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.

What is Environmental Forensic Microscopy?

TEM Imaging Modes

Visualizing the 3D Architecture of Tissues

Investigating the Applications of Meoscopy

X-ray Microscopy: An Overview

What are Polarized Light Microscopes and How Do They Work?

Differentiating Tumors using Microscopy

Microscopy’s Involvement in Brain Imaging

Using Microscopy for Deep In Vivo Brain Imaging

What is Expansion Microscopy?

Applications of IVIS (In Vivo Imaging Systems)

See more featured articles »

Uses of Microscopy in Forensics

Applications of 3D X-ray Microscopy

Using Electron Microscopy to Detect Viruses

Imaging Nuclear Structures Using AFM

Cryo-Electron Microscopy: An Overview

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

How Do Spectrometer Accessories Elevate Instrument Capabilities?

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

Microscopy and Artificial Intelligence

Role of Microscopy in Ballistics

Investigating the Intersection between Microscopy and Healthcare

Diagnosing Alzheimer's Using Microscopy

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

Two-photon Microscopy Principles and Methodology

TEM Imaging Modes

What is 3D X-Ray Microscopy?

Fluorescence Microscopy: An Overview

Electron Microscopy: An Overview

Scanning Helium Microscopy: An Overview

Transmission Electron Microscopy: An Overview

Advances in Scanning Electron Microscopy

Avoiding Cell Death in Fluorescence Microscopy

Photobleaching in Fluorescence Microscopy

Why Size Matters in Microscopy

Applications of Scanning Electron Microscopy

Microscopy in Oncology Research: Visualizing Tumor Microenvironments

Phase-Contrast Microscopy: An Overview

Microscopy and Artificial Intelligence

What is Confocal Imaging?

Understanding the Brain Through Electron Microscopy

Applications of Polarized Light Microscopy

The Digital Evolution of Microscopy

Imaging Techniques in Drug Discovery

Confocal Microscopy: An Overview

Optimizing Live Cell Imaging with FRET Microscopy

Optical Microscopy: An Overview

Live-Cell Imaging with Super-Resolution Microscopy

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM): An Overview

Intravital Kidney Microscopy: An Overview

Confocal Reflection Microscopy for Cell Migration Studies

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

Light Microscopy Techniques in Virology: An Overview

Using Scanning Electron Microscopy to Image SARS-CoV-2

Optimizing Live Cell Imaging with FRET Microscopy

Microscopes in Forensic Epidemiology- An Overview

What is FIB-SEM?

Deep Learning in Fluorescence Microscopy

Identifying Corpses Using Microscopy

Advantages and Limitations of Fluorescence Microscopy

Expansion Microscopy in Neurology

Light Microscopy Techniques in Virology: An Overview

Advances in Fluorescence Microscopy

How do Epifluorescence Microscopes Work?

Latest Microscopy News and Research

New Imaging Workflow Tracks Nanoplastics Distribution in Neonatal Mouse Brains

Nanoplastics-plastic particles smaller than one micrometer-are generated through the degradation and abrasion of plastic products and are increasingly detected in food, drinking water, air, and biological tissues.

30 Jul 2026

Scientists Discover How Heart Muscle Cells Remodel Actin Filaments

Biophysicists unraveled a mystery of how muscles form at the molecular level and how they maintain their function.

30 Jul 2026

Moth Wings Smell Host Plants to Identify Optimal Egg-Laying Spots

Insect wings are bristling with senses, feeling the wind blowing and even tasting potential mates, but little was known about whether moth wings are equipped with a sense of smell.

28 Jul 2026

Dengue Virus Replicates Inside Memory B Cells to Evade Immunity

Researchers at the University of Vermont Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY, have discovered that dengue virus can infect and replicate inside memory B cells, immune cells traditionally understood to help protect the body from infection.

28 Jul 2026

Deep-Learning Holography Detects Elusive Circulating Tumor Cells in Prostate Cancer

Researchers combined microfluidic enrichment, AI-assisted holography, and fluorescence profiling to identify circulating tumor cell candidates in 13 men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and 8 healthy donors. The platform found higher median candidate counts in patients, while nearly two-thirds of PSMA-positive candidates lacked EpCAM, suggesting EpCAM-dependent assays could miss some cells.

27 Jul 2026

A Bio-Based Janus Dressing That Targets Bacteria At Wound Sites

Bio-based furan polyamide dressings effectively direct antibiotic release, offering a sustainable solution for early bacterial control in wounds.

27 Jul 2026

Research Maps Structural Mechanism Linking Amino Acid Availability to Cancer Growth

Cells carry their own growth switches. When enough nutrients-amino acids in particular-are available, cells flip this switch on and begin to grow. Researchers at KAIST and Yonsei University have now uncovered the molecular mechanism by which amino acid signals activate this cellular growth switch.

27 Jul 2026

FlatMux Imaging Platform Captures Live Brain Circuit Activity

The brain is a vast, densely interconnected network of neurons computing in parallel. Watching these computations unfold in real time could reveal how the brain processes sensation and guides behavior.

24 Jul 2026

Tescan Unveils the New CLARA to Help Researchers See More at the Nanoscale

Tescan has introduced the new generation of Tescan CLARA™, an ultra-high-resolution scanning electron microscope for nanoscale materials characterization.

From Tescan 24 Jul 2026

Bacterial TGT Enzyme Engages Two tRNAs to Control Protein Production

The enzyme tRNA-guanine transglycosylase (TGT) chemically modifies transfer RNA (tRNA) and plays a key role in how disease-causing bacteria control the production of proteins needed to cause infection. E. coli TGT is nearly identical to the one found in Shigella, which causes the intestinal infection shigellosis.

23 Jul 2026

Hidden Cellular Sub Compartments Drive Final Steps of Ribosome Assembly

The nucleolus is a liquid-like cellular organelle where protein factories called ribosomes are assembled.

20 Jul 2026

AI Breakthrough Generates Novel Synthetic RNA-Guided Nucleases

Artificial intelligence (AI)-designed proteins can now expand the CRISPR toolbox beyond what evolution has produced.

17 Jul 2026

New Kinesin-1 Protein Maps Advance Treatment for Incurable Paralysis

A nerve cell resembles a vast tree with branches that communicate with thousands of other cells.

16 Jul 2026

MIT Researchers Grow Blood Vessels by Stretching Them

Tissue engineers are developing methods to produce living organs and tissues from cells in order to replace diseased and damaged ones in the body.

15 Jul 2026

Tescan Joins Shimadzu Group to Accelerate Innovation and Deliver Greater Value to Customers

Tescan, a pioneer in electron microscopy, announces the successful completion of its full acquisition by Shimadzu Corporation.

From Tescan 15 Jul 2026

New Double Donut Structure Reveals How SPOP Protein Regulates Cancer

Mutations to the protein SPOP are widespread in cancer, yet many remain poorly understood. To address this gap, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists obtained structures of SPOP in both the presence and absence of these mutations.

14 Jul 2026

Supramolecular Shampoo Uses Self-Assembly to Replace Polymer Thickeners

Researchers developed a laboratory-scale polymer-free shampoo in which sodium cocoyl glycinate acts as both a cleansing surfactant and a supramolecular gelator. The formulation retained shear-thinning behavior, produced persistent foam, and remained stable during three months of accelerated aging and freeze-thaw testing.

12 Jul 2026