According to a CNRS communications dated October 19, 2026. Based on a scientific paper published in Communications Engineering: “Fast automatic multiscale electron tomography for sensitive materials under environmental conditions.” Thumbnail credit: © MatéIS
A method developed at the MatéIS laboratory, based on electron microscopes, enables the rapid acquisition of 3D data from hydrated samples at nanometer resolution, without disrupting their native environment. The results, which open up new avenues in biology and materials science, are published in Communications Engineering.
To obtain 3D images in biology, the gold standard method is cryo-electron tomography. It involves reconstructing a three-dimensional model from 2D images—taken at different angles—of a sample maintained at cryogenic temperatures.
However, obtaining images of a biological cell or a material in its native, hydrated state remains a challenge, as vacuum electron microscopy dehydrates the sample, while the electron beam risks damaging it.
This research was conducted by:
- Materials, Engineering, and Science Laboratory (MatéIS, CNRS/INSA Lyon/Lyon 1 University)
- Multimodal Imaging Center (MIC, CNRS/Inserm/Curie Institute/University of Paris-Saclay)
- Lyon Institute for Research on Catalysis and the Environment (IRCELYON, CNRS/Lyon 1 University)
- Lyon Laboratory of Geology: Earth, Planets, Environment (LGL-TPE, CNRS/ENS de Lyon/Lyon 1 University)
The method developed by the MatéIS laboratory fills this gap by enabling rapid, automated acquisition of 3D data from a hydrated sample. It relies on the use of environmental scanning and transmission electron microscopes (ESEM and ETEM), which operate in a liquid phase rather than under vacuum. The research team has developed a protocol for reconstructing 3D models, as well as software that precisely controls the microscopes and a specially designed sample holder. The software, developed in Python, controls the rotation of the sample while automatically correcting its position. It allows for the acquisition of up to 600 images in just a few minutes, thereby limiting exposure to the electron beam. The electron dose received by the sample is precisely controlled.
Reference
Fast automatic multiscale electron tomography for sensitive materials under environmental conditions.
Louis-Marie Lebas, Karine Masenelli-Varlot, Victor Trillaud, Cédric Messaoudi, Mimoun Aouine, Laurence Burel, Valentine Noblesse, Clémentine Fellah, Erwan Allain, Christophe Goudin, José Ferreira, Matthieu Amor and Lucian Roiban.
Communications Engineering, published on 11 August 2025.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44172-025-00482-7