TY - JOUR
T1 - Open microscopy in the life sciences
T2 - quo vadis?
AU - Hohlbein, Johannes
AU - Diederich, Benedict
AU - Marsikova, Barbora
AU - Reynaud, Emmanuel G.
AU - Holden, Séamus
AU - Jahr, Wiebke
AU - Haase, Robert
AU - Prakash, Kirti
PY - 2022/9
Y1 - 2022/9
N2 - Light microscopy enables researchers to observe cellular mechanisms with high spatial and temporal resolution. However, the increasing complexity of current imaging technologies, coupled with financial constraints of potential users, hampers the general accessibility and potential reach of cutting-edge microscopy. Open microscopy can address this issue by making well-designed and well-documented hardware and software solutions openly available to a broad audience. In this Comment, we provide a definition of open microscopy and present recent projects in the field. We discuss current and future challenges of open microscopy and their implications for funders, policymakers, researchers and scientists. We believe that open microscopy requires a holistic approach. Sample preparation, designing and building of hardware components, writing software, data acquisition and data interpretation must go hand in hand to enable interdisciplinary and reproducible science to the benefit of society.
AB - Light microscopy enables researchers to observe cellular mechanisms with high spatial and temporal resolution. However, the increasing complexity of current imaging technologies, coupled with financial constraints of potential users, hampers the general accessibility and potential reach of cutting-edge microscopy. Open microscopy can address this issue by making well-designed and well-documented hardware and software solutions openly available to a broad audience. In this Comment, we provide a definition of open microscopy and present recent projects in the field. We discuss current and future challenges of open microscopy and their implications for funders, policymakers, researchers and scientists. We believe that open microscopy requires a holistic approach. Sample preparation, designing and building of hardware components, writing software, data acquisition and data interpretation must go hand in hand to enable interdisciplinary and reproducible science to the benefit of society.
U2 - 10.1038/s41592-022-01602-3
DO - 10.1038/s41592-022-01602-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 36008630
AN - SCOPUS:85137049936
VL - 19
SP - 1020
EP - 1025
JO - Nature Methods : techniques for life scientists and chemists
JF - Nature Methods : techniques for life scientists and chemists
SN - 1548-7091
IS - 9
ER -