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Beyond color: Fluorescence lifetime imaging expands multiplex imaging in living plant cells

Researchers distinguish multiple fluorescent proteins with overlapping emission colors by their lifetime using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). FLIM successfully distinguishes several fluorescent proteins with overlapping color emissions within plant cells, enabling simultaneous analysis of multiple proteins.

SourceInstitute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University·JournalPLANT PHYSIOLOGY·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 11, 2026

Seeing is believing: New probes reveal proteins inside living cells with unprecedented clarity

Researchers have developed a new molecular imaging technology that illuminates proteins inside living cells and animals far more clearly than before. The system uses engineered fluorescent nanobodies to reduce background noise by as much as 100-fold, enabling sharper visualization of protein location and dynamics.

SourceAlbert Einstein College of Medicine·JournalNature Methods·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 22, 2026

A new reagent makes living brains transparent for deeper, non-invasive imaging

Researchers at Kyushu University develop a new tissue-clearing reagent, SeeDB-Live, enabling repeated, reversible, and real-time imaging of living brains at greater depth and clarity. This breakthrough allows scientists to visualize neural activity in living mice and brain slices, offering new insights into brain dynamics and function.

SourceKyushu University·JournalNature Methods·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 12, 2026

Researchers uncover distinct tumor “neighborhoods”, with each cell subtype playing a specific role, in aggressive childhood brain cancer

New research reveals that tumor cells in supratentorial ependymomas cluster into distinct neighborhoods, each with a specific role, such as proliferating or invading. Understanding these cell subtypes could help predict treatment response and inform targeted therapies for this aggressive childhood brain cancer.

SourceBoston Children's Hospital·JournalNature·DateMar 11, 2026

Fullerenes for finer detailed MRI scans

Scientists have successfully used fullerenes as polarizing agents to improve MRI imaging capabilities, enabling clearer images with greater sensitivity. This breakthrough technique could lead to enhanced diagnostic capabilities and faster detection of diseases, potentially revolutionizing medical imaging.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 4, 2025

KAIST develops virtual staining technology for 3D histopathology​

A collaborative research team led by KAIST has developed a groundbreaking technology that uses advanced optical techniques combined with an AI-based deep learning algorithm to create realistic 3D images of cancer tissue. This breakthrough paves the way for next-generation non-invasive pathological diagnosis.

SourceThe Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)·JournalNature Communications·TypeImaging analysis·DateJun 5, 2025

Quantum-inspired cameras capture the start of life

Researchers at the University of Adelaide used quantum-sensitive cameras to image embryos, capturing biological processes in their natural state. The sensitive detection of photons allows for gentle illumination and minimizes damage from light, enabling researchers to study live cells and developing specimens.

SourceUniversity of Adelaide·JournalAPL Photonics·DateMar 13, 2025

New photochemical tools based on thioketal

A new universal photocage modification strategy based on thioketal enables real-time live cell subcellular imaging. The thioketal-based probe SiR-EDT exhibits improved dark stability and can be specifically activated by UV-visible light.

SourceScience China Press·JournalScience Bulletin·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateFeb 25, 2025

Bioluminescent cell imaging gets a glow-up

The researchers have developed a groundbreaking method to expand the color palette of bioluminescent protein to 20 distinct colors, enabling advanced simultaneous multi-color imaging. This innovation makes it significantly easier and more cost-effective to monitor multiple targets or track individual cells within a population.

SourceOsaka University·JournalScience Advances·TypeImaging analysis·DateJan 22, 2025

AI transforms label-free photoacoustic microscopy into confocal microscopy: A new frontiers in cell imaging technology

Researchers developed an AI-powered technology that transforms low-resolution, label-free images into high-resolution, virtually stained ones without fluorescent dyes. This innovation delivers stable and accurate cell visualization, overcoming limitations of traditional imaging methods.

SourcePohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH)·JournalNature Communications·DateJan 16, 2025

Insight into link between lysosomal activities and focal adhesions and implications for cancer research

Researchers uncover the relationship between lysosomal exocytosis and focal adhesions, structures critical for cell anchoring and communication. The study identifies MYO18B as a key regulator of lysosomal exocytosis through focal adhesion maturation.

New imaging platform developed by Rice researchers revolutionizes 3D visualization of cellular structures

Researchers at Rice University developed soTILT3D, an innovative imaging platform that enables fast and precise 3D imaging of multiple cellular structures while controlling the extracellular environment. The platform improves upon conventional fluorescence microscopy by reducing background fluorescence and increasing imaging speed.

SourceRice University·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 26, 2024

Keeping close watch on stem cells

Researchers at Osaka University have created an innovative device called INSPCTOR that enables real-time remote monitoring of cell growth in incubators. This technology allows for effective quality control and precise measurement of cellular transformation, which is crucial for advancements in regenerative medicine and drug discovery.

SourceOsaka University·JournalLab on a Chip·TypeImaging analysis·DateOct 30, 2024

KAIST presents strategies for Holotomography in advanced bio research

Holotomography offers a promising approach to biomedical research, providing high-resolution images of live cells and tissues at the organelle level. The KAIST research team has developed core technologies and demonstrated its applications in various fields, including regenerative medicine and cancer research.

SourceThe Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)·JournalNature Reviews Methods Primers·TypeMeta-analysis·DateAug 27, 2024

Pioneering the cellular frontier

Researchers from Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed an effective way to image a single cell using multiple techniques, providing significant implications in medicine and agriculture. The team used advanced X-ray imaging technologies to capture high-resolution images of the cellular structure and chemical processes within cells.

SourceDOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory·JournalNature Communications·TypeImaging analysis·DateJul 23, 2024

Switching off the light to see better

Researchers from Osaka University have developed a new approach for super-resolution microscopy that can observe dense microstructures inside cells with excellent sharpness. By selecting only a desired plane to image using thin 'light sheet' illumination, they were able to achieve background-free super-resolution imaging.

SourceOsaka University·JournalNature Methods·TypeImaging analysis·DateApr 22, 2024

A better view with new mid-infrared nanoscopy

A team at the University of Tokyo has constructed an improved mid-infrared microscope that enables them to see the structures inside living bacteria at the nanometer scale with a resolution of 120 nanometers. This breakthrough can aid multiple fields of research, including into infectious diseases.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalNature Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 17, 2024

Opening a window on the brain

A new method called NIRE enables large-scale and long-term observation of neuronal structures and activities in awake mice. The method uses fluoropolymer nanosheets covered with light-curable resin to create larger cranial windows, allowing for high-resolution imaging with sub-micrometer resolution.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalCommunications Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 4, 2024

Team explores role of STING – stimulator of interferon genes – in body’s innate immune system

Researchers provide new insights into STING's function in innate immunity, revealing its role as a scaffold that activates TBK1. They also found that cholesterol plays a crucial role in STING clustering and activation, offering a potential target for treating diseases associated with STING inflammation.

Reporters broadcast live, on-the-scene, inside living cells

Researchers from Rice University and Princeton University have developed a new technology that allows for the live monitoring of signaling protein networks in living cells. The 'live reporter' system uses unobtrusive proteins to tag specific proteins, which can activate fluorescent markers when they become phosphorylated.

SourceRice University·JournaleLife·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 10, 2023

Pictures inside a cell: USC researchers develop new tool to provide greater insight into biological processes

Researchers at USC have developed a new technique called Hybrid Unmixing, which allows for simultaneous imaging of bright and dim labeled components within organic tissue. This enables accurate insights into cellular behaviors and metabolism, providing a comprehensive understanding of complex biological systems.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalCell Reports Methods·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 31, 2023

UCalgary researchers develop new imaging technique for clearer picture of “brain in the gut”

Researchers have designed a novel imaging and experimental preparation system to record the activity of the enteric nervous system in mice, providing new insights into the complex processes of digestion and waste elimination. The findings suggest that physical distention of the gut controls how the entire neural network is coordinated.

SourceUniversity of Calgary·JournalThe Journal of Physiology·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 15, 2023

Technology development could bring Raman microscopy to the clinic

Researchers developed high-throughput Raman microscope for rapid large-area imaging hundreds of times faster than traditional approach. The new technique enables label-free molecular analysis and multiplex chemical imaging, holding promise for efficient medical diagnoses and drug development.

SourceOptica·JournalBiomedical Optics Express·DateFeb 7, 2023