In Focus: Advancing Imaging Research through International Collaboration

Helmholtz Imaging is delighted to welcome Prof. Dr. Manuel Guizar-Sicairos, Head of the Computational X-ray Imaging Group at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) and Associate Professor at EPFL, as a Guest Visitor at DESY in 2025. His stay is split into two visits, March and June.

Manuel is a Fellow of both Optica and SPIE and serves as a Confidential Advisor at Respect@PSI. His group at PSI focuses on the theoretical conception, implementation, and development of new imaging techniques, anchored in mathematical modelling. They advance computational X-ray nano-imaging methods and algorithms for fundamental and applied research. His research group works in close collaboration with beamline scientists and domain scientists to develop methods and image reconstruction algorithms that harness capabilities of large-scale facilities, such as synchrotrons and free-electron lasers. The ultimate goal is to advance and develop computational X-ray microscopy for next-generation light sources.

We spoke with Manuel during his first visit to learn more about the goals and outcomes of his stay and the value of international collaboration.

How do you see this visit strengthening collaborations between Helmholtz Imaging, DESY, and your home institution, PSI/EPFL?

MGS: There is so much value in spending a large, dedicated amount of time, energy, and focus on any purpose or project. For example, when you write a manuscript, a funding proposal, or a large project, having a dedicated amount of time and energy devoted to that task plays a big role on how much progress you can make and the quality of the outcome.

I see this visit in a similar light, it allows me and collaborators to focus time and energy to start, develop, and grow meaningful and productive work between PSI/EPFL and DESY. It has certainly been very important for strengthening collaborations and coming up with and maturing new ideas and joint projects for mutual benefit.

Are there any specific experiments or projects you will be working on during your visit?

MGS: Before the visit there were already specific projects and ideas to work on with my co-hosts.

The first half of the visit was already very productive, we have narrowed down these ideas and planned some experiments for the second half of the visit. As particular examples with the two main hosts: we worked with the group of Prof. Christian Schroer in evaluating data analysis strategies for near-field ptychography and tomography datasets that were acquired in P05, and we worked with Dr. Nazanin Samadi to quantitatively evaluate the technical feasibility to implement ptychography for at-wavelength wavefront characterization at the upcoming beamline P25. Additionally, new opportunities arose for performing X-ray micro- and nano–imaging experiments at Petra III and for visits for members of our group to DESY later this year.

Such exchanges allow us to both help with our computational expertise and learn from our DESY colleagues on experiments and domain science. These are just a few examples; I had many discussions with many scientists and initiated lots of new projects thanks in good part to this extended visit.

What role do international collaborations like this one play in advancing (imaging) science?

MGS: It is very easy to get absorbed by the day-to-day challenges, and the high expectations, of running a state-of-the-art imaging end station in a synchrotron source. And as such we tend to become engulfed in our own bubble. Of course, international conferences with sessions dedicated to imaging are crucial to peek outside of this bubble and reach out to our colleagues. This is the first time, however, that I have the opportunity for a long scientific visit to another facility and I found it very productive. There is real extended time to establish deeper collaborations and connections.

One of my main goals was to learn more about measurements and technologies at higher X-ray energies, and to establish closer links with different beamlines in Petra III with which we could share technical developments, or from which I could learn or become a user. Besides the scientific advances, I also found new opportunities for students and postdocs to have long research stays at DESY, and to extend invitation to host students from DESY at PSI, which besides the scientific exchange is very useful for their education, networking, and future career prospects.

Looking Ahead

Manuel’s visit is a powerful example of the value of international scientific exchange: deepening collaboration, initiating new research directions, and creating opportunities for young scientists in the imaging field. His return to DESY in June 2025 will coincide with the Helmholtz Imaging Conference (June 25-27, 2025), where he will deliver a keynote lecture on “Nanostructure mapping in 3D and beyond through computational X-ray imaging”. We look forward to continuing this inspiring exchange and to the future scientific outcomes it will generate in the field of computational X-ray imaging.