{"id":134,"date":"2022-02-14T16:21:27","date_gmt":"2022-02-14T16:21:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/?page_id=134"},"modified":"2022-06-09T12:43:11","modified_gmt":"2022-06-09T12:43:11","slug":"sharpening-the-lens-on-biology","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/ar2021\/sharpening-the-lens-on-biology","title":{"rendered":"Sharpening the lens on biology"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n  <style>\n    .vf-hero {\n              --vf-hero--bg-image: url('https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/20220524_AR2021_banners-scaled.jpg');\n            }\n\n  <\/style>\n<section id=\"\" class=\"vf-hero | vf-u-fullbleed  | vf-u-margin__bottom--0\">\n  <div class=\"vf-hero__content | vf-box | vf-stack vf-stack--400\">\n        <h1 class=\"vf-hero__heading\">\n              Annual Report 2021          <\/h1>\n\n        <p class=\"vf-hero__subheading\">A year of exceptional life science research, training, service, industry collaboration, and integration of European life science research.<\/p>\n    \n    \n      <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<!--\/vf-hero-->\n\n\n\n<div class=\"vf-grid | vf-grid__col-3\"><div class=\"vf-grid__col--span-2\"><!--[vf\/content]-->\n<div class=\"vf-content\">\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\">Sharpening the lens on biology<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">EMBL\u2019s Imaging Centre comes online, complementing advances that enable scientists to see and understand the smallest aspects of molecular biology in their biological context.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"vf-figure wp-block-image size-full is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"742\" class=\"vf-figure__image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/ImagingCenter_KeyVisual_v3-m.jpg\" alt=\"Colourful vertical panels each show different microscopic images possible with the high-tech tools in EMBL's Imaging Centre\" class=\"wp-image-630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/ImagingCenter_KeyVisual_v3-m.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/ImagingCenter_KeyVisual_v3-m-300x223.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/ImagingCenter_KeyVisual_v3-m-768x570.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"vf-figure__caption\">EMBL&#8217;s Imaging Centre came online in 2021 and will continue to expand the cutting-edge imaging services and training it provides to users \u2013 much like the artistic visual summary of microscopy techniques shown here. Credit: Isabel Romero Calvo\/EMBL<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Seeing is believing\u2026and also understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But when it comes to studying the smallest biological units, it is no small feat to employ the science and engineering needed to provide a comprehensive vision.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>EMBL\u2019s state-of-the-art Imaging Centre was completed and welcomed its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/news\/lab-matters\/embl-imaging-centre-welcomes-first-external-user\">first users<\/a> in 2021. In doing so, it builds upon a longstanding reputation for microscopy expertise, which extends to new methods development, advanced microscopy training, and services that scientists have come to expect from EMBL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"vf-grid | vf-grid__col-2\"><div class=\"\"><!--[vf\/content]-->\n<div class=\"vf-content\">\n\n<article class=\"vf-profile vf-profile--very-easy vf-profile--large vf-profile--block | vf-u-margin__bottom--400\">\n\n    <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"179\" height=\"177\" src=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/IC_220921-03-s.jpg\" class=\"vf-profile__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" itemprop=\"image\" \/>\n    <h3 class=\"vf-profile__title\" style=\"text-align: center;\">\n                                <\/h3>\n    \n    \n    \n      \n\n    \n<\/article>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center vf-u-text-color--green vf-text--body vf-text-body--1\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\">\u201cThe scientists at EMBL are among the best in the world in using these techniques.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center  vf-text--body vf-text-body--5\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\">Pia Lavriha, PhD student at the ETH Zurich and Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland and EMBL Imaging Centre&#8217;s first external user<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"\"><!--[vf\/content]-->\n<div class=\"vf-content\">\n\n<p id=\"block-771f93ff-ff51-42ea-bed1-b58cd54ffe99\">\u201cThe opening of the Imaging Centre is an important moment for the European science community,\u201d said EMBL Director General Edith Heard. \u201cResearch in the life sciences is being revolutionised by advances in imaging, genomics, and gene editing, and provision of access to advanced technologies is key to enabling scientific progress. EMBL has pioneered many of the imaging technologies that scientists use today, and the Imaging Centre will provide a unique opportunity to benefit from such technology development.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A key aspect to the Imaging Centre is helping users learn how to use cutting-edge imaging technologies in the fields of light and electron microscopy, such as cryo-electron microscopy that Nobel prize winner <a href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/news\/science\/jacques-dubochet-awarded-nobel-prize-for-chemistry\/\">Jacques Dubochet<\/a> developed while at EMBL. Cryo-EM allows scientists to see at near-atomic resolution how molecules interact, directly in their biological context. In fact, EMBL has been providing electron microscopy<a href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/news\/events\/40-years-electron-microscopy-training\/\"> training<\/a> for more than 40 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe scientists at EMBL are among the best in the world in using these techniques,\u201d said Pia Lavriha, the Imaging Centre\u2019s first external user and a PhD student working at the ETH Zurich and Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland. EMBL scientists provided training that also included a way to implement her approach with equipment available at her home institute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to cryo-EM, the service portfolio of the EMBL Imaging Centre includes super-resolution light and correlative light and electron microscopy approaches, as well as technologies not yet commercially available, and users are supported during the entire experimental cycle from sample preparation to data analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"vf-figure  | vf-figure--align vf-figure--align-inline-start   size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" class=\"vf-figure__image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IC_EMBL-1-m-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-629\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IC_EMBL-1-m-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IC_EMBL-1-m-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IC_EMBL-1-m.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption class=\"vf-figure__caption\">The EMBL state-of-the-art Imaging Centre will build upon a considerable reputation for microscopy expertise. Credit: Kinga Lubowiecka\/EMBL<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>EMBL has a long history in technology development with industrial partners. Continuing in the same tradition, EMBL\u2019s Imaging Centre also aims to drive the development and testing of early-stage next-generation technologies with biological applications. An \u2018open innovation\u2019 environment will allow technology development to occur side by side with users testing new technologies for applicability in research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The new Imaging Centre is a culmination of expertise EMBL has had all along. And as is obvious through other scientific highlights, EMBL will continue to grow its nurturing ecosystem of research, service, training, and tech transfer to help us believe \u2013 and understand \u2013 what we see.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"\"><!--[vf\/content]-->\n<div class=\"vf-content\">\n\n<div style=\"height:243px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"vf-embed vf-embed--16x9 | vf-u-margin__bottom--400\"\n>\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uxwY8IjFwdE\" frameborder=\"0\" controls allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n  \n<figcaption class=\"vf-figure__caption vf-u-margin__top--200\"><p>EMBL Imaging Centre: services and technologies for all your imaging needs<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n\n\n\n\n<article class=\"vf-profile vf-profile--very-easy vf-profile--medium vf-profile--block | vf-u-margin__bottom--400\">\n\n    <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Sandblad_Linda_ImagingCentreCROPPED.jpeg\" class=\"vf-profile__image\" alt=\"Linda Sandblad\" loading=\"lazy\" itemprop=\"image\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Sandblad_Linda_ImagingCentreCROPPED.jpeg 200w, https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Sandblad_Linda_ImagingCentreCROPPED-150x150.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/>\n    <h3 class=\"vf-profile__title\" style=\"text-align: center;\">\n                                <\/h3>\n    \n    \n    \n      \n\n    \n<\/article>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left vf-u-text-color--green vf-text--body vf-text-body--2\"><em>\u201cEMBL\u2019s Imaging Centre is a dream come true for correlative and cellular cryo-EM! This is so inspiring for collaborations among other imaging facilities.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left  vf-text--body vf-text-body--5\">\u2014 Linda Sandblad, MIMS Team Leader and Director of Ume\u00e5 Centre for Electron Microscopy, Ume\u00e5 University, Sweden; PhD and bridging postdoc work at EMBL Heidelberg, 2002-2008<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"vf-content-hub-html\" data-cache=\"4bfa1234\">\n    \n  <!-- Generated by: http:\/\/content.embl.org\/api\/v1\/pattern.html?filter-content-type=person&amp;filter-field-contains%5Bfield_person_full_name%5D=stephanie%20Ale&amp;filter-fields-empty=field_person_visible_internally&amp;filter-ref-entity%5Bfield_person_positions%5D%5Btitle%5D=&amp;filter-ref-entity%5Bfield_person_positions%5D%5Bfield_position_primary%5D=1&amp;hide%5Bname%2Cposition%2Cteam%2Cemail%2Cphones%2Cmobile%2Corcid%2Clink%5D=1&amp;limit=1&amp;pattern=vf-profile-block -->\n\n          \n    <article class=\"vf-profile vf-profile--very-easy vf-profile--medium vf-profile--block\" data-embl-js-conditional-edit=\"81740\">\n\n              <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"vf-profile__image\" src=\"http:\/\/content.embl.org\/\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/medium\/public\/persons\/CP-60019701.jpg?itok=3EW_ebCR\" alt=\"image of \" \/>\n      \n      \n      \n      \n      \n            \n            \n      \n      <a class=\"vf-text vf-text--body-r vf-link embl-conditional-edit\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"\/node\/81740\" target=\"_blank\">\n        Edit\n      <\/a>\n    <\/article>\n  <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"vf-u-text-color--green vf-text--body vf-text-body--2\"><em>\u201cAfter almost five years of planning, fundraising, and construction, we welcomed our first users in September. Seeing EMBL Imaging Centre become reality made 2021 a very special year for me.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"vf-text--body vf-text-body--5\">\u2013 Stephanie Alexander, Research &amp; Service Coordinator at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/imaging-centre\/\">EMBL Imaging Centre<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/research\/units\/cell-biology-biophysics\/\">Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit<\/a>, EMBL Heidelberg<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"vf-box vf-box--easy vf-box-theme--tertiary | vf-u-margin__bottom--400\">\n      <h3 class=\"vf-box__heading\">\n                Explore more 2021 EMBL imaging highlights:                  <\/h3> \n        <ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/news\/lab-matters\/embl-imaging-centre-welcomes-first-external-user\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">EMBL Imaging Centre welcomes first external user<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<style>\n    <\/style>\n\n<section id=\"wp-block-1\">\n  <div class=\"vf-card-container  | vf-u-fullbleed  \n  | vf-u-background-color-ui--grey--light \">\n          <div class=\"vf-section-header | vf-u-margin__bottom--600\">\n        <h2 class=\"vf-section-header__heading\" >\n            <\/h2>\n              <\/div>\n      \n\n<div class=\"embl-grid\"><div class=\"\"><!--[vf\/content]-->\n<div class=\"vf-content\">\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/\">Back to Annual report<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"\"><!--[vf\/content]-->\n<div class=\"vf-content\">\n\n<article class=\"vf-card vf-card--brand vf-card--bordered vf-u-margin__bottom--800\" default>\n  <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2021_AlphaFold_Thornton_Credit_Karen_Arnott_1000x600-m.jpg\" class=\"vf-card__image\" alt=\"Protein structures are depicted as colourful ribbons\" loading=\"lazy\" itemprop=\"image\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2021_AlphaFold_Thornton_Credit_Karen_Arnott_1000x600-m.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2021_AlphaFold_Thornton_Credit_Karen_Arnott_1000x600-m-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2021_AlphaFold_Thornton_Credit_Karen_Arnott_1000x600-m-768x461.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>\n  <div class=\"vf-card__content | vf-stack vf-stack--400\">\n          <h3 class=\"vf-card__heading\">\n                  <a class=\"vf-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/ar2021\/alphafold-a-game-changer-for-structural-biology\" target=\"\">\n        \n        Next Story\n                  <svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"vf-card__heading__icon | vf-icon vf-icon-arrow--inline-end\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n            <path d=\"M0 12c0 6.627 5.373 12 12 12s12-5.373 12-12S18.627 0 12 0C5.376.008.008 5.376 0 12zm13.707-5.209l4.5 4.5a1 1 0 010 1.414l-4.5 4.5a1 1 0 01-1.414-1.414l2.366-2.367a.25.25 0 00-.177-.424H6a1 1 0 010-2h8.482a.25.25 0 00.177-.427l-2.366-2.368a1 1 0 011.414-1.414z\" fill=\"currentColor\" fill-rule=\"nonzero\"><\/path>\n          <\/svg>\n        <\/a>\n              <\/h3>\n    \n          <p class=\"vf-card__subheading\">AlphaFold: a game-changer for structural biology<\/p>\n    \n          <p class=\"vf-card__text\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">EMBL-EBI teams up with DeepMind to make breakthrough AI-powered protein structure predictions freely available to the world.<\/span><\/p>\n      <\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"\"><!--[vf\/content]-->\n<div class=\"vf-content\">\n\n<article class=\"vf-card vf-card--brand vf-card--bordered vf-u-margin__bottom--800\" default>\n      <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/AR2021_PDF_mock-up_AdobeStock_182004081.jpg\" class=\"vf-card__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" itemprop=\"image\">\n  \n  <div class=\"vf-card__content | vf-stack vf-stack--400\">\n          <h3 class=\"vf-card__heading\">\n                  <a class=\"vf-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/documents\/document\/annual-report-2021\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n        \n        Download the annual report summary \n                  <svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"vf-card__heading__icon | vf-icon vf-icon-arrow--inline-end\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n            <path d=\"M0 12c0 6.627 5.373 12 12 12s12-5.373 12-12S18.627 0 12 0C5.376.008.008 5.376 0 12zm13.707-5.209l4.5 4.5a1 1 0 010 1.414l-4.5 4.5a1 1 0 01-1.414-1.414l2.366-2.367a.25.25 0 00-.177-.424H6a1 1 0 010-2h8.482a.25.25 0 00.177-.427l-2.366-2.368a1 1 0 011.414-1.414z\" fill=\"currentColor\" fill-rule=\"nonzero\"><\/path>\n          <\/svg>\n        <\/a>\n              <\/h3>\n    \n    \n          <p class=\"vf-card__text\">A snapshot of EMBL 2021 facts and figures<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n        <\/div>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"parent":38,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"vf_template_subpage.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"embl_taxonomy":[],"class_list":["post-134","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"embl_taxonomy_terms":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=134"}],"version-history":[{"count":94,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/134\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3702,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/134\/revisions\/3702"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"embl_taxonomy","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/embl_taxonomy?post=134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}