FocalPlane - Where biology meets microscopy

Welcome to FocalPlane

FocalPlane is a community site for anyone who uses microscopy in their research. It is a place where you can interact with a global community of imaging scientists, engineers, chemists, and bioimage analysts.

FocalPlane is your site and once registered, you are free to share a blog post, add an image to our gallery, post a job advert or put up an event listing.

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Recent posts

Microscopy preprints – bioimage analysis

Posted by FocalPlane, on 30 May 2025

Here is a curated selection of preprints published recently (up until 22 May). In this post, we focus specifically on bioimage analysis and data management.

Workshop report: UC Berkeley’s Advanced Imaging Methods Workshop

Posted by Ben Cox, on 29 May 2025

I attended UC Berkeley’s Advanced Imaging Methods Workshop with goals of becoming more familiar with a) high resolution imaging methods and hardware I did not have access to at my home institution and b) image processing and analysis algorithms, especially those based on machine learning/AI. The workshop provided ample opportunity to fulfill both of these

STED Microscopy User Group, June 12, 12 PM EST

Posted by Ethan A. Perets, on 28 May 2025

The next BioImaging North America and Canada BioImaging STED user group will take place via Zoom on June 12 at 12 PM EST. Zach Marin (Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna) will deliver the presentation, “STED, MINFLUX, and their combinations”, followed by Q&A. We hope you will join us! This user group is targeted at STED microscopy users

Featured image with Andrew Octavian Sasmita

Posted by FocalPlane, on 23 May 2025

Our featured image, acquired by Andrew Octavian Sasmita, depicts a single brain hemisphere of the 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) at different spatial scales.

Workshop report: France BioImaging – Advanced Training on Light-Sheet Microscopy

Posted by Clara Hayn, on 22 May 2025

From November 4th to 7th, 2024, I had the privilege to attend the Advanced Training on Light-Sheet Microscopy‘s Principles and Applications to Neuroscience and 3D Cell Culture at France BioImaging in Bordeaux. This comprehensive training, rich in both theoretical and practical knowledge, provided an exceptional platform for learning and engaging with experts in the field.

Introducing JCS snapshots

Posted by FocalPlane, on 21 May 2025

At The Company of Biologists, we’re always looking for new ways to help authors promote their research. We have therefore introduced ‘JCS snapshots’ where we invite the authors of recently published articles to produce short videos to present the main findings in their research. Below, you can browse through ‘JCS snapshots’ from the Tavernarakis lab,

Imaging 4 All – 2nd Call for Applications Now Open!

Posted by deniz.saltukoglu, on 20 May 2025

Global BioImaging (GBI), the international network of cutting-edge bioimaging facilities and communities, has launched the second open call for Imaging 4 All (i4A) — a funding programme that supports researchers and imaging facility professionals based in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Through i4A, applicants can receive fully funded support to: The funding covers travel, accommodation and

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