French volume EM community comes together for its first scientific meeting

On 28–29 September 2026, the growing French volume electron microscopy (vEM) community came together in Bordeaux for the first France VolumeEM Scientific Days. Bringing together vEM specialists from across France and beyond, the meeting showcased the breadth of cutting-edge 3D microscopy approaches and their applications across the life sciences. Euro-BioImaging, represented by Johanna Bischof, Head of Bio-Hub Operations, was pleased to support the meeting through the EVOLVE project and to join the community in Bordeaux.

Building a French community around volume EM

The France_VolumeEM initiative has developed over the past years to bring together researchers, microscopists and 3D microscopy specialists working with volume electron microscopy and related methods across France. Its ambition is to strengthen connections between French experts, foster collaborations at national level, and provide a stronger link to the established international vEM community.

The first scientific meeting provided an important opportunity to bring this community together in person. Over two days, participants exchanged on methodological developments, scientific applications and future technology needs, with contributions from researchers and imaging facilities in France as well as international speakers.

Photos from France vEM Days

Photos courtesy of Marine Béraud, France-BioImaging.

From cells and tissues to organisms – and across imaging modalities

The programme highlighted the remarkable range of questions that can now be addressed with volume EM and related 3D microscopy approaches. Scientific examples ranged from fundamental cell biology and host–parasite interactions to plant biology, fungal invasion, neuroscience and human health.

The meeting also looked deliberately beyond electron microscopy itself. Complementary 3D imaging approaches featured prominently, with a particular focus on X-ray imaging and strong contributions from the French synchrotron SOLEIL. Together, the presentations demonstrated the growing importance of combining imaging modalities and scales to understand complex biological structures in their broader context.

Many of the microscopy experts contributing to the programme are based at France BioImaging facilities that are part of Euro-BioImaging, making their expertise and advanced imaging technologies accessible to researchers from across Europe and beyond.

“What was particularly exciting about this first meeting was seeing both the breadth of the French vEM community and the strong appetite to work together. The programme showed that volume EM is not developing in isolation: there are from the start important connections across microscopy approaches, with X-Ray imaging and other complementary methods, and across very different areas of biology. As Euro-BioImaging, we are very happy to support communities like this that connect expertise across our Nodes and strengthen links to the wider international microscopy community.”

-- Johanna Bischof, Head of Bio-Hub Operations at Euro-BioImaging.

Supporting connections across the microscopy community

Euro-BioImaging supported the meeting through the EU-funded EVOLVE project (GA number 101130986), as part of its activities to strengthen collaborations with external partner initiatives and support scientific communities connected to the Euro-BioImaging Nodes.

The meeting concluded with discussions on next-generation volume EM, including AI, future technology needs and opportunities for collaboration – setting the scene for continued exchange within the France_VolumeEM initiative and with the wider international vEM community.