Ultrastructure Expansion Microscopy: From Cells to Tissue

Ultrastructure Expansion Microscopy: From Cells to Tissue is organized by European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL - EBI) and will be held from Apr 20 - 24, 2026 at EMBL Advanced Training Centre, Heidelberg, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

Course overview:
Expansion microscopy (ExM) physically magnifies specimens, allowing to obtain super-resolution images using a conventional diffraction-limited microscope such as confocal microscopy. This powerful technique is easy to implement but it requires some hands-on training. The gain in resolution can be further enhanced with the use of super-resolution microscopes such as STED. This course centered on the Ultrastructure Expansion Microscopy (U-ExM) based techniques applied to mammalian cells aims at disseminating and discussing expansion microscopy protocols and is intended for cell biologists, parasitologists, etc, with applications ranging from tissue to cells.

Modules/resources:

• U-ExM in cells
• U-ExM in tissue
• U-ExM in cryo-sections

Learning outcomes:
After this course you should be able to:

• Apply ultrastructure expansion microscopy on your own samples once back in your laboratory (sample preparation and imaging). Note that depending on your sample, the preparation might slightly differ.
• Spread the technique to your colleagues in their respective laboratories
• Choose the most appropriate expansion microscopy protocols for your needs