During the past years, microscopy techniques as well as image analysis capabilities have developed at incredible pace. Today, microscopy based research is becoming increasingly important in all fields of life sciences and is reflected by three microscopy related Nobel Prizes in the past 20 years: Green Fluorescent Protein in 2008, Super-Resolution Microscopy in 2014, and Cryo-Electron Microscopy in 2017.

In order to provide highest level microscopy instrumentation and related expertise to scientists, various microscopy facilities have formed in Switzerland throughout the past two decades.These facilities cover the entire spectrum of light microscopy from techniques like lightsheet and super-resolution microscopy to electron microscopy including cryo-EM and FIB-EM.

Core facilities are also involved in technological improvement and development, thereby offering cutting-edge techniques like e.g. MESO-SPIM or 2PH-tomography, including the related training.

Why an LS² microscopy intersection?
Several LS² members showed a great interest in the creation of an LS² Microscopy intersection as it would allow for improved knowledge transfer between the microscopy community and life scientists in Switzerland and promote the introduction of cutting-edge microscopy techniques. Therefore, in February 2019, together with the Swiss Society of Optics and Microscopy (SSOM), the LS² intersection Microscopy was founded.

All Swiss Microscopy Core Facilities meet at the annual Core Facility Day to present new systems and solutions for microscopy and/or image analysis and for general networking and knowledge exchange. Participation of LS² members in this meeting makes it more diverse, connecting researchers from all fields ranging from physicists to microscopy facility experts to life scientists.