Image analysis software offers a deep view

Infection Biology Group and Applied Systems Biology Group, Leibniz-Institute for Natural-Product-Research and Infection-Biology – Hans Knöll Institute

Bacteria are too small to see them with the naked eye. Even microscopy images tell us little about what is happening inside the bacteria. For their research, Dr. Cláudia Vilhena and Dr. Zoltán Cseresnyés therefore combine high-resolution 3-D microscopy with powerful computers: by using image analysis software, they can visualize the smallest details of molecules on the outside (bottom left) and inside (bottom right) the bacterium from microscopy images (top). This allows them to examine how pathogens change internally and externally when they come into contact with human cells. In the long term, these findings will help to develop better vaccines and to rethink and refine strategies against pathogens.

© Cláudia Vilhena & Zoltán Cseresnyés

Image analysis software offers a deep view

Infection Biology Group and Applied Systems Biology Group, Leibniz-Institute for Natural-Product-Research and Infection-Biology – Hans Knöll Institute

Bacteria are too small to see them with the naked eye. Even microscopy images tell us little about what is happening inside the bacteria. For their research, Dr. Cláudia Vilhena and Dr. Zoltán Cseresnyés therefore combine high-resolution 3-D microscopy with powerful computers: by using image analysis software, they can visualize the smallest details of molecules on the outside (bottom left) and inside (bottom right) the bacterium from microscopy images (top). This allows them to examine how pathogens change internally and externally when they come into contact with human cells. In the long term, these findings will help to develop better vaccines and to rethink and refine strategies against pathogens.

© Cláudia Vilhena & Zoltán Cseresnyés