Microscopy

Microscopy is an umbrella term to describe techniques used to analyse small samples that cannot be viewed with the naked eye. There is a wide range of microscopy techniques and scientific instruments available that can be used depending on their applications. A microscope magnifies tiny objects or samples and can provide a wealth of vital information about their cell structure, contamination, parasites and so much more.

This hub will contain all of the information you need to know about microscopy and will include the latest news and fascinating research articles. Whether you are looking to expand your knowledge of compound microscopes or fluorescence microscopy, you will find it all here under featured articles and the latest interviews.

What is Microscopy?

The word microscope is derived from the Greek “mikros”, meaning small and, “skopein” meaning to see.

Investigating the Intersection between Microscopy and Healthcare

Fluorescence Microscopy: An Overview

Expansion Microscopy in Neurology

Deep Learning in Fluorescence Microscopy

Intravital Kidney Microscopy: An Overview

Transmission Electron Microscopy: An Overview

Applications of IVIS (In Vivo Imaging Systems)

Scanning Helium Microscopy: An Overview

Why Size Matters in Microscopy

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM): An Overview

Using Scanning Electron Microscopy to Image SARS-CoV-2

See more featured articles »

Applications of Polarized Light Microscopy

What is Expansion Microscopy?

Avoiding Cell Death in Fluorescence Microscopy

How Do Spectrometer Accessories Elevate Instrument Capabilities?

How do Epifluorescence Microscopes Work?

Microscopy and Artificial Intelligence

Investigating the Applications of Meoscopy

Microscopy and Artificial Intelligence

Using Microscopy for Deep In Vivo Brain Imaging

Microscopy’s Involvement in Brain Imaging

Diagnosing Alzheimer's Using Microscopy

Applications of 3D X-ray Microscopy

What is FIB-SEM?

TEM Imaging Modes

‘Staining’ of Biological Samples when Using Electron Microscopy: Why stain density matters

Advances in Scanning Electron Microscopy

Light Microscopy Techniques in Virology: An Overview

Optimizing Live Cell Imaging with FRET Microscopy

Imaging Nuclear Structures Using AFM

Understanding the Brain Through Electron Microscopy

Applications of Scanning Electron Microscopy

Confocal Microscopy: An Overview

Visualizing the 3D Architecture of Tissues

Cryo-Electron Microscopy: An Overview

Role of Microscopy in Ballistics

Phase-Contrast Microscopy: An Overview

Microscopy in Oncology Research: Visualizing Tumor Microenvironments

Two-photon Microscopy Principles and Methodology

Advantages and Limitations of Fluorescence Microscopy

Microscopes in Forensic Epidemiology- An Overview

Uses of Microscopy in Forensics

Imaging Techniques in Drug Discovery

Photobleaching in Fluorescence Microscopy

Live-Cell Imaging with Super-Resolution Microscopy

What is 3D X-Ray Microscopy?

Confocal Reflection Microscopy for Cell Migration Studies

What are Polarized Light Microscopes and How Do They Work?

What is Confocal Imaging?

‘Staining’ of Biological Samples when Using Electron Microscopy: Why stain density matters

Identifying Corpses Using Microscopy

The Determination of Post-Mortem Interval (PMI) Using Transmission Electron Microscopy

Optimizing Live Cell Imaging with FRET Microscopy

X-ray Microscopy: An Overview

Optical Microscopy: An Overview

What is Environmental Forensic Microscopy?

The Digital Evolution of Microscopy

Light Microscopy Techniques in Virology: An Overview

Electron Microscopy: An Overview

What is High-Resolution TEM (HR-TEM)?

Using Electron Microscopy to Detect Viruses

Advances in Fluorescence Microscopy

Differentiating Tumors using Microscopy

TEM Imaging Modes

Latest Microscopy News and Research

Cryo-ET Reveals Native Membrane Architecture of Synchronous RyR1 Calcium Channels

Using cryo-electron microscopy, researchers at the Max Delbrück Center have revealed how muscle cell calcium channels open synchronously. The findings, published in "Nature Communications," may explain a mechanism behind serious muscle diseases.

25 Sep 2026

Ultra-High-Resolution 3D Microscopy Captures Distinct Presynaptic Protein Organization States

A new study led by researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health examines how different versions of the same protein can alter neuronal communication.

25 Sep 2026

Trans-spliceosome Architecture Maps Evolutionary Divergence in Eukaryotic RNA Processing

A study conducted between the University of Liège and Rockefeller University reveals, with near-atomic precision, the three-dimensional structure and function of a gigantic molecular machine essential to the survival of trypanosomatid parasites, which cause serious diseases in humans, animals and plants.

24 Sep 2026

Cambridge Researchers Look Inside Living Antarctic Cells for First Time

Engineers have built the first microscope to see inside living cells in sub-zero conditions, revealing secrets of Antarctic fish survival.

23 Sep 2026

Mitochondrial RNA May Explain How Tumors Become Resistant to Immunotherapy

Research highlights mitochondrial RNA's influence on interferon signaling, linking chronic exposure to tumor growth and offering new avenues for immunotherapy.

22 Sep 2026

Tracking Dynamic Mitochondrial Networks Beyond Flat Snapshots Assesses Cellular Health

Mitochondria - tiny structures that convert nutrients into energy - are often depicted as discrete kidney bean-shaped objects.

18 Sep 2026

Study Provides Novel Structural Model for CaMKIIα Synaptic Accumulation

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) at Kanazawa University, Kyoto University, SOKENDAI, and the National Institute for Physiological Sciences have revealed how CaMKIIα-a key brain protein involved in learning and memory-organizes itself into chain-like structures.

17 Sep 2026

Cryo-EM Captures Interactions Between BRD4 Bromodomains and Nucleosomal DNA

Researchers have uncovered a new 3D structure of a cancer-linked protein bound to its cellular partner, detailing how it attaches to chromosomes and offering key insights for future disease treatments.

16 Sep 2026

Research Reveals Molecular Link Between Matrix Protein Motifs and Ameloblast Organization

Tooth enamel looks simple from the outside and consists of a hard, smooth surface built to withstand years of wear.

12 Sep 2026

New Insights Into How Giant-Nucleus Cells Promote Early-Stage Cancer Growth

Iron is an essential micronutrient, but excess iron can damage cells and increase cancer risk. While many cells die from iron-induced oxidative stress, a subset survives and may become cancerous. Previously, the identity of these surviving cells was unclear.

11 Sep 2026

IU Biologists Find a Hidden Weak Spot in How Bacteria Build the Tails They Use to Move

New research from Indiana University has uncovered a previously unknown vulnerability in how bacteria build the whip-like tails they use to move.

10 Sep 2026

Novel Microscopy Method Captures Live Body-Wide Organismal Cellular Signaling

We can't hear it, but the different parts of our body are in constant conversation, communicating to keep the entire system running efficiently.

10 Sep 2026

Condensed Euchromatic Domains Dynamically Regulate Gene Expression and Maintain Nuclear Organization

The human genome is about two meters long, yet it is folded inside a cell nucleus only about 10 micrometers in diameter.

9 Sep 2026

Key Cellular Complexes Drive Protein Localization Within Resistant Bacterial Membranes

Gram-negative bacteria are responsible for causing several infections that are hard to treat, owing to their high resistance to antibiotics.

7 Sep 2026

RNA Polymerase Successfully Transcribes an Expanded Genetic Alphabet

All known life on earth utilizes the same genetic alphabet, consisting of four letters. Now, researchers at University of California San Diego have demonstrated that one of biology's most essential enzymes can accurately read and transcribe an expanded, eight-letter genetic alphabet.

4 Sep 2026

Optical Metabolic Imaging Profiles Single-Cell Metabolic Fitness in Blood Without Dye Labeling

A routine blood sample contains a diverse collection of immune cells that can reveal important clues about health and disease. These cells, known as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), are widely used to study infections, autoimmune disorders, cancer, and the immune system's response to treatment.

3 Sep 2026

Unexpected Mechanism Shows Muscle Cells Limit Rather Than Drive Membrane Growth

Every movement we make, from blinking to sprinting, depends on the ability of muscle fibers to contract in a rapid and coordinated way. Achieving this precision requires an intricate internal membrane network known as the transverse tubule, or T-tubule, system.

3 Sep 2026

Researchers Unlock Key Potassium Channel That Controls Plant Stalk Elongation

Potassium (K) is one of the three essential nutrients for plants. It plays a critical role in a wide range of processes, including cell growth, photosynthesis, and regulation of water balance. Plants take up K from the soil and circulate it throughout their bodies via molecules called K+ channels.

3 Sep 2026

Super-Resolution DNA Imaging Platform Links Chromatin Loosening to Tumor Progression

Scientists have engineered fluorescent molecules enabling the visualization of DNA organization within living cells with unparalleled resolution, and in fixed cells, nearly the width of the double helix itself.

31 Aug 2026

Cellular Glue Helps Engulf Dying Cells

A protein which sticks cells and tissues together has been found to have a surprising second job: helping cells which are packed into a continuous sealed layer, also known as epithelial cells, engulf nearby dead cells.

28 Aug 2026