Mission statement

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 Noble Prizes in the past 10 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 all types of electron microscopy including cryo-EM, FIB-EM and many more. Besides of their services to the scientific community these core facilities are also involved in technological improvement and development, thereby providing cutting-edge new techniques like e.g. MESO-SPIM or 2PH-tomography to the community.

Why an SSOM - LS2 microscopy intersection?

Several members showed great interest in the creation of an intersection.
Creating an LS2 intersection will allow for a better and intensified knowledge transfer between the microscopy community and life scientists in Switzerland and will thus promote the faster introduction of new and cutting-edge microscopy techniques in Switzerland. Also, high-end microscopy techniques should become even better known as well as the core facilities providing them.

All Swiss Microscopy Core Facilities meet at least once a year for a one day meeting to present new systems and solutions for microscopy and/or image analysis and for general networking and knowledge exchange. We expect this to become even more inspiring with life scientists participating. This will be an important event of the newly built intersection and we hope to attract many new interested members.

Having a SSOM LS2 Microscopy intersection will clearly increase the knowledge of newest and most suitable microscopy techniques in the life sciences and will connect researchers from all fields ranging from physicists via microscopy facility experts to life scientists.