Report of the 4th Day of Intravital Microscopy

Report on the 4th Day of Intravital Microscopy
Leuven, Belgium | November 13–14, 2024

The 4th Day of Intravital Microscopy was organized by the Team “Intravital Microscopy” of GerBI-GMB e.V. in collaboration with the Intravital Imaging Expertise Center of the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology. This annual event serves as a vibrant platform to exchange knowledge and techniques in intravital microscopy, bringing together leading experts, early-career researchers, and industry innovators. This years meeting took place on November 13–14, 2024, in Leuven, Belgium.

Overview

Our event received 90 attendees, including 71 registrants, the organizing committee, invited speakers, and exhibitor representatives, reflecting growing interest and enthusiasm for the field of IVM. Attendees enjoyed a robust program showcasing novel discoveries, technological advancements, ethical considerations, and a wide range of applications for intravital imaging in fields such as cancer, metabolic diseases, neurology, immunology, infectious diseases, and developmental biology.

The program featured 18 talks, including 10 invited talks (one of which focused on animal welfare), 5 selected talks, and 2 exhibitor presentations. In addition, 29 posters were presented, with 5 of these selected as talks and 6 contributed by companies, facilities, or societies. To encourage excellence, two poster prizes were awarded: €150 for first place and €100 for second place.

Exhibitors played a key role, with 6 companies participating (4 Silver sponsors and 2 Gold sponsors), providing valuable insights into the latest tools and technologies supporting the IVM community.

The meeting aimed to foster collaboration, particularly between academia and industry, with a strong emphasis on supporting early-career researchers by providing them with opportunities to present their work and engage with experts.

Feedback from participants described the event as outstanding, underscoring its success in achieving its objectives. The final financial details are still being finalized, and FELASA continued education accreditation certificates will be sent out to participants shortly.

The conference slides are available at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14113714.

Acknowledgements
  • Organizing Committee

We sincerely thank the organizing committee for their exceptional effort in bringing this event to life:

  • Max Nobis, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, BE

  • Michael Gerlach, TU Dresden, DE

  • Hans Fried, DZNE Bonn, DE

  • Hellen Ishikawa-Ankerhold, Ludwig Maximilians-University Munich, DE

  • Katrin Roth, ZTI Marburg, DE

  • Klara Diester, German BioImaging-GMB, DE

  • Christiane Peuckert, IVMSU Stockholm University, SWE

  • Larissa Mourão Gomes De Almeida E Silva, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, BE

  • Colinda Scheele, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, BE

Speakers

We also thank the speakers, whose outstanding presentations enriched the meeting:

  • Patrick Arndt, Technische Universität Dresden, DE

  • Hans Fried, DZNE Bonn, DE

  • Hellen Ishikawa-Ankerhold, Ludwig Maximilians-University of Munich, DE

  • Sabine Krabbe, Deutsche Zentrum für Erkrankungen

  • Pedro Elias Marques, KU Leuven, BE

  • Colinda Scheele, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, BE

  • Bettina Weigelin, University of Tübingen, DE

  • Pieter Vanden Berghe, TARGID KU Leuven, BE

  • Stephanie De Vleeschauwer, KU Leuven, BE

Sponsors

We especially extend our heartfelt thanks to our six sponsors for their generous support and active participation, making this event possible:

  • Zeiss

  • TOPTICA

  • IVIM Technology

  • Oxford Instruments/Andor

  • AHF Analysentechnik

  • PicoQuant

Program Highlights

The event featured 25 posters, a round table discussion, an imaging facility tour, engaging interactions with industry representatives at company booths and an associated IVM techniques hands-on training.

Poster Session

The poster session combined an interactive get-together with catering, creating a relaxed atmosphere for fruitful scientific discussions. Two poster prizes were awarded to young scientists for their outstanding presentation of their scientific work:

Roundtable Discussion

A key feature of the event was a round table discussion workshop on critical hands-on topics, including:

  • Motion/drift correction tools

  • Holder designs for live imaging

  • Selection of dyes and antibodies

This session allowed participants to exchange practical insights and address technical challenges in intravital imaging. The results of these discussions have been published here:


Community building & incentives

Interactions between participants, representatives and speakers, some of them travelling from as far as Australia, have been particularly intense and fruitful. The idea of open science as a tool to provide resources, advice and knowledge to the community using FAIR principles led to several small scale publications in the GerBI community during the meeting. We hope to foster this spirit of cooperation and openness even more in the future.


Evaluation Report: 4th Day of Intravital Microscopy

1. Overall Feedback

The 4th day of the Intravital Microscopy received overwhelmingly positive feedback, highlighting the high quality of the talks and the relevance of the topics presented. Participants appreciated the focus on how intravital microscopy (IVM) serves as a powerful tool to address scientific questions and the oustanding collaborative atmosphere. The introduction of poster prizes was especially well-received, and there is interest in expanding the awards next year to include a short talk prize, encouraging even broader recognition of participants’ contributions.

2. Round Table Format

  • The round table discussions were particularly appreciated for their structure and engagement. Dividing groups by specific topics worked well, and it is recommended to maintain or even expand this format in future meetings.

  • To improve organization, the announcement of round table topics and group assignments will be done earlier to allow participants adequate time to prepare and form meaningful groups.

  • For next year, a new round table topic on Imaging Analysis will be introduced. We plan to invite Oxford Instruments (Imaris) and Zeiss (Arivis) to contribute their expertise and potentially support this session.

3. Venue and Facilities

  • The seminar room was well-suited to the needs of the event.

  • The poster area was appropriate but could be improved by relocating it closer to the company booths. This adjustment would foster more interactions between participants and industry representatives, enhancing collaborative discussions.

  • The catering was highly appreciated, providing a variety of warm meals and diverse options during coffee breaks, including coffee, tea, cakes, and biscuits. Participants also commented positively on the range of beverages offered.

4. Organization and Team Effort

  • The Leuven team, particularly Max Nobis, was praised for their outstanding organization and professionalism. Their efforts ensured the smooth execution of the event, which did not go unnoticed by attendees.

5. Areas for Improvement

  • Proximity of poster area and company booths: Reorganizing the layout to enhance interactions.

  • Earlier announcements: Providing timely information on group assignments for round table discussions.

  • Expanded awards: Including a short talk prize to recognize broader contributions.

6. Suggestions for Next Year

  • Maintain the round table format, adding a session on Imaging Analysis.

  • Partner with Oxford Instruments and Zeiss to enrich discussions in this area.

  • Consider logistical adjustments to enhance networking between academia and industry.

  • Stringent implementation of F.A.I.R. principles for conference material and results

Conclusion

The 4th day of Intravital Microscopy was a success, marked by engaging content, professional organization, and positive feedback from participants. The suggestions for improvement will ensure next year’s 5th Day of Intravital Microscopy continues to set a high standard.

Closing Reflections

The Day of Intravital Microscopy conference series continues to solidify its reputation as a leading forum for advancing intravital imaging. Its unique combination of high-caliber speakers, cutting-edge research, and opportunities for hands-on learning and exchange ensures its value to both new and experienced researchers in the field.

We look forward to the continued growth of this community and eagerly anticipate the 5th Day of Intravital Microscopy in 2025!

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Dr. Hellen Ishikawa-Ankerhold, LMU Munich
Speaker of the GerBI IVM workgroup

Check out our 5th Day of Intravital Microscopy (18.&19. September)!

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