The microscopy landscape in Mainz has changed significantly over the past few years. Next to light and confocal microscopy, high-resolution, atomic force and electron microscopy as well as magnetic resonance imaging are now applied to physics, chemistry, biology, medicine and the material sciences. Digital visualization and image analysis offer not only stunning insights, but also challenges on how to manage the huge data volume.

The key to fostering a productive knowledge exchange, to implement new applications and to improve their technical efficiencies is a strong and well-known network of the different microscopy sites in Mainz. Some successful networks among different institutions already exist: the Neuroimaging Center (NIC: http://www.ftn.nic.uni-mainz.de/), the Mainz Animal Imaging Center (MAIC: http://www.ftn.maic.uni-mainz.de/) and the Electron Microscopy Center Mainz (EMZM: https://www.emzm.uni-mainz.de/).