Microscopy provides an abundance of information about life science specimens. Whether it be live visualization of developmental processes, the capture of ultrastructure at nm resolution or anything in between, the resulting data provides valuable insights into both structure and function of biological specimens.

This seminar is focused on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray imaging. Working at different length-scales and providing complementary information, these two imaging approaches are used both separately and in combination to tackle numerous biological questions.

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) has been long established as a powerful and valuable technique for life science research for samples as varied as insects, tissues, organoids, viruses, cells and plants. Using a beam of electrons to scan the surface of a plethora of sample types, SEM provides a wealth of information about biological structures, high resolution imaging of ultrastructure across large fields of view, compositional information, and the ability to correlate other types of microscopy to link structure and function. Scanning electron microscopes are classically known for imaging structural details on the surface of biological samples but have evolved into providing detailed volume and subcellular information.

Unlike SEM, imaging with X-rays is non-destructive. X-rays penetrate through specimens and as such are able to capture structural details without physically cutting the sample. Relative to SEM, X-ray imaging is not as well-established in life science research, but the power of the possibilities now offered by instruments based in the lab and at the synchrotron is rapidly changing this balance. The increasing availability of suitable staining and mounting protocols is also aiding the increase in use of X-ray imaging for life science research questions.