Working Group presentation

The Working Group (WG1-d) is above all a platform for exchange and discussion dedicated to preclinical microscopy. We use the term preclinical microscopy to encompass all microscopy approaches and applications ranging from in vitro imaging on thick samples to intravital imaging in small animals.
The main objective of our group is to share and promote skills, expertise, and high-resolution preclinical imaging technologies.

We meet on average once a month and organize two seminars or webinars per year. Our speakers are often external experts from public or private research institutions or from industry, although WG members also present their work.

These meetings are an opportunity to discuss each member’s or team’s research directions, scientific projects, and the technological challenges or limitations they encounter. They are also an occasion to review recent literature and promote the sharing of technological resources. Additionally, they can foster the emergence of new collaborations among the group’s members.

Main objectives of the WG Preclinical microscopy

Our working group therefore focuses on all acquisition, analysis, and reconstruction methods that enable high-resolution 3D imaging of thick samples, ranging from in vitro models (such as organoids) to whole organs in vivo (via intravital imaging).

This includes, for example: quantitative whole-slide tissue histology, correlative microscopy, 3D reconstruction from serial sections, light-sheet microscopy, label-free imaging, multiphoton microscopy, and more. A wide spectrum of technologies is thus covered. However, their implementation on thick samples raises major challenges in terms of acquisition, data processing, and 3D reconstruction. It also requires specific methodologies for preparing and preserving in vitro samples before and during imaging (for example, tissue clearing methods), as well as ethical handling and care of animals in compliance with current regulations.

Our group aims to foster synergy among all its members by leveraging their individual expertise and promoting the sharing of experiences. To support this collective exchange of knowledge, a shared server space has been created to make validated protocols available to all group members, which can be used and adapted by the broader scientific community.

Join the working group

Created in 2022, the working group currently includes around fifty members. It is open to anyone (students, technicians, engineers, researchers, and more) who wishes to discuss or exchange on topics within the scope of the group.

To join, simply send an email to one of the three working group coordinators, specifying your areas of interest.

Contacts:
• Daniel Stockholm (Ile-de-France Sud Node): stockho@genethon.fr
• Stéphanie Blandin (Bretagne-Loire Node): stephanie.blandin@univ-nantes.fr
• Valérie Rouffiac (Ile-de-France Sud Node): valerie.rouffiac@gustaveroussy.fr

Previous events

On-site seminar – December 12, 2022, Nantes
https://france-bioimaging.org/announcement/preclinical-microscopy-meeting-december-12th-nantes/

Webinar – February 1st, 2024 – 34 participants
Talks:
• “Viewing circadian clock cells ticking in freely moving mice” by Xavier Bonnefont (Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Montpellier).
• “Regulatory aspects of the use of animals for scientific purposes” by Isabelle Bardou (Cyceron, Biomedical Imaging Platform, Caen).

Webinar – February 6th, 2025 – 29 participants
Talks:
• “Exploring Mammary Gland Remodeling and Breast Cancer Therapies Through 3D Organoid Imaging” by Thomas Pelé (CRCI2NA, Nantes).
• “In vivo animal imaging: regulatory and ethical framework” by Magali Jacquier (IPBS, Toulouse).

Webinar – September 25th, 2025 – 14:00–16:00
Talks:
• “Quantitative photoacoustic imaging assisted by ultrasound imaging of blood vessels” by Bastien Arnal (LiPhy, Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS).
• Technological presentation of the Kratoscope by Perrine de Villemagne / Pierre-Alix Dancer (Kaers Labs: https://www.kaerlabs.com/3d-histology-kratoscope).

(1) Mouse heart acquired by light-sheet microscopy, based on tissue autofluorescence. The volumetric data were reconstructed using dedicated software to generate a three-dimensional visualization.
(2) Confocal image in a dorsal skinfold chamber highlighting interactions between collagen fibers (SHG signals shown in grey) and tumor cells (in green).
(3) 3D reconstruction of the mouse liver vasculature acquired from serial section imaging. Tissue autofluorescence enables segmentation and reconstruction of the vascular network without specific labeling.
(4) Confocal images of a 4T1-Dendra2 tumor (in green) in a dorsal skinfold chamber at days 9 and 23 post-implantation, following IV injection of Dextran-TRITC (in red). Images (b) and (d) show central or