Common sessions
Chairmen :
- Florent HOUDELLIER (CEMES, Toulouse)
- Thomas MANGEAT (CBI, Toulouse)
Summary:
This session is dedicated to instrumentation in general around instruments using charged particles. The developments presented may enable an improvement in the lateral, energetic or temporal resolution of an overall instrument and, in addition, the session may also look at any other individual component that could be used for one of these purposes, such as phase plates, detectors, etc. The development of preparation techniques for both biological and materials studies may also be part of the scope of interest of the session. The development of preparation techniques for both biological and materials studies could also be part of the session’s field of interest.
Chairmen :
- Pierre-Henri JOUNEAU (CEA Grenoble)
- Benoit LANDREIN (LRDP, Lyon)
Summary:
This symposium will focus on the use of new physical tools to advance imaging in biology and open up new perspectives for a better understanding of biological processes, from the molecular to the organ scale. It will show how technological innovations such as microfluidics, optical tweezers, atomic force microscopy, opto-acoustics and plasmonic nanostructures enable biological systems to be visualized and manipulated in real time, providing new insights into cellular dynamics, molecular interactions and biomechanics. Contributions involving the integration of these physical tools with advanced imaging methods such as super-resolution microscopy, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and volume electron microscopy (volume EM) are particularly encouraged. Topics covered include, but are not limited to:
- Real-time imaging of living cells and their manipulation using microfluidic systems, optical tweezers, or other biophysical tools.
- Molecular dynamics and interactions, observed using advanced microscopy tools.
- Integration of physical tools with imaging to explore biomechanics and molecular and cellular physiology.
Chairmen :
- Arnaud DEMORTIERE (LRCS, Amiens)
- Slavica JONIC (IMMPC, Paris)
Summary:
Advanced data science analysis techniques have been strongly impacted by the emergence of new AI algorithms in Machine Learning, such as RandomForest, XGBoost or NMF, and in Deep Learning, such as CNN, GAN, VAE and Diffusion. These algorithms are revolutionizing the processing of microscopy images and spectra, enabling massive data analysis that is faster, more accurate and exhaustive, while revealing hidden features. Thanks to sophisticated algorithms, these techniques can automate the detection and classification of complex structures, facilitate the segmentation of objects of interest, and even predict the evolution of features over time from the data collected. These advances accelerate the development of integrative methods, opening up new possibilities in the correlative processing (with cross-attention mechanisms) of multimodal data, and enabling convergence between simulated and experimental data. These data science approaches open up new perspectives for understanding phenomena observed at the microscopic scale.
These methods encode complex information using large quantities of training data, and are often limited in terms of reproducibility (random initialization, instability), generalization (transfer to new data), interpretation and control of results (hallucinations difficult to detect). So, for certain problems, classical (non-IA) methods are more appropriate and less costly.
The idea of this symposium is to present these new AI approaches and compare them with other recent (non-IA) methods, and show their applications for processing microscopy data.
Chairmen :
- Alexandre DAZZI (Université Paris Saclay)
- Lorena REDONDO-MORATA (LIA, Marseille)
Summary
Scanning probe or near-field microscopy is a technology that has been around for several decades. It has become a robust technology that is versatile enough to be used to analyze surfaces, both to obtain their topography and to probe their mechanical and chemical properties, right down to the atomic scale. The idea of this symposium, which is original to the Sfµ conference, is to present local probe microscopy techniques, more specifically atomic force microscopy, and to show their interest for the life and material sciences, whether they are used alone, or in correlation with optical microscopy techniques (fluorescence, super-resolution) or electron microscopy, for example. These techniques offer an unprecedented ability to probe and manipulate matter on a nanometric scale, opening up new research prospects in a variety of scientific fields.
Life sciences sessions
Chairmen :
- Christophe LETERRIER (Institut de Neurophysiopathologie, Marseille)
- Jean-Baptiste SIBARITA (Bordeaux Neurocampus)
Summary:
Optical super-resolution microscopy techniques that bypass the diffraction limit (~250 nm) have been around for almost 25 years. As soon as they were developed, they were applied to the elucidation of biological problems, enabling us to study subcellular and macromolecular architecture directly within cells. These different approaches, such as single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM), structured illumination microscopy (SIM) or the use of stimulated emission depletion (STED), continue to be extended and refined to improve their robustness, precision and compatibility with living samples, while new methods such as MINFLUX are emerging. This symposium aims to highlight the synergy between the development of super-resolution microscopy approaches, and their extensive use by biologists. We are inviting two major players in the field of method development (SMLM, RIM), and will be abstracting other developments or examples of advanced applications to biological themes.
Chairmen :
- Emmanuelle QUEMIN (I2BC, Paris Saclay)
- Ottilie VON LOEFFELHOLZ (IGBMC Strasbourg)
Summary:
Dramatic technical improvements have revolutionized the field of cryo electron microscopy (short: cryo-EM), making this technique unique in its ability to bridge the knowledge gap between structural, molecular and cell biology. To provide this unprecedented continuum of resolutions in particular, a wide range of complementary methods are being developed and combined in new integrative workflows. Here, we welcome oral and poster presentations covering all aspects of the pipeline including sample preparation, data collection, processing of large datasets, and combining low and high-resolution information by correlative imaging for example. This encompass single particle analysis as well as cryo electron tomography applied to study macromolecular complexes and assemblies in vitro or in situ. Indeed, the goal is to cover latest advances that provide significant insights into cellular organization, macromolecular structures and protein dynamics in relevant physiological states or pathologies and to initiate discussions for further research. Altogether, it will showcase the versatility and power of cryo-EM to tackle fundamental biological questions.
Chairmen :
- Loic LE GOFF (Institut Fresnel, Marseille)
- Rémi LE BORGNE (Institut Jacques Monod, Paris)
Summary:
The symposium highlights recent advances in 3D cellular and tissue imaging. By overcoming the constraints associated with the thickness of the objects analyzed, developments in photonic microscopy and electron microscopy make it possible to observe events that were previously difficult or impossible to access. In fluorescence microscopy, the symposium will explore the latest advances in laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), super-resolved microscopy and light sheet microscopy. The symposium will address the challenges of imaging large samples (such as embryos) with the highest possible resolution, in particular the difficulties associated with optical aberrations and the slow acquisition of large volumes. In electron microscopy, the contributions of 3D SEM imaging and transmission electron microscopy tomography techniques will be presented. These approaches make it possible to study cell ultrastructure and observe it in a tissue context. Experts will share their work on the use of fluorescent markers for precise visualization of cellular structures, as well as on innovations enabling nanometric resolutions to be achieved. This symposium is an opportunity to present the possibilities and limits of these imaging techniques, while encouraging discussions on potential applications in the fields of biology and medicine.
Chairmen:
- Monica FERNANDEZ-MONREAL (IINS Bordeaux)
- Allon WEINER (CIMI Paris)
Résumé :
The objects of study in the Life Sciences are generally so complex that no single imaging technique can characterize them in their entirety. Correlative and multimodal imaging involves the combination of two or more imaging techniques to gather information in terms of localization, structure, function, chemical composition and dynamics, that cannot be obtained with a single imaging approach. The aim of this symposium is to review recent advances in the development of correlative and multi-modality imaging techniques that combine light microscopy, electron microscopy, X-ray tomography, Atomic Force Microscopy and Raman, among others.
Material Sciences Sessions
Chairmen :
- Cécile GENEVOIS (CEMHTI, Orléans)
- Sophie MEURET (CEMES, Toulouse)
Summary:
The interfaces session will cover recent research into the analysis and characterization of interfaces and interphases of all types. Topics of interest will include applications of advanced microscopy to better understand the spatial arrangement, crystal structures and chemistry of interfaces within bulk materials (3D), materials for optics, thin films or coatings, polymers and materials with multiple states (solid / liquid / gas), etc. This symposium will cover a range of cutting-edge techniques such as holography, cathodoluminescence and tomography, as well as EBSD, TKD, ACOM and more. This session will also discuss the complementarity and combination of different techniques in order to achieve a specific and detailed characterization of interfaces in general, ranging from the micrometric to the atomic scale.
Chairmen :
- Daniel ARAUJO (Universitad des Cadiz, Espagne)
- Victor BOUREAU (EPFL, Suisse)
Summary:
Although essential for describing the properties of materials or understanding the behaviour of nanodevices, obtaining quantitative data from electron microscopy remains a challenge. This symposium will cover the use of electron microscopy (S/TEM and SEM) to quantitatively measure the properties of materials or nanodevices at the sub-micron scale. Studies on all types of materials are relevant, from semiconductors to polymers, including ceramics and metals. Of particular interest will be the quantitative analysis of the properties of functional materials, as well as studies of in-situ materials or in-operando nanodevices. This symposium is open to a wide range of techniques, including structural analysis (diffraction, 4D-STEM, etc.), spectroscopy (EELS, CL, EDX, etc.) and field measurements (holography, DPC, EBIC, etc.).
Chairmen :
- Damien ALLOYEAU (MPQ, Paris)
- Federico PANCIERA (CIMEX, Paris Saclay)
Summary:
The dynamic nature of matter means that time is a key factor in materials science. However, the physical and chemical analysis of matter as a function of time can be carried out on different scales, from the ultrafast (attosecond) to days, months or even years. The aim of this symposium is to explore the potential of microscopy in its broadest sense to study the structure and properties of matter as a function of time, over a wide range of temporal resolutions. We will of course be looking at ultra-fast techniques for studying chemical reactions or the optical response of materials, but also in situ or ex-situ techniques for studying the transformation of materials in the environments in which they are formed or applied (i.e. nucleation, diffusion, phase transition, growth, surface dynamics, ageing, degradation, etc.). By examining the links between time and matter, this symposium will take an interdisciplinary look at the kinetic effects or non-equilibrium states that play a major role in controlling the structure and properties of materials.
Chairmen:
- Stéphanie REYNAUD (Laboratoire Hubert Curien, St Etienne)
- Lorenzo RIGUTTI (GPM Rouen)
Summary:
The symposium on “multiphysics / multitechniques” at the French Society of Microscopy Congress focuses on the methodological aspects of instrumental development for multiphysic techniques. The objective is to correlate and/or demonstrate the link between structural analyses and the properties of a material, surface or interface. The methods can be either coupled or correlated with other techniques to establish connections between structure and properties, such as optical, electrical, or mechanical characteristics.
It addresses the definition of correlation methods, whether ex situ or in situ, alongside ad-hoc sample preparation. The techniques under consideration include TEM, STEM, SEM, FIB/SEM, APT, and local probe microscopies.