On 30 September and 1 October 2026, the Czech-BioImaging community came together at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague for Imaging Principles of Life 2026, our annual scientific conference. Over two days, the programme brought together researchers, imaging specialists, Core Facility staff and industry partners to share new developments, research results and expertise across the field of biological and medical imaging.
The scientific programme covered imaging across scales and modalities – from bioimage analysis and super-resolution light microscopy to electron microscopy, multimodal and correlative approaches, and medical imaging. Alongside presentations from Czech-BioImaging users and Core Facilities, we were delighted to welcome four invited speakers: Jean-Yves Tinevez from Institut Pasteur, Marta Carroni from Stockholm University, Christian Franke from Friedrich Schiller University Jena, and Martin Krššák from the Medical University of Vienna.
Connecting users and Core Facilities
One of the highlights of this year’s programme was a new hybrid presentation format, designed to put the collaboration between researchers and Czech-BioImaging Core Facilities in the spotlight. Each presentation brought together a researcher and a Core Facility representative, combining the scientific perspective of the user with insight into the imaging technologies, expertise and support provided by the facility. The format offered a practical look at how research questions are translated into imaging approaches and how close collaboration with Core Facilities contributes to successful research projects.
The new format proved to be a successful addition to the conference programme, providing space to showcase not only scientific results but also the expertise and collaboration behind them. Based on the positive experience this year, hybrid user–Core Facility presentations will remain part of the programme at future Imaging Principles of Life meetings.
Science, technology and opportunities to connect
The programme extended beyond scientific talks. Participants had the opportunity to present and discuss their work during the poster session, meet technology providers and learn about the latest developments at the industry exhibition and industry presentations, and connect with colleagues from across the Czech-BioImaging community.
After the first day of science, discussions continued in a more informal setting during the conference dinner on the Vltava River, providing an opportunity to meet colleagues, exchange ideas and strengthen existing and new collaborations.
The conference concluded with the announcement of the winner of our social media giveaway – Vít Řezáč. Congratulations!
We would like to thank all our speakers, presenters, session chairs, partners, exhibitors and participants for contributing to two days full of science, discussion, new connections and collaboration.
We look forward to seeing you again at Imaging Principles of Life 2027!
