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New method for interactive microscopy in 3D

Making experiments with live samples more insightful

In late 2024, the XR (eXtended Reality) microscopy project received 100,000 euros by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) via the GO-Bio initial funding program. The project aims to develop software that allows images from fluorescence microscopes to be brought into virtual reality (VR) as well as human actions within the VR world to be fed back into the microscopy system. The BMBF’s funding underscores the innovative potential of this new method, which provides a range of possibilities for application in basic and applied research. Developed at the Center for Advanced Systems Understanding (CASUS), an institute of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), the project emerged victorious in HZDR’s 7th Innovation Contest last year and has since been registered for a patent.

Research in biology and medicine is largely based on microscopic examinations. In recent years, technical innovations have made the world of cells, tissues, and organs increasingly accessible. In particular, the development of three-dimensional images of live samples has led to significant discoveries and insights. However, the full potential of the third dimension can currently not be utilized. While 3D imaging techniques for living cells exist, the subsequent targeted processing of these samples is often only carried out in 2D.

Additional information:

Dr. Ulrik Günther

Project Manager XR-Microscopy at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR)

Media contact:

Dr. Martin Laqua

Officer Communications, Press and Public Relations Center for Advanced Systems Understanding (CASUS) at HZDR

XR (eXtended Reality) microscopy not only allows you to immerse yourself virtually in the world of cells and tissue but also to change the biological system under investigation through interactions in this world. Source: U. Günther & J. Tiemann/HZDR

XR microscopy could lead to a wave of new findings here. For the first time, users can interact with a sample under the microscope directly and in three dimensions. This capability allows for modifications of live samples – such as laser ablation or bleaching experiments – to be performed with greater awareness of the spatial environment of the cell. Additionally, these modifications can be executed more quickly and accurately than with a traditional two-dimensional view.

Virtual reality goggles instead of a monitor

The minds behind the innovative concept are the two former CASUS scientists, Dr. Ulrik Günther and Jan Tiemann. They are joined by Prof. Ivo Sbalzarini from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) in Dresden, as well as Prof. Matthew McGinity from the Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, who are all part of the XR microscopy team. “The system we have designed does not require any specialized hardware,” states Günther. “It is initially based on a pair of virtual reality glasses and a general-purpose computer running our software. We are developing interfaces for the major manufacturers of fluorescence microscopes and key sample manipulation devices, so that XR microscopy will soon be possible on almost any existing modern research microscope.” The software is largely open-source and will be progressively developed in collaboration with the research community. License fees will apply only for the interfaces to microscopes and devices from commercial manufacturers.

“We see a clear benefit in the XR microscopy approach,” says Prof. Otger Campàs from TU Dresden, one of the first to utilize an XR microscope provided by the creators of the technology. Campàs holds the Chair of Tissue Dynamics and is the Speaker and Managing Director of the Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, which focuses on investigating three-dimensional biological data. “Thanks to XR microscopy, the experimenter can work naturally with complex data. Essentially, this technology enables meaningful experimentation with complex live samples in the first place,” Campàs adds.

On behalf of the HZDR Technology Transfer and Innovation Department, which supports the project team in developing their idea into a product, Munich-based Ascenion GmbH – a specialist in knowledge and technology transfer within the life sciences and medicine – has conducted a thorough evaluation of the project. Given the significant growth in the relevant markets and the interest from established stakeholders like the microscopy companies Leica and Zeiss, Ascenion concludes that the project presents a promising opportunity for a successful spin-off.

After winning the HZDR Innovation Contest 2023, Günther and Tiemann first submitted the patent application. Then, in the summer of 2024, they received validation funding from the Development Bank of Saxony (Sächsische Aufbaubank). With the funding from the BMBF through the GO-Bio initial program, the two specialists currently explore the innovative potential of their idea, conduct market analyses, and assess the patent situation. If their plan works out in the end, their business idea will lead to a viable business model.

Additional information:

Dr. Ulrik Günther

Project Manager XR-Microscopy at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR)

Media contact:

Dr. Martin Laqua

Officer Communications, Press and Public Relations Center for Advanced Systems Understanding (CASUS) at HZDR