Congratulations to the Euro-BioImaging UK Node! 

The UK Euro-BioImaging Node has received a £1.8 million strategic award from UKRI-BBSRC and UKRI-MRC to expand access to cutting-edge imaging technologies for UK researchers. This five-year investment will revolutionise how UK life scientists access advanced biological and biomedical imaging facilities, democratising technology that underpins research studies spanning from single-molecule to whole-organism. We spoke to Georgina Fletcher, UK Node coordinator, to find out how this grant money will shape the UK Node landscape and what impact it will have on the research community at large. 

The UK Node joined Euro-BioImaging in 2022. Made up of 14 facilities across seven UK sites, the Node served ~200 external users and produced 147 scientific publications in 2024 alone.  

“On the technology side, the UK Node offers an impressive array of advanced imaging technologies, having invested significantly in super-resolution systems, mass spectrometry imaging, functional and live imaging systems, and correlative imaging pipelines,” explains Georgina Fletcher, UK Node coordinator. “But we are also dedicated to career development and training. The funding we received provides dedicated support for these vital team members, increasing their visibility, skills and networks to benefit their own career progression and the broader UK bioimaging ecosystem."

What this funding will deliver:

• Expanded biological imaging – more sites and technologies with improved geographical coverage
• New biomedical imaging capabilities – incorporating MRI, PET/CT, pre-clinical and clinical imaging for the first time
• Enhanced user access – dedicated funding to break down cost barriers
• Technical staff development – training and networking opportunities for imaging professionals
• Stronger industry partnerships – particularly supporting SMEs and start-ups
• Open science advancement – dedicated Data Steward support for FAIR data sharing

We're deeply grateful to UKRI-BBSRC and UKRI-MRC for recognising that democratising access to advanced imaging isn't just about the technology—it's about supporting the entire ecosystem of researchers, technical staff, and open science practices that drive discovery forward.

-- Georgina Fletcher, UK Node Coordinator

With a focus on strengthening the technology portfolio but also on the invaluable human resources that help get the most out of these technologies, and with significant funds earmarked for user access, the grant reads like a best practice example of how funders can support their national research infrastructure. 

Democratising access to world-class imaging technologies

"This funding represents a significant step forward in democratising access to world-class imaging technologies across the UK," says Georgina. "What excites me most is that we're not just expanding access to cutting-edge biological imaging—we're incorporating biomedical imaging capabilities like MRI and PET/CT for the first time, while simultaneously investing in the talented professionals who make these technologies truly accessible. With funding dedicated specifically to breaking down cost barriers for UK researchers, we can now support everything from pilot studies to long-term research programs with expert guidance that many institutions simply can't provide in-house. This investment sends a powerful message about the value of shared research infrastructure and collaborative science. We're deeply grateful to UKRI-BBSRC and UKRI-MRC for recognising that democratising access to advanced imaging isn't just about the technology—it's about supporting the entire ecosystem of researchers, technical staff, and open science practices that drive discovery forward."

Congratulations to the UK Node and looking forward to the outcomes over the course of the next five years!

Some highlights from the grant 

Incorporating biomedical imaging

For the first time, the UK Node will include both pre-clinical and clinical imaging technologies such as MRI, PET/CT, and other medical imaging modalities.

Supporting Technical Talent

The talented Research Technology Professionals and Imaging Scientists who operate these advanced bioimaging instruments face significant challenges in accessing funds to advance their knowledge, skills and networks. This is detrimental to their visibility and career progression, with additional negative impact on UK facilities attracting and retaining talent. 

The programme allocates funding specifically for UK Node facility staff to attend training, job shadowing, and networking events, increasing skills development and visibility for these professionals. This will enable valuable knowledge exchange and networking for these critical underpinning staff, and engagement with the broader Euro-BioImaging community, creating new opportunities for collaboration and career advancement.  

Driving Open Science Through Data Sharing

This investment will support a dedicated Data Steward based at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) who will provide training and one-to-one guidance for UK Node users to deposit bioimaging data in appropriate repositories. The Data Steward will further train and upskill UK Node facility staff to support their users in FAIR data, resulting in a step change in open science bioimaging research culture and onward impacts from data re-use.

Supporting user access with significant funding

Many researchers experience challenges in accessing state-of-the-art bioimaging technologies because of the high costs and advanced technical skills required to operate and interpret the data. This has created inequalities in access, with many scientists unable to benefit from state-of-the-art technologies needed to answer critical research questions. 

This investment will directly address this need by allocating up to £800,000 for user access funds, enabling UK researchers to apply to use both UK-based facilities and the additional ~250 facilities within the Euro-BioImaging portfolio.

What’s in it for the research community? 

For researchers interested in learning more about accessing UK Node facilities or the upcoming calls for new sites, join the BioImagingUK mailing list. Sign up here - JISCMail - UK-EUROBIOIMAGING-PROJECT List at WWW.JISCMAIL.AC.UK