Royal Microscopical Society Updates

The RMS would like to thank everyone who attended Microscopy: Advances, Innovation, Impact 2024 – incorporating the RMS AGM & Section AGMs. The free event, held in the heart of London, UK, at the Royal Society of Chemistry on 2 October, featured annual general meetings (AGMs) for each of the Society’s Science sections, fascinating talks from leading researchers and a number of award presentations.

It also included a series of quick-fire talks from the shortlisted candidates for the RMS Early Career Award – with the winner announced at the close of the meeting.

More than 70 people attended in person with a further 50 logging on to follow proceedings online, as part of efforts to make the event as accessible as possible to both RMS members and non-members.

Invited speakers included Dr Rob Harniman of the University of Bristol, UK, who received the RMS Vice President’s Award for his work leading the Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) facility at Bristol University’s School of Chemistry, UK.

We also heard fascinating scientific talks from Giulia Zanetti of Birkbeck College, Adriana Flores-Langarica (University of Birmingham, UK) and George Heath (University of Leeds, UK). Elsewhere, an equity, diversity and inclusion-themed talk was delivered by Dr Georgina Fletcher of BioimagingUK, examining gender, class and other biases within the scientific community.

We were delighted to welcome three of our 2024 Scientific Achievement Award-winners – Dr Susan Cox (King’s College London, UK), Professor Roland Kröger (University of York, UK) and Dr Bernd Gotsmann (IBM Research GmbH, Switzerland) to receive their awards. Meanwhile, Dr Mark Pickering (University College Dublin, Republic of Ireland) received the 2024 Chris Hawes Award for Outreach and Education. In addition, special presentations were made for Professor Susan Anderson, who has stepped down from the RMS Council and Executive Committee after 15 years’ service, and RMS Events Director Tor Masters, who recently marked her 20th anniversary at the Society.

The event concluded with the climax of the 2024 RMS Early Career Award Competition, in which three shortlisted candidates – Dr Akaash Kumar (MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology & University of Cambridge, UK), Dr Liam Rooney (University of Strathclyde, UK) and Harshith Bachimanchi (University of Gothenburg, Sweden), gave talks about their research. After some tricky deliberations by the judges, Akaash emerged as the winner for his presentation about his PhD work on multispectral imaging.

Akaash Kumar receives the 2024 RMS Early Career Award from former RMS Vice President Susan Anderson

More than 80% already sold - remaining stands still available The RMS would like to thank the corporate community for a fantastic response after exhibition space for mmc2025 went on sale in October. More than 80% of available space has already been snapped up by companies eager to be part of the event next summer. Sales were initially opened with an exclusive window for Corporate Members, before being opened to all companies. In total, 1,188m2 of stand space has now been sold to 64 different companies and other exhibitors. Sales for the remaining space remain open to all companies. Sali Davis, RMS CEO, said: “We want mmc2025 to be one of our best ever congresses, and the response has been fantastic since the exhibition stands went on sale. We would like to thank the corporate community for its support and encourage all companies to book their place at what promises to be a great exhibition.”

Please contact exhibition@rms.org.uk if you have any questions or require assistance.

Submit your profile and read about the roles of others in microscopy If you work in microscopy we want to hear more about your role! Microscopy skills and knowledge are used in a wide variety of jobs and careers, from developing microscopes and using them for research, to selling or repairing them. Now you can share details of your role with fellow microscopists using the RMS website, and help inspire others to pursue careers in microscopy, imaging and flow cytometry. All you have to do is visit our profiles page and fill in the simple form – including a profile photo, here: rms.org.uk/opportunities/professional-development/microscopist-profiles

Outstanding mid-career researchers receive recognition for their work The RMS is delighted to reveal the winners of its 2024 RMS Scientific Achievement Awards. Open to applicants worldwide, the award celebrates outstanding scientific achievements in any area of microscopy or flow cytometry for established mid-career researchers. RMS President Dr Peter O’Toole said, “It is a real privilege to announce these awards and to give richly deserved recognition to some of the leading scientists currently working within microscopy. Our winners have all made immense and sustained contributions within their fields over many years, as a great number of people within the microscopy community will know. My warmest congratulations go to them all.”

The winners of this year’s Scientific Achievement Awards:

Second volume of popular Special Issue to be titled ‘Microscopy at a Glance’

The Journal of Microscopy is pleased to announce a ‘Call for Papers’ for a second volume of the recently published Imaging ONEWORLD poster special issue. The second volume of poster articles, to be titled ‘Microscopy at a Glance’, will be guest edited by Kirti Prakash, Carlas Smith, Fei Xia, Nabanita Chatterjee and Christian Franke. It follows the success of the first volume, which featured a diverse range of articles by speakers from the Imaging ONEWORLD talks series which was held between 2020-2023.

We are now welcoming poster articles for the second volume. The deadline for submissions is 30 June 2025. Find out more, including submission guidelines, here: rms.org.uk/library/journal-of-microscopy/special-issues/call-for-papers/call-for-papers-microscopy-at-a-glance