Hybrid seminar

Tuesday 21/4/2026  h. 2.00 pm

Angelica Accorinti,
PhD Student a Roma Sapienza e Politecnico di Torino

X-ray microscopy: a versatile platform for life science

X-ray microscopy (XRM) is emerging as a powerful imaging modality in life science research, its three-dimensional non-destructive capabilities to reveal hidden and internal details of biological specimens. By combining high-resolution optics with advanced contrast mechanisms, XRM enables detailed visualization of tissues across multiple length scales, from whole organisms down to cellular features. Unlike other microscopy techniques, such as electron microscopy, XRM allows intact samples to be examined without physical sectioning, preserving spatial context and minimizing preparation-induced artifacts.

In biological applications, XRM has demonstrated particular value in the study of soft tissues, mineralized structures, plant systems, and developmental biology. Through phase contrast and absorption-based imaging, subtle differences in tissue density and composition can be resolved, enabling the identification of anatomical features. Researchers can interrogate three-dimensional architecture before selecting regions of interest for downstream analyses. In this way, XRM can function as a complementary technique in a multimodal characterization approach, guiding destructive methods while reducing sample loss and bias.

Moreover, the isotropic resolution achievable with modern XRM systems supports quantitative analysis of volumetric features, enabling correlations between structure and function. As workflows continue to integrate imaging, computational reconstruction, and correlative microscopy approaches, XRM is positioned as a versatile and enabling platform in life sciences, fostering new parallels between established histological paradigms and next-generation, three-dimensional imaging strategies.

Host: Corrado Calì