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Author: ems

Author: ems

In Memory of Roger Wepf (°1962 – † 04.06.2026)

It is with great sadness that we have to inform the members of the European Microscopy Society that after a long illness, our highly respected colleague Roger Wepf passed away on 8th of June, 2026. Electron microscopy and imaging in general was Roger’s big passion. He was deeply committed to advancing imaging technology and to the preparation of biological specimens in particular. Following positions in Zurich, Heidelberg, and Hamburg, he found an inspiring professional environment for the last 10 years in Brisbane, Australia. For over three decades, Roger has been driving the microscopy community forward with his remarkable enthusiasm and inspiration. Roger consistently kept an eye on upcoming developments, especially on the integration and combination of diverse techniques. As such, he was one of the initiators of the new microscopy journal, “Methods in Microscopy” which focusses on highlighting and describing the technical details of experimental approaches for any kind of microscopy. This initiative exemplifies Roger’s exceptional spirit; a great eye for important small details. As a highly collaborative colleague and friend, Roger will be greatly missed as an excellent scientist. We remember him not least for his role as President of the European Microscopy Society from 2012 to 2016, during which time he worked tirelessly to shape the field of electron microscopy in Europe and beyond. We will always remember Roger Wepf as a warm and valued colleague and friend, and we will deeply miss his presence and leadership. Thomas Müller-Reichert and Paul Verkade for the EMS board

In Memory of Andreas Engel (°1943 – † 01.04.2026)

It is with profound sadness that the EMS learned of the passing of Andreas Engel. Andreas was a pioneering figure in structural biology and a co-founder of the Maurice E. Müller Institute for Structural Biology at the Biozentrum, University of Basel. With his passing, the structural biology and biophysics communities have lost one of their most visionary, innovative, and influential scientists.Thoughtful obituaries and scientific tributes celebrating Andreas’s life and achievements can be found at the links below: https://www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/news/detail/obituary-for-prof-andreas-engel-1943-2026 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsb.2026.108324 In addition, we invited a researcher who spent many years in Andreas’s laboratory to share a personal remembrance, offering a unique perspective on Andreas as both a scientist and a mentor. This year, 2026, took Andreas Engel away but his spirit and driving force continue to inspire so many people today.  As several members of the executive committee knew that I had spent many years in Andreas’s laboratory in Basel, I was kindly asked to write a few words about the man—whom I would describe as an unstoppable enthousiast. I will try to share here some memories I have of Res (this is how we called him). For my PhD defense in the nineties my doctoral supervisor, Alain Brisson wisely advised me to ask Andreas to be an external jury member, which he accepted without hesitation. This was the start of a long-lasting journey. Andreas helped me get grants and allowed me to join his group at the Maurice Müller Institute for High Resolution Electron Microscopy in the Biozentrum.  As a post-doc, life in Basel was very exciting. Andreas had a vision of bringing together the strengths and talents of different people. For instance, one of the research topic at the time was aquaporins; these membrane proteins were investigated using both Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy resulting in numerous publications thanks to these complementary methods.  Recalling some anecdotes, it was almost mandatory for a post-doc or visitor to follow Andreas in the “Rhein-schwimmen,” that is, swimming in the river during the lunch break on hot summer days. When going for hikes on Lab outings, Andreas always found shortcuts in the mountains, admittedly much longer, but offering many adventures. When he hired me in 2003, the position was part-time (80%), and he kindly asked my wife if my wages would be suitable, they were.  I thoroughly enjoyed working on mass measurements with the old Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) that Andreas almost set up himself, this work involved collaboration with many people worldwide, including Vladislav Krzyzanek, our current EMS president. I was impressed by how Andreas explained and demonstrated how to exchange the Cold Field Emission Gun and align that microscope. We were convinced that he knew exactly how and where electrons travel in the microscopes!  He was confident and truly believed I could do it myself but luckily, I never had to. Andreas made everything possible and had such a remarkable vision for the laboratory’s development. He created the Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics (C-CINA) moving microscopes across the Rhein River to a new location suitable for hosting the first Titan Krios 200 kV in Switzerland (2009). As he approached the age of official retirement at the Biozentrum, he helped Prof. Henning Stahlberg take over the leadership of this huge laboratory. But he was unstoppable and continued working and pursue his dreams in Cleveland (USA) and Utrecht (the Netherlands). When returning to Basel he not only founded a startup called « Cryo-writer » but also actively contributed to the establishment of a cryo-EM facility in the industry at Roche Pharma pRED during the difficult COVID times.  When listening to all the nice speeches from his family and relatives at his funeral ceremony last April 20th, other facets of this diamond that was Andreas were revealed to me. He was an amazing husband, father and grandfather, but also a jazz band banjo player, a great alpine soldier in the Swiss military, and a car lover and a skilled car mechanic.  Speeches from former PhD students like Wanda Kukulski and Dimitri Fotiadis, who are now lab heads in Bern (Switzerland), were particularly emotional. We all miss Andreas Engel and he will forever remain in the memory of the vast international network of people he built during his full and very busy life. Philippe Ringler

In memory of Ueli Aebi (°1946 – † 28.11.2025)

The European Microscopy Society mourns the passing of Ueli Aebi, Emeritus Professor of Structural Biology and co-founder of the Maurice E. Müller Institute for Structural Biology at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel. With his death, the Biozentrum has lost an outstanding scientist, a visionary architect of modern structural biology, and an exceptional mentor. We particularly remember his distinguished service as President of the European Microscopy Society from 2004 to 2008. During this important period, he contributed greatly to strengthening the European microscopy community, promoting scientific exchange, and fostering collaboration across disciplines and national borders. His vision, dedication, and leadership left a lasting impact on the microscopy community, and his contributions continue to inspire colleagues and researchers around the world. You can view touching obituaries by following these links: https://www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/news/detail/obituary-for-ueli-aebi-1946-2025 https://doi.org/10.1093/mictod/qaag033

EMS Sponsored Events 2nd 2026 winners

Dear EMS members, EMS has decided to financially support the following events with an important focus on microscopy: Biophotonics and Imaging Summer School 2026 BIGSS X3-7 August 2028 | Galway, Ireland The 18th International Conference on Near-Field Optics, Nanophotonics and Related Techniques – NFO1831 August to 03 September 2028 | Brno, Czech Republic European Focused Ion Beam Network Workshop 20268 – 11 September 2026 | Marseille, France We wish to thank all applicants for your participation. You can find more information on these Events using the added direct link and/or visiting our website at: https://www.eurmicsoc.org/meetings-courses/ems-sponsored-events/