The collaboration involved significant contributions from various institutions, fostering a multidisciplinary approach to microscopy innovation.

A groundbreaking hybrid microscope developed at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) enables scientists to simultaneously image the full 3D orientation and position of molecules, such as proteins, within cells.

Chandler emphasized that the new instrument reveals essential biological information that could be overlooked if only positional data is analyzed.

The microscope successfully captures the 3D orientation of spindle molecules during cell division, effectively addressing challenges faced by traditional microscopy methods.

The research was led by Talon Chandler, a former University of Chicago graduate student, who collaborated closely with MBL scientists and contributors from the University of Chicago and NIH.

The team aims to enhance the microscope's speed for real-time observation of dynamic changes in live samples and to develop advanced fluorescent probes for broader biological applications.

The findings from this research, which highlight the capabilities of the new microscope, were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on February 22, 2025.

The successful integration of liquid crystals into the diSPIM allows for adjustable polarization direction, which is critical for achieving full 3D reconstructions of molecular data.

The concept for this innovative microscope originated from collaborative discussions among microscopy experts at MBL in 2016, including notable figures like Hari Shroff and Rudolf Oldenbourg.

This technology allows researchers to observe how proteins change their 3D orientation in response to environmental factors, providing critical insights into molecular interactions necessary for biological functions.

This microscope combines polarized fluorescence technology with a dual-view light sheet microscope called diSPIM, enhancing the measurement of molecular orientation.