Congratulations to the recipients of the inaugral Scottish Microscopist of the Year competition! Read more about the the work of the winning scientists below.
Thank you to everyone applied for Scottish Microscopist of the Year. This award celebrates inspirational and outstanding contributions to the Scottish Microscopy community, which we will be running annually. Check the main page, join our mailing list or check twitter to keep informed on when the competition is launched.
Dr Liam Rooney
University of Strathclyde
Winner, Scottish Microscopist of the Year
Liam’s research focuses on innovative optical methods for imaging and microbiology, with projects developing label-free interference-based imaging techniques, creating microscope-compatible 3D culture platforms for studying
soil microbes, and pioneering the use of the Mesolens for microbiology. His latest work focuses on developing 3D-printed optics, providing significant advances in open microscopy with applications in resource-limited settings.
In addition to his research successes, Liam has had a significant impact on both the research and broader communities, organising numerous research symposia and collaborating with artists and local schools for outreach. A strong supporter of early career researchers, Liam directed the launch and continuation of the RMS Early Career Award, recognising and platforming exceptional achievements by ECR microscopists worldwide. He holds positions including chair of the RMS early career committee, member of their Life Sciences Committee, RMS council, founding EDIA group member, and a Microbiology Society Champion. As a receipt of the SUSLA Forging Futures Award, Liam was able to become and Industry-Academia Ambassador, leading the organisation of IndAc’22.
In recognition of his varied contributions to the Scottish Microscopy community, Liam has been awarded £500, kindly supported by Nikon and Miltenyi Biotec
Dr Sarwah Al-Khalidi
CRUK Scotland Institute
Runner Up, Scottish Microscopist of the Year
Dr Al-Khalidi’s research focuses on defining dendritic cell subtypes and their roles in T cell immune responses. This work requires a high-dimensional approach beyond the scope of conventional imaging techniques, and Dr Al-Khalidi thus established a pipeline for this process. This included defining protocols for reliable labelling of primary antibodies, building a buffer exchange device with 3D printed stage inserts to fit on a range of confocal microscopes, producing custom macros for controlling washing and imaging, and writing an image analysis pipeline for open-source software.
This has allowed Dr Al-Khalidi to routinely probe more than 25 markers in a range of tissues, from different biological samples, and to decipher unique dendritic and T cell niches that may be missing in cancer, which form in an infection-draining lymph node.
