10.06.2025

A team from Helmholtz Munich and the Technical University of Munich has introduced QIScope, a microscope system designed to enhance the imaging of bioluminescent signals in living cells. Built around quanta image sensor (QIS) technology, QIScope is capable of detecting extremely faint light emissions and capturing cellular processes with improved resolution, dynamic range, and field of view.

Image: Schematic of the QIScope optical setup and comparison of live-cell imaging results; Copyright: Ruyu Ma - Helmholtz Munich

The QIScope system combines a telescope-inspired optical design with quanta image sensor technology to visualize faint bioluminescent signals in living cells, shown here in comparison to traditional fluorescence imaging.

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Bioluminescence, light emitted by enzymes in living cells, is widely used in life sciences. Compared to fluorescence imaging, it is less invasive, as it doesn’t require strong external illumination that might affect natural cell behavior. However, the emitted light is extremely faint, limiting image quality with conventional microscopy.

Optical design inspired by telescopes

To overcome these limitations, the team led by Dr. Jian Cui developed an optical system inspired by telescope design and integrated it with advanced QIS camera technology.

“To take full advantage of the sensor’s capabilities, we took inspiration from the optical layout of telescopes,” explains Ruyu Ma, first author and doctoral researcher at the Helmholtz Pioneer Campus.

The resulting system, QIScope, merges the strengths of telescopes and microscopes to enable low-light imaging of biological processes with exceptional sensitivity and detail.

Applications in live-cell imaging

QIScope successfully tracked dynamic processes in living cells, such as:

Vesicle transport

Protein behavior at low concentrations

Subtle changes over time

“Our microscope offers higher sensitivity, improved resolution, larger field of view, and higher dynamic range - all things you would want for challenging live-cell imaging experiments,” says Jian Cui.

Additionally, QIScope supports integration with other imaging techniques like epifluorescence and phase contrast, expanding its versatility in biological research.

COMPAMED-tradefair.com; Source: Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH)

More about the Helmholtz Zentrum München at: www.helmholtz-munich.de/en