The BioImaging Facility at the Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IPHYS) has recently expanded its technological portfolio with a new Brillouin microscopy system. The acquisition was made possible through the OP JAK project funded by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (MEYS) and represents a strategic investment into progressive technologies that were previously not available in open access within Czech-BioImaging or elsewhere in Czechia. As part of the national infrastructure Czech-BioImaging and the Euro-BioImaging Advanced Light and Electron Microscopy Prague Node, the facility now offers Brillouin microscopy in open access to the scientific community.
Šimon Vrana, Imaging Specialist at IPHYS BioImaging Facility supports users in applying advanced biophysical imaging methods to their research questions: “I am specialized in Atomic Force Microscopy, Brillouin and other biophysical methodologies. My role in the facility is to support our users with different imaging approaches to address scientific questions in this field of biomechanics.”
What Brillouin Microscopy Can Reveal
Brillouin microscopy is an emerging optical modality that enables non-contact, label-free mapping of mechanical properties in biological samples. The technique measures the interaction between laser light and thermally driven acoustic waves within a sample, providing information about its internal mechanical characteristics.
By extracting parameters such as the longitudinal elastic modulus and viscoelastic behavior, researchers can investigate how stiffness and mechanical heterogeneity influence biological systems. This is particularly relevant because changes in mechanical properties are often associated with development, differentiation, and disease.
From Cells to Plants: Broad Application Potential
Although Brillouin microscopy has been widely used in cell and tissue research, the first users of the new system at IPHYS are working in plant biology. Current projects include measurements on Physcomitrella moss provided by Imaging Facility Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, comparing genetically modified lines with wild-type counterparts.
The system is suitable for a broad spectrum of samples:
- Single cells
- Cell organoids
- Tissue sections
- Plant tissues
In general, any sample compatible with confocal microscopy can be investigated, provided it is sufficiently transparent and preferably adherent.
Why a Commercial System?
The facility invested in a commercial Brillouin microscope (Discoverer, CellSense) to ensure reliability, robustness, and accessibility for users. Unlike many custom-built systems, the commercial platform enables streamlined operation and faster onboarding.
“We want to offer Brillouin Microscopy as a service, and the CellSense system is very reliable and user-friendly. After a short training and some troubleshooting, users should be able to measure samples themselves.”
This strategic choice allows Czech-BioImaging to provide sustainable open access to technology without the need for extensive in-house development and maintenance.
Multimodal Imaging: Correlating Mechanics and Fluorescence
A key advantage of the IPHYS setup is its integration of Brillouin microscopy with spinning disk fluorescence microscopy, including the Olympus SoRa super-resolution system. This multimodal configuration enables researchers to correlate mechanical mapping with high-resolution fluorescence imaging.
In practice, this means that users can:
- Visualize fluorescently labeled proteins or structures
- Identify regions of interest
- Switch to Brillouin mode to quantify local viscoelastic properties
- Correlate structural, molecular, and mechanical information
“Users can examine a cell sample stained with fluorescent dyes, identify a protein of interest, and then shift to Brillouin microscopy to measure local viscoelastic properties without dyes or mechanical probes.”
Beyond Brillouin imaging, the facility provides access to confocal and multiphoton microscopy, FLIM, PLIM, light-sheet imaging, and mechanical testing approaches such as AFM and compression, biaxial tensile testing—allowing comprehensive multimodal experimental design.
Scientific Questions Addressed
The facility primarily supports projects where biomechanics plays a central role in the biological question. Researchers can investigate:
- Mechanical changes during development and differentiation
- Stiffness gradients in organoids and tissues
- Biomechanical alterations in fibrosis, cancer, or neurodegeneration
- Effects of genetic modification on plant cell wall mechanics
- Mechanical testing in tissue engineering
By integrating Brillouin microscopy into broader imaging workflows, scientists can better understand how physical properties shape biological function.
Full-Service Support: From Experiment Design to Custom Data Analysis
As part of Czech-BioImaging, the IPHYS BioImaging Facility operates under a 100% open-access policy and provides comprehensive user support.
Services include:
- Consultation to select the optimal imaging approach
- Hands-on instrument training
- Experimental design assistance
- Advanced data analysis support
While commercial software provides basic Brillouin data processing, the facility also supports advanced workflows using third-party tools such as Fiji and develops customized solutions in C++, C#, or Python when required.
A Unique Opportunity within the Infrastructure
With the introduction of Brillouin microscopy, Czech-BioImaging strengthens its position within Euro-BioImaging ERIC.
The combination of:
- Open access
- Commercial, user-friendly Brillouin technology
- Integrated multimodal imaging
- Comprehensive expert support
makes the IPHYS BioImaging Facility a unique access point for researchers interested in biomechanics-driven biological questions in Czechia and Europe.
