Mouse inner ear spiral ganglia culture. CREDIT: Mirko Scheibinger, MBL’s Biology of Inner Ear
WOODS HOLE – Scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole have proposed a way to improve imaging technologies for biological research at a National Science Foundation workshop last fall.
The scientists, in the commentary section of Nature Methods‘ August issue, suggested creating a “network of national imaging centers that provide collaborative, interdisciplinary spaces needed for the development, application, and teaching of advanced biological imaging techniques.”
The authors of the commentary were MBL Fellows Daniel Colón-Ramos, Patrick La Riviere, Hari Shroff, and MBL Senior Scientist Rudolf Oldenbourg.
They concluded that in order for these centers to succeed, scientists are needed to work alongside experts in the imaging ecosystem field.
The centers aim to be hubs for not only teaching current practices of imaging for research, but also exploring new advanced methods for the future.
A follow up workshop is planned for sometime next spring. There, the next steps for making these image networks a reality will be planned.
For more information, visit www.mbl.edu/nsf-workshop.
About Brendan Fitzpatrick
