virus, Tick-borne encephalitis virus, Plasmodium, B. burgdorferi.
• Risk Group 4 Pathogens: Ebola virus, Marburg virus, Nipah virus, Hendra virus, Lassa virus, New World arenaviruses, CCHF virus.
• Other Pathogens with epidemic potential: Pathogen X, Orthopoxviruses, Non polio enteroviruses, Polio enteroviruses.
• We also remind you that the SARS-CoV-2, Covid-19 call is still open!(More information on ISIDORe website.)

Access to Euro-BioImaging services, please follow the Guidelines on the Euro-BioImaging website.

Unsure whether or not your work would be eligible? Contact the Euro-BioImaging Scientific Project Managers for advice: info@eurobioimaging.eu

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