GLOBAL BIOIMAGING PUBLICATIONS PART 2

ADDED VALUE OF OPEN ACCESSIMAGING CORE FACILITIESpact

GLOBAL BIOIMAGING PUBLICATIONS, PART 2:OPEN ACCESS IMAGING CORE FACILITIESInternational publication on open access imaging core facilities –Benefits for researchers, imaging communities, industry andnational funders
Written and published by the members of the
Global BioImaging (GBI) Management Board (www.globalbioimaging.org)
First edition January 2022

Contact: Antje Keppler, Coordinator GBI (keppler@embl.de)
Production: Gleb Grebnev, Training Manager GBI
Layout: Joanna Pylvänäinen, Imagenis Oy
Cover photo: Daniel Gütl, Institute of Science and Technology, Austria

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By

coordinating and integrating national investments in open accessresearch infrastructures, countries can support their scientific communities to achieve and maintain recognition and become leaders in the globallandscape. National engagement and coordinated investment in open accessimaging infrastructure provides long-term sustainability and drives research
output to tackle the critical challenges of today’s world, including health oftheir people1, climate change, sustainable agriculture and environmentalprotection.
Investment in Research Infrastructures (RIs) has the potential to lead to sustainable economic, social and environmental advances. It will foster national as wellas international partnerships and services, which are necessary to address socio-economic challenges, the sharing of good practices, knowledge transfer anda rapid adaptation to scientists’ needs. The development of new technologies,
sustainable RI service models and the democratisation of disruptive innovation
require quality-managed RI access, expert imaging scientists and are critical elements to tackle societal challenges such as those summarized in the Sustainable
Development Goals identified by the UN2.
Imaging core facilities support top-level research activities in the life, medical aswell as material sciences, by providing access to advanced imaging technologies,
expertise and related services. They operate suites of diverse imaging instruments and offer expert support for assay development, sample preparation,
image acquisition, as well as training on instrument use, image analysis and data
management services.
Open access imaging core facilities enable cross-disciplinary research, provide
equitable access to all scientists and exploit re-usability of imaging data to produce new research at the frontier of science3. National imaging facilities and RIs
are major promoters of Open Science4 providing FAIR5 (meeting the principles ofFindability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability) and quality-assured
open image data, thus contributing to the success and amplifying the impact ofnational research and innovation agendas. Overall this leads to strengthening of
national contributions to their global scientific community.

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https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-policy/one-healthhttps://sdgs.un.org/goalshttps://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/78e87306-48bc-11e6-9c64-01aa75ed71a1
https://en.unesco.org/science-sustainable-future/open-science
https://www.go-fair.org

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pact

Added Value of Establishing and Operating Sustainable
Open Access Imaging Core Facilities
1. FOR SCIENTISTS» Transparent, efficient and coordinated access to quality-managed imaging instruments andservices» Access to continually optimized imaging services, including development of dedicated applications or adaptations of imaging technology to specific research project requirements, thanks tocontinuous evaluation of user satisfaction by the facility» Access to ‘generational’ know-how associated with relevant research tools and services associated with imaging (incl. fluorescent probes, plasmids, antibodies, etc.), thereby increasing number of feasible user applications and efficiency from experimental design to implementation(important for studies or degrees that need completion within 1-2 years, e.g. MSc programs)» Access to facilities certified under local or international programmes (e.g. ISO) where adopted,to ensure high-quality reproducible quantitative data» Data acquisition and support with the use of FAIR principles for publication and open science
data sharing, following requirements of funders and publishers» Support by imaging scientists and core facility experts to harness the full potential of advanced
imaging technologies for leading research» Theoretical and hands-on training opportunities in the applications and best use of imaging
instruments, delivered by highly-skilled imaging scientists and core facility staff, and associatedknowledge transfer» Training of MSc and PhD students, hence impacting skills development and human capacity
building» Security for long-term research planning and lowered barriers to innovation and diversification
within research groups through continuity of access to optimised resources and expertise» Ability to partner with imaging facilities and imaging scientists for rapid research and development (R&D) of new and novel applications, protocols, image acquisition and analysis methods» Enhanced opportunities for establishing novel collaborations between researchers, interdisciplinary and translational research as well as networking with other scientific communities» Networking and new career opportunities for scientists in imaging facilities and beyond, as wellas with manufacturers supplying imaging instruments and tools» Potential for in-depth testing under real experimental conditions of new instruments before
purchase

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2. FOR IMAGING SCIENTISTS AND CORE FACILITY STAFF» Exposure to a diversity of new research projects, applications and research collaborations which
external scientists bring to the facility» Longer-term career perspectives for highly skilled imaging scientists and experts based on sustainable core facilities’ business models» Networking and sharing of tools and experiences with other imaging scientists and core facility experts across coordinated research infrastructures nationally and internationally (nationalinfrastructure (e.g. SingaScope 6), regional network (e.g. Latin America BioImaging7), and international network (e.g. Global BioImaging8))» Networking with industries (as manufacturers and as users of imaging services)» Visibility on the national and international level and recognition by peers, funders and future
employers» Opportunities to work on quality assurance and management systems of facility services,
thereby developing new, transferable skill-sets» Opportunity to collaborate with researchers on the development of new applications, protocol,and image acquisition and analysis methods, including adaptation of imaging set-ups for specific user projects, with R&D potential

3. FOR MANUFACTURERS OF IMAGING INSTRUMENTATION» Optimal installation and use of commercial imaging equipment in partnership with well managed imaging facilities and expert imaging scientists» Further commercialization possibilities as imaging scientists and facility users develop sufficient experience and productivity to justify acquiring their own equipment» Direct contact with diverse academic sectors to understand and develop novel applicationspotentially opening up new markets» Innovative, often multidisciplinary, technology and application development with imaging facilities can facilitate start-up company creation and intellectual property licensing» Imaging core facilities as sites for early-adoption, industry expert feedback from imaging scientists for continuous improvement, showcasing new technology and demonstration to prospective clientspact
6 https://www.singascope.sg/
7 https://www.latambioimaging.org/
8 https://globalbioimaging.org/

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4. FOR NATIONAL DECISION-MAKERS AND FUNDERS» Coordination of national efforts in imaging infrastructure investments, in collaboration withinstitutional, local, regional and international initiatives» Alignment of imaging infrastructure to strategic and national priorities» Minimized duplication of efforts through coordination and reduced investment costs by understanding instrument and technology landscapes across the nation and the region» Shared infrastructure that provides scientists equitable and open access to advanced instruments, expertise and services nationwide» Accelerated development and import of cutting-edge techniques, applications and technologies
that maintain and improve competitiveness of many scientific sectors» Leverage research funding opportunities for national and international users» Recruit and retain highly trained imaging scientists and core facility experts and expertise innational research institutions and universities (i.e. turn brain-drain into brain-gain)» Develop and strengthen a connected national community of imaging scientists and core facility
experts to generate new knowledge, exchange experiences and form research collaborations
across scientific disciplines and national borders» Gain access to essential and quality-managed scientific tools in the country, to tackle key societal questions (e.g. the current pandemic)pact

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pact

GLOBAL BIOIMAGING

Global BioImaging (GBI)9 is an international, open network of imaging infrastructures andcommunities, which was initiated in 2015 by Euro-BioImaging and partners in India and Australia with the mission to cooperate internationally and propose solutions to the challenges
faced by the imaging community globally. Furthermore, the partners support each other tobuild a strong case towards the funders that imaging technologies and research infrastructures are key in the advancement of life and health sciences; and the GBI activities aim tobuild capacity internationally, leveraging on each other’s strengths and capabilities.
Initially supported by a European “Horizon 2020” grant from the European Commission, sinceJanuary 2020 GBI is funded by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative10 and now includes 11 partners
and 26 countries around the globe: Euro-BioImaging ERIC11 in Europe, Advanced BioImaging
Support (ABiS)12 in Japan, Microscopy Australia (MicroAU)13 and the National Imaging Facility(NIF)14 in Australia, Canada BioImaging15, the National Laboratory for Advanced Microscopy(LNMA)16 in Mexico, Latin America Bioimaging17, South Africa BioImaging (SABI), the India
BioImaging Consortium, BioImaging North America (BINA)18, and SingaScope19 in Singapore.
»9101112
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16
17
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https://globalbioimaging.org/
https://chanzuckerberg.com/science/programs-resources/imaging/
http://www.eurobioimaging.eu/
https://www.nibb.ac.jp/abis/about-platform?lang=en
https://micro.org.au/
https://anif.org.au/
We acknowledge the support of the Chan
https://www.canadabioimaging.org/
Zuckerberg Initiative DAF, an advised fund of
https://lnma.unam.mx/wp/
Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
https://www.latambioimaging.org/
https://www.bioimagingna.org/
https://www.singascope.sg/

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