Thank you for your interest in the Microscopy Conference 2025 in Karlsruhe. The scientific programme will offer a variety of plenary lectures, scientific sessions, and poster presentations as well as lunchtime lectures covering the following topics:
- Materials Science
- Life Sciences
- Instrumentation and Methods
MS 1: Energy-related materials and catalysts
Chairs: Kerstin Volz (Marburg / DE), Di Wang (Karlsruhe / DE)
Description: The session is focused on generating insights into the structure and function of materials for energy storage, energy conversion and catalysis. Topics can be – but are not restricted to – configurational structures, composition and bonding at interfaces (electrolyte/electrode or gas-phase/catalyst surface) to clarify the charge transport, dynamics, cycling behaviour and aging/deactivation processes during electrochemical and catalysis reactions. We are also very interested in contributions of in-situ and operando studies that attempt to capture the relevant functional state of energy materials and catalysts beyond isolated systems in vacuum, or investigations that employ an embedded multi-scale (in space and time) approach that allows to link between atomistic and collective dynamics. We also call for contributions regarding artefact-free preparation of relevant materials as well as efficient detection of various generated signals, correlative application of analytical methods, as well as utilizing and developing quantitative data-analysis and machine learning. Studies on the impact of the electron beam during (in-situ) investigation of materials for energy-related or catalysis applications are also highly welcome.
MS 2: Metals and alloys
Chairs: Yolita Maria Eggeler (Karlsruhe / DE), Daniel Kiener (Leoben / AT)
Description: This symposium will highlight recent advances in the field of metals, alloys, and intermetallic compounds. The material portfolio features newly developed materials, including high-entropy alloys, chemically complex alloys, metallic materials for energy transition, metallic materials for a circular economy, metallic glasses, and applied materials. It offers a platform to showcase the latest methodological and instrumental developments in microscopy (e.g., diffraction mapping, deformation mapping, in situ analysis, and correlative microscopy) and their contributions to areas such as materials design, microstructure evolution, material properties, and performance. Contributions through submitted papers are highly encouraged.
MS 3: Disordered materials
Chairs: Martin Peterlechner (Karlsruhe / DE), Christoph Gammer (Leoben / AT)
Description: A big portion of matter is in a structural disordered state, thus this session will focus the structural and chemical analysis of disordered matter. The material portfolio includes established systems as oxide glasses or metallic glasses, and newly developed materials such as high entropy alloys/glasses or other chemically complex systems. Work on methodological aspects including in-situ approaches, nanobeam diffraction mappings or other STEM techniques are invited to contribute and elucidate the state of current research in this broad field within this session.
MS 4: Low-dimensional and quantum materials
Chairs: Ute Kaiser (Ulm / DE), Jani Kotakoski (Vienna / AT)
Description: Low-dimensional materials can exhibit unique properties shaped by quantum mechanical effects, which may arise from reduced dimensionality and/or exotic electronic structures. State-of-the-art techniques and novel methods of data evaluation in atomic-resolution electron microscopy and spectroscopy provide insights into the intricate relationship between atomic structure and quantum phenomena. The session is dedicated to report on recent advances in this field.
MS 5: Functional organics, carbon-based and hybrid materials
Chairs: Ute Heinemeyer (Ludwigshafen / DE), Nadezda V. Tarakina (Potsdam / DE)
Description: In this session, we highlight recent achievements in developing approaches and protocols for the analysis of functional organics, materials with hybrid soft-hard interfaces, as well as other electron beam-sensitive structures. We welcome abstracts addressing:
(1) advances in microscopy approaches for correlative and in-situ investigations of soft materials
(2) sample preparation workflows which help to preserve the native state of these samples (cryo-preparation methods, air-free transfer, etc.)
(3) working at limited doses, as well as data science challenges for low signal-to-noise images and spectra
(4) contrast enhancement methods for soft and hybrid materials; (5) low-voltage electron microscopy solutions
MS 6: Ceramics, composites and geoscience – In memory of Achim Kleebe
Chairs: Thomas Höche (Halle (Saale) / DE), Duncan T.L. Alexander (Lausanne / CH)
Description: This session is organized in dedication to Hans-Joachim “Achim” Kleebe (TU Darmstadt, Colorado School of Mines), who sadly passed away in October 2024, and his electron microscopy contributions that spanned across themes of natural and synthetic materials. In his memory, the session will bring together a stimulating, transdisciplinary array of electron microscopy research topics on ceramics, composites and geoscience. Techniques going from the atomic through nano to micro scales are included, such as aberration-corrected microscopy and spectroscopy, 3D imaging, correlative microscopy, and crystal orientation mapping.
A particular emphasis of the session will be on structure–property and structure–synthesis relationships. We encourage contributions on topics including: piezo, high-temperature, transparent and electronic ceramics; functional oxides such as ferroelectrics, ferromagnetics and multiferroics, both thin film and bulk; manmade and natural composites such as fiber reinforced polymers, metal matrix composites, concrete and wood; bioceramics; mineral phases and interfaces; and high-pressure geophysics.
MS 7: Multi-scale and correlative in-situ/operando electron microscopy
Chairs: Rolf Erni (Dübendorf / CH), Christian Damsgaard (Kgs. Lyngby / DK)
Description: We invite contributions on the application of imaging and spectroscopy techniques to the study of materials by means of in-situ and operando approaches that possibly cover different length scales and correlate corresponding information from the atomic, nano- to micron-scales. This session is open to experimental studies in gaseous or liquid environments as well as setups that provide thermal, electric, electrochemical or mechanical stimuli to samples in a controlled way to shed light on the materials´ structural and functional properties when they are at work.
MS 8: Beyond ideal 2D and van der Waals materials: Disorder, defects, adatoms and contamination
Chairs: Jannik C. Meyer (Tübingen / DE), Toma Susi (Vienna / AT)
Description: This session welcomes presentations on the application and development of advanced electron microscopy and spectroscopy methods for characterising 2D materials and their heterostructures. In particular, we focus on atomic-level insights into defects, adatoms, interstitials and other types of disorder, strategies to avoid contamination, and the study of objects trapped between 2D material layers. Also welcome are relevant targeted modifications induced by irradiation, temperature, or other stimuli during in-situ experiments.
LS 1: Structure and functions of cells and organelles – Cryo ET
Chairs: Benoît Zuber (Bern / CH), Petr Chlanda (Heidelberg / DE)
Description: Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) reveals three-dimensional cellular and organelle structures under near-native conditions. Current developments in cryo-ET advance our understanding of molecular organization, intracellular interactions, and fundamental biological processes. The session highlights emerging methods, diverse applications, and insights gained through this technique, offering a deeper perspective on cell architecture and functional mechanisms.
LS 2: Structure and functions of cells and organelles – Imaging of large volumes and plastic section tomography
Chairs: Wiebke Möbius (Göttingen / DE), Christel Genoud (Lausanne / CH)
Description: Throughout the last two decades different volume electron microscopy (vEM) methods have gained more importance in life science allowing new questions to be answered for samples from cells to organisms and tissues. New developments for hardware and software for transmission as well as scanning electron microscopy have paved the road to new exciting research topics to be addressed. This session will focus on applications in cell biology based on current volume EM techniques including tomography on plastic sections in order to achieve higher resolution. Research topics around organellar structure and function and the challenges linked to the sample preparation, imaging and data analysis will be covered.
LS 3: Cryo-EM and image analysis of macromolecules and molecular assemblies
Chairs: Andreas Boland (Geneva / CH), Leonid Sazanov (Klosterneuburg / AT)
Description: Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) allows high-resolution visualisation of isolated macromolecules and assemblies using single particle analysis (SPA). Cryo-electron tomography (cryoET) reveals the architecture of biological assemblies inside the cell, but can also approach high resolution when subtomogram averaging (STA) is used.
This session will highlight several exciting examples of recent SPA and cryoET studies of large macromolecular assemblies and membrane proteins. We will discuss image processing strategies that have enabled the high-resolution structure determination of such macromolecular assemblies, approaching hundreds of megadaltons in size.
LS 4: Correlative microscopy and multimodal microscopy
Chairs: José María Mateos Melero (Zurich / CH), Philip Alexander Steiner (Linz / AT)
Description: Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (CLEM) and, more generally, multimodal imaging combines the strengths of multiple techniques. In this session, we will explore the latest advancements in the field including correlations between fluorescence microscopy, X-ray analyses (XRD, SAXS, CT), Raman spectroscopy, and electron microscopy (SEM/EDX/CL, STEM, TEM, FIB/SEM and its direct applications in biology and medicine.
LS 5: Pathology, pathogens and diagnostics
Chairs: Michael Laue (Berlin / DE), Renate Kain (Vienna / AT)
Description: The session will focus on microscopy in the context of medicine. Contributions to this field, e.g. diagnostic/imaging strategies, investigation of disease pathogenesis and pathogens, are welcome. The invited speakers will provide an up-to-date overview of lung anatomy down to the nanoscale and demonstrate the usefulness of large-scale electron microscopy maps of thin sections.
LS 6: Advances in sample preparation
Chairs: Dagmar Kolb (Graz / AT), Katharina Hipp (Tübingen / DE)
Description: Sample preparation is a crucial and critical step for all following analyses by electron microscopy. Although a whole variety of sample preparation protocols is available, the development and improvement of electron microscopy techniques necessitates adjustment of existing protocols and design ideas. This session will focus on advances in sample preparation for the different life sciences electron microscopy applications.
IM 6/LS 7: Big data and AI techniques
Chairs: Christoph T. Koch (Berlin / DE), Szymon Stoma (Zurich / CH)
Description: The availability of fast and highly quantitative detectors, capable of operating at frame rates ranging from a few thousand to over 100 thousand frames per second or recording individual events with nanosecond time resolution, has significantly expanded the amount of usable data collected in both electron and light microscopy. These advancements have not only enhanced the time resolution for observing dynamic processes but also enabled new data recording modalities (e.g., various forms of ptychography) that demand sophisticated computational algorithms and, in some cases, specialized hardware for processing. The rapid growth of big data in microscopy has brought new challenges in data management, processing, and analysis. At the same time, AI and machine learning (ML) methods have advanced enormously, offering innovative solutions for extracting insights from the massive datasets generated by modern instruments. In this session, we welcome contributions that explore novel strategies for managing, processing, and analyzing big data in microscopy or introduce emerging AI/ML techniques applicable across different microscopy modalities.
IM 1: Progress in instrumentation and ultrafast EM
Chairs: Claus Ropers (Göttingen / DE), Philipp Haslinger (Vienna / AT)
Description: This session highlights recent developments in laser-enhanced and ultrafast electron microscopy, rapidly evolving fields enabling unprecedented investigations of matter on atomic and femtosecond scales. It will give insights into the development of new experimental platforms for both ultrafast and quantum-enhanced transmission electron microscopy systems, as well as their applications in materials science, nanotechnology and biology. Alongside contributions from leading experts, the session invites contributed talks and posters to stimulate interdisciplinary discussions and inspire ground-breaking innovations at the interface of quantum technology and electron microscopy.
IM 2: Advanced spectroscopy
Chairs: Marta D. Rossell (Dübendorf / CH), Gerald Kothleitner (Graz / AT)
Description: With the introduction of aberration correctors, electron monochromators and high-performance detectors, advanced EM spectroscopies have reached unprecedented spatial and energy resolutions and detection sensitivity. In addition, special techniques including dichroic signals and time resolution are becoming increasingly popular. This symposium will focus on recent, developments in analytical techniques for the innovative (in-situ) characterization of materials and devices as well as advanced data analysis techniques such as machine learning and artificial intelligence-based processing methods.
IM 3: SEM and FIB developments
Chairs: Marc Georg Willinger (Munich / DE), Joakim Reuteler (Zurich / CH)
Description: This session provides a platform for Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Focused Ion Beam (FIB) users and enthusiasts. The aim is to share and exchange insights on new applications and advanced methodologies, and to discuss instrumental aspects as well as challenges related to signal generation and interpretation.
We invite contributions focusing on the use of new instrumentation, from commercial to custom-designed solutions, as well as uncommon and creative applications of standard tools. Topics of interest range from means of signal generation, detection, and interpretation to the use of uncommon ion species and precursors for gas injection systems and novel means of sample preparation, modification, and manipulation.
IM 4: Emerging techniques and applications in 4D-STEM
Chairs: Knut Müller-Caspary (Munich / DE), Philipp Pelz (Erlangen / DE)
Description: The simultaneous collection of real and diffraction space data in 4D STEM has opened various opportunities to map electric and magnetic fields, determine structure and composition in three dimensions, and characterize materials via the inversion of the scattering dynamics. Its high dose efficiency, faithful structural imaging, and excellent contrast generation in weakly scattering specimens also stimulate interdisciplinary work between Physical and Life Sciences.
This symposium invites contributions in the fields of
- Imaging and quantification of electrostatic and magnetic fields, e.g., by differential phase contrast (DPC) and first moments,
- Phase-retrieval algorithms and ptychographic techniques
- Methods combining 4D-STEM with spectroscopic signals
- Applications and developments in 4D-STEM for imaging beam-sensitive materials
- Strategies for efficient multidimensional data processing, including machine learning and real-time 4D-STEM data analysis
- Applications of 4D-STEM to materials characterization
- Innovations in acquisition schemes for 4D-STEM applications, including electron detectors, STEM scan strategies, and beam shaping.
IM 5: Beam shaping and analysis
Chairs: Axel Lubk (Dresden / DE), Thomas Schachinger (Vienna / AT)
Description: Recent electron optics instrumentation developments have considerably widened the capabilities of electron beam shaping techniques, e.g., through (adaptive) static and high-frequency phase plates, field-free lenses, vortex beam generators, and novel aberration correctors. At similar pace, new beam analyzing techniques, such as various enhanced holographic techniques, energy filter, orbital momentum analyzers, that are increasingly supported by machine learning, have emerged. All of which have been frequently integrated with other TEM techniques, such as in-situ TEM, various spectroscopies, tomography, or diffraction. With that, 2D and 3D reconstruction of static and transient electric and magnetic fields, deliberate preparation of beam quantum states and their application in, e.g., superresolution techniques, or contrast enhancement in the imaging of weakly scattering matter, have been carried out. In this session the latest development in the field with a focus on instrumental and method development are discussed.
IM 6/LS 7: Big data and AI techniques
Chairs: Christoph T. Koch (Berlin / DE), Szymon Stoma (Zurich / CH)
Description: The availability of fast and highly quantitative detectors, capable of operating at frame rates ranging from a few thousand to over 100 thousand frames per second or recording individual events with nanosecond time resolution, has significantly expanded the amount of usable data collected in both electron and light microscopy. These advancements have not only enhanced the time resolution for observing dynamic processes but also enabled new data recording modalities (e.g., various forms of ptychography) that demand sophisticated computational algorithms and, in some cases, specialized hardware for processing. The rapid growth of big data in microscopy has brought new challenges in data management, processing, and analysis. At the same time, AI and machine learning (ML) methods have advanced enormously, offering innovative solutions for extracting insights from the massive datasets generated by modern instruments. In this session, we welcome contributions that explore novel strategies for managing, processing, and analyzing big data in microscopy or introduce emerging AI/ML techniques applicable across different microscopy modalities.
IM 7: Electron crystallography
Chairs: Tatiana E. Gorelik (Ulm / DE), Elisabeth Agnes Müller Gubler (Villigen / CH)
Description: This session will explore recent advancements and applications in electron crystallography, including the latest developments in three-dimensional electron diffraction (3D ED), serial electron crystallography, the electron pair distribution function (ePDF), and other novel approaches to data processing and analysis. Contributions on structure determination of nanocrystals, porous frameworks, soft materials, and macromolecular crystals are welcome. Additionally, techniques for both room-temperature and cryogenic (cryo) conditions, along with optimized sample preparation strategies for electron crystallography, will also be covered.