In September and October we welcomed our first users onsite! Most of our pilot user projects were conducted remotely due to the pandemic-caused restrictions, however a few could also visit us.

In September we welcomed our first onsite user Pia Lavriha from the lab of Volodymyr Korkhov at ETH Zurich and Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland, who came to use our correlative microscopy services. EMBL featured this visit on its homepage.

In October, we welcomed our first onsite pilot user for light microscopy services – Danny Ionescu from the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin, Germany. He wants to understand the link between cell structure and genomics in the giant aquatic bacterium Achromatium oxaliferum by studying the complex internal membrane structure and the organisation of the chromosomes in pockets. For that purpose, super-resolution STED microscopy and fluorescence lifetime information on the internal composition of the bacterial cell could be key. “For me, it was a fantastic experience, both from a technological and scientific aspect but also due to the engagement of the imaging center team who made all efforts to address my research needs and provide methods specifically tailored for my unique samples.”