Post-Event Report

Autumn School on Optical Microscopy

University of Trieste (UniTs) – October 15–17, 2025

The Autumn School on Optical Microscopy took place successfully at the University of Trieste (UniTs) from October 15th to 17th, 2025.
Organized by UniTs in collaboration with CIMA (Centro Interdipartimentale di Microscopia Avanzata) and CNR-IOM, the three-day event gathered early-career researchers to explore advanced optical microscopy technologies through lectures, poster sessions, and hands-on laboratory activities.

Participation

A total of 15 young scientists attended, maintaining the planned participant cap.

Participants by country:

• 10 Italian
• 3 Slovenian
• 2 Croatian

Participants by career stage:

• 10 PhD students
• 5 Postdoctoral researchers

This diverse group fostered lively scientific discussion and strengthened cross-border research connections within the region.

Scientific Program

The morning sessions provided a structured learning path from foundational principles to advanced imaging applications. The lectures were delivered by experts from both UniTs and CNR-IOM:

• Principles of Optics and History of Microscopy – Baj (UniTs)
• Super-Resolution Imaging –Cojoc (CNR-IOM)
• Confocal Microscopy – Conti (CNR-IOM)
• Life Imaging Techniques –  Thalhammer (UniTs)
• Multiphoton and Structured Illumination Microscopy – Thalhammer (UniTs)
• Arivis for Image Analysis – Tongnato (Zeiss)
• Quantitative Microscopy – Baj (UniTs)
• Advanced Confocal Imaging: Point Scanner vs. Spinning Disk – Sieberer (Evident)

Selected participants — Cmok, Nemec, Rossi, and Sterle — presented short 5-minute talks, providing a platform for sharing their research and receiving feedback from peers and instructors.

Poster Session and Networking

Poster displays were available throughout the event and served as discussion focal points during the daily coffee breaks. These informal sessions, combined with shared lunches and a networking dinner on Thursday evening, fostered collaboration and exchange among participants.

The atmosphere encouraged interaction between researchers from different institutions and countries, promoting the creation of new scientific links and potential joint projects.

Laboratory Activities

Afternoon sessions were dedicated to hands-on laboratory training in small groups, ensuring personalized instruction and sufficient microscope access.

The rotations included:

• High Content Imaging (HIC) Microscopy – Baj (UniTs)
• Multiphoton Microscopy (MP) – Thalhammer (UniTs)
• Confocal Microscopy – Conti (CNR-IOM)

Participants gained direct experience with advanced imaging systems, data acquisition, and comparison of confocal, multiphoton, and high-content modalities.

Community Impact

By bringing together Italian, Slovenian, and Croatian young scientists, the Autumn School successfully enhanced cross-border collaboration in the field of advanced microscopy.
The mix of PhD students and postdoctoral researchers created a balanced environment where early-career scientists could exchange experience and foster mentorship.

Conclusions

The Autumn School on Optical Microscopy achieved its goals of providing a stimulating, hands-on learning environment while strengthening the regional research community.
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, emphasizing the quality of lectures, the value of the laboratory sessions, and the effectiveness of the networking activities.

Participants expressed interest in future editions of the school and in maintaining the collaborations initiated during the event.

Pictures

group photo1