Expert groups

Coordinator: Aastha Mathur, aastha.mathur@eurobioimaging.eu

The purpose of this group is to provide a forum for our image data experts to discuss challenges they face in provision of Image Data Analysis as a service, and to exchange experience within our very open and active community. The topics to be covered in these gatherings will be chosen based on general interest, and will cover the challenges in provision of Image Data Analysis as a service.

Coordinator: Beatriz Serrano-Solano, beatriz.serrano.solano@eurobioimaging.eu

Although there are tools and workflows available for analyzing image data, they are scattered across different research fields and locations. The goal of this Expert Group is to encourage collaboration among people who are interested in improving the usability and accessibility of image data workflows, regardless of their scientific or technical background.

We meet up once a month, giving us a chance to connect, share ideas, and work together on making image data workflows more FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable).

Coordinators: Alessandra Viale & Michal Mikal,
alessandra.viale@eurobioimaging.eu ; michal.mikl@ceitec.muni.cz

A new expert group dedicated to exchanging experiences and best practices when dealing with human imaging across the Euro-BioImaging facilities has been created. The aim of the group is to discuss the most typical difficulties that are encountered in clinical studies, e.g. international user access limitations, ethical and legal implications, protocol harmonisation across Europe, data formats, management and sharing.

The group is currently mainly focussed on human MRI, but as many issues related with management of  human subjects and human image data are common to other technologies, Nodes’ staff working with other technologies are also welcome.

If you are interested in joining this group, please contact either Alessandra Viale from the Euro-BioImagingMed-Hub, or Michal Mikl from the Brno ALM & Medical Imagine Node.

Coordinator: Dario Longo, preclinicaldata@eurobioimaging.eu

This group is specifically dedicated to the preclinical and medical imaging facilities staff. Preclinical image data management is currently quite a hard task, as it suffers from the lack of standard tools to store, process, and share large amounts of imaging data produced by scientists using many different technologies from different providers, on different types of subjects in studies involving multiple acquisitions on various subject groups. In addition, data security and ethical issues must also be considered when dealing with medical image data.

Furthermore, data sharing and usability is hampered by the great heterogeneity in data management systems adopted by the biomedical imaging facilities. The data management working group has been created to tackle these issues. Members share expertise and tools for curating and archiving preclinical and medical image data, and seek for common platforms to facilitate data sharing.

Coordinator: Johanna Bischof, johanna.bischof@eurobioimaging.eu

The Light Microscopy Technology Expert Group was formed as a forum for the Euro-BioImaging Node community to advance the presentation and categorization of the wide range of light microscopy techniques included in the Euro-BioImaging technology portfolio. The development of this categorization (ontology) and the technology descriptions are key to allow users to find the best technology for their project in the portfolio. At the same time, this Expert Groups offers the Node facility staff the opportunity to learn about the technology offer across the Nodes. It also serves as an important tool for monitoring the latest developments in the light microscopy technologies and for keeping the Euro-BioImaging service offer cutting-edge.

Coordinator: Johanna Bischof, johanna.bischof@eurobioimaging.eu

The Electron Microscopy Technology Expert Group is a forum for the facility staff of the Euro-BioImaging Nodes offering EM services and some external experts to get to know each other and the different facilities service offer and exchange on different technology aspects, from sample preparation and instrument maintenance to facility business models and working with users. This increased connection between the participating facilities builds the basis for future collaborations as well as allowing facilities to send users to those facilities best equipped to address a certain scientific question. At the same time, the group has worked on improving the representation of the different electron microscopy techniques offered by Euro-BioImaging on our website to increase the visibility of this rapidly expanding part of the technology portfolio to the users.

Coordinator: Claudia Pfander, claudia.pfander@eurobioimaging.eu

A Working Group has been set up after the successful 2022 Euro-BioImaging/ Industry Board workshop to discuss and work on standard specifications, functionalities and workflows for Adaptive Feedback or ‘Smart’ Microscopy. The group with academic and industry participants meets regularly to facilitate the development and uptake of applications in this emerging feed and is interested to engage with the imaging community for feedback and use cases. More information can be found on Zenodo.

Coordinator: Johanna Bischof, johanna.bischof@eurobioimaging.eu

Chairs of the Expert Group: Nicola D'Ascenzo and Marc van Zandvoort

The Plant Imaging Expert Group brings together experts in plant imaging from Euro-BioImaging Nodes, other experts, as well as researchers using plant imaging in their research. The aim of the group is to bring together the experts in this rapidly developing field, learn about the wide variety of plant imaging technologies and applications available within Euro-BioImaging and beyond, and to foster collaboration and exchange.

The group meets monthly and meetings consist of presentations from group members on their latest research or technology developments, as well as open discussions.

A subgroup of the Plant Imaging Expert Group has submitted an application for a Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Training Network. Currently a subgroup is forming to write a review paper on the latest trends in plant imaging.

Anyone interested is welcome to join the group.

Coordinator: Susanne Vainio, susanne.vainio@eurobioimaging.eu

Ethical conduct of research is one of the core values of Euro-BioImaging. The Expert Ethics Group aims to examine global themes that are critical to our research community, and provide proactive and practical solutions or guidance. Through this initiative, we will find common ground, learn from each other, and expand knowledge in the field. The expert group convenes once every 3-4 months and will organize webinars and workshops for the Euro-BioImaging community.

Coordinator: Johanna Bischof, johanna.bischof@eurobioimaging.eu

Started in October 2020, the monthly meetings of the Expert Group on Remote Access and Training bring together facility staff to exchange experiences and solutions, collect resources, and identify common roadblocks in the provision of remote access and remote training. The group covers a broad range of topics, including:

• user training
• IT requirements
• sample shipment
• technical and didactic requirements for remote courses and many more.

The Expert Group has developed a collection of training materials, both those available from academic resources as well as from microscope manufacturers. Representatives from multiple companies represented on the Euro-BioImaging Industry Board regularly join the Expert Group meetings and share their perspectives on remote access.

At the moment, this group's activities are channeled through the eRImote project.

Coordinator: Giuseppe Digilio,  med-hub@eurobioimaging.eu

Quality management is an important aspect in the operation of imaging facilities. Nevertheless, different facilities adopt different procedures and the level of implementation varies importantly across them. For this reason, the Med-Hub and the Nodes working with animal and human imaging have set up a small dedicated working group to share best practices, agree on general common procedures and improve their own quality management plans based on exchange of experience.

Coordinator: Marianna Childress-Poli, marianna.poli@eurobioimaging.eu

The objective of the Communications Expert Group is to multiply the collaboration and connections between Nodes & Hub in order to increase the visibility of our research infrastructure as a whole. The first step is to get to know each other better through regular meetings and exchange of experience. Progressively, we will work together across communication channels, share our stories and activities, and promote Euro-BioImaging to our users and beyond.