Job Shadowing programme, insights from a visit: Sebastian Munck at the Mesoscopic Imaging Node Barcelona and the importance of evolving workflows

The EVOLVE Job Shadowing programme is a fantastic opportunity for Node staff to immerse in the daily life and operations of other Nodes of the Euro-BioImaging community. Between September 2024 and March 2025, during the programme's first phase, twelve participants will share, learn, explore and discuss topics ranging from innovative imaging processes to facility management best practices. As participants returned to their home institutions, we asked them to reflect on their experiences and share their insights. Discover how this unique program ignited inspiration, sparked new ideas and brought colleagues closer together.

Today, we speak with Sebastian Munck, a senior member of Flanders BioImaging, about visiting Julien Colombelli at the Mesoscopic Imaging Node Barcelona. 

Euro-BioImaging: Sebastian, we are delighted to have this interview with you! Could you introduce yourself briefly?

Sebastian Muck: My name is Sebastian Muck, and I am a senior member of the research group on molecular neurobiology at the Bio-Imaging Core of the Leuven Brain Institute. I have a long-standing interest in microscopy, in revealing the unseen. I'm driven by a genuine curiosity that leads me to explore different aspects of microscopy, find out how we can address users' needs, innovate and move science forward. I started my career in Munich, completing my graduate studies in an imaging core facility, focusing on developing devices and imaging neurons. After a brief stint in a small company, I moved to Innsbruck to work on neuronal regeneration before eventually establishing the core facility I'm currently associated with. At the Center for Brain and Disease Research, we focus on neuronal contexts but are also open to a wide range of scientific inquiries. In brief, my career is a reasonably long and multifaceted journey connected to neurosciences, but not only!

Indeed, you are an experienced member of the community! Could you tell us what motivated you to apply to the job shadowing programme and what value it brought you?

People sometimes wonder if someone at my experience level might still benefit from these programs. I firmly believe you're never too senior to learn something new. The field of bioimaging is rapidly evolving, and simply ageing into seniority doesn't keep you up-to-date. Beyond reconnecting with colleagues like Julien, I saw the Job Shadowing programme as a chance to engage deeply with fresh ideas, practical knowledge and visions. The programme allowed me to observe, for example, how junior colleagues tackle the same challenges I face using totally fresh and new approaches.

People often think that the concept of job shadowing only revolves around learning how someone else performs their job. There is much more to that. The Job Shadowing programme in EVOLVE is a way to exchange knowledge and nurture a collaborative spirit. It's a way to facilitate connections, or reconnections, between members of the Euro-BioImaging communities. When I decided to participate in the programme, my aim wasn't just to learn step-by-step processes; I wanted to see how others in my field solve unique challenges, exchange experiences, and adjust my approaches.

You offer a very inspiring perspective here: job shadowing is both hands-on learning and a human connection.

Absolutely. Post-COVID, we've missed the chance to discuss the practical challenges we face. Scientific conferences are essential to scientific communities but focus on the polished, final results rather than the "rough edges" of problem-solving. We need human-to-human connections beyond a presentation on a screen. We need space and time to exchange thoughts and knowledge. The Job Shadowing program allowed me to dive into practical and hands-on details with Julien in a way and at a level that has no equivalent. I must say that the experience enriched me personally. Interacting closely with people in a different working environment and sharing ideas reminded me how much of our professional growth is deeply rooted in human connections and the inspiration we draw from them.

What led you to choose Julien Colombelli from the Mesoscopic Imaging Node Barcelona as your host?

Julien and I have complementary backgrounds—he's more on the engineering side, having developed experimental setups. My experience lies in biological applications. I knew we could exchange ideas that might spark new solutions. We've worked on overlapping themes before, so I was confident we could brainstorm effectively, collaborate, discuss and even consider future cooperations. My choice of Julien as a host was really about exploring that synergy between our expertise. The personal rapport we built with Julien and his team during our time in the Job Shadowing programme drastically increased the value of the visit.

Was there a pivotal or memorable moment for you during your time there? 

This exchange has been so fruitful that it's hard to single out one particular moment! I think the pivotal moment happened after I returned to Leuven and shared my visit's insights with my colleagues. I had taken many photos of practical setups, sample mounts, and 3D-printed tools that Julien and his team created. I wanted to share this with my team and start disseminating this inspiration as soon as possible. Inspiration is really what I brought back home from my visit. This inspiration might impact how we do things at Leuven, changing our service provision for users and driving us to dare to engineer and experiment more. That hands-on aspect of job shadowing makes a big difference; you absorb more than you would just from a simple presentation showing you how to do or run processes.

It sounds like this experience really sparked new ideas!

It did, and even more than I anticipated! Being in a different environment suddenly makes you see things with fresh eyes, and ideas flow freely. In a way, it was an eye-opener. I have already participated in such programmes, but something in the EVOLVE Job Shadowing was different. We really clicked and connected with Julien and his team. The visit confirmed my opinion that there's always more to explore, even in a field where you might consider yourself an expert, especially when you witness innovative approaches firsthand.

Did you encounter any unexpected challenges during your visit?

I hadn't initially anticipated the legal hurdles. Because of the potential intellectual property issues involved, we needed approval from the legal teams of our institutions to get me a visitor's badge. The process was very bureaucratic, as opposed to the very organic approach and spirit of the Job Shadowing programme. While I understand the need, it reminded me how administrative burdens can sometimes slow down initiatives such as the Job Shadowing programme. There may be a way for Euro-BioImaging to craft a standardised approach to streamline such exchanges. That would be highly beneficial to all participants, especially for junior ones who may face similar barriers and might not have the stamina and experience to complete the process.

Sebastian, if you had to name one key insight that you retained from your visit, what would it be?

Without hesitation, I would emphasise the importance of evolving workflows. It's easy to get comfortable with established processes and routines, but user and project needs evolve, and you need to adapt to remain relevant. When exchanging with Julien and his team, I was reminded that we can't rely solely on standard workflows. We need to be open to custom, innovative solutions for complex projects, even if finding these custom solutions requires time, skills and a lot of creativity.

Would you recommend the Job Shadowing Programme to others? 

Definitely, and for all levels of staff. Again, I think that participating in the programme is not just about learning the "how-to’s"—it's about exchanging experiences and ideas, interactions, connections, and relations. The EVOLVE Job Shadowing programme will broaden your perspective. This can be beneficial to anyone from the community, regardless of their level of experience, seniority, or field of operation.

What advice would you give to a future job shadowing participant? 

Simply be open. The Job Shadowing Programme is a rare opportunity to immerse yourself with time in someone else's work environment, learn how they approach issues, and see how they solve challenges up close. This is invaluable. I've given countless tours of my facility, attended numerous presentations, and participated in many conferences, but all of this pales compared to what the Job Shadowing program has to offer. If you have the chance, take it.