Helmholtz Imaging Newsletter Issue No. 20

Dear Imaging Enthusiast,

As we move further into 2025, the imaging community continues to drive innovation and collaboration. In this edition, we highlight breakthroughs in AI-driven segmentation and holographic image reconstruction, celebrate the Leopoldina Prize for Young Scientists, and introduce new training programs and career opportunities in imaging and AI.

Here’s a quick overview of what’s inside this issue:

• Helmholtz Imaging Conference 2025: Registration & call for abstracts is open! Submit by May 1.
• nnInteractive: A new AI-driven 3D interactive segmentation tool revolutionizing volumetric annotation.
• Advances in Holographic Image Reconstruction: Two innovative approaches enhancing phase retrieval in microscopy.
• HIDS Joint Training Portfolio: Expand your data science skills.
• Recognition: Fabian Isensee wins the 2025 Leopoldina Prize for Young Scientists.
• Open AI Positions at DESY: Join us and work on LLMs, process optimization and data curation.
• HI Projects: Shaping the Future of Imaging Research. Next funding call opens in May.
• Helmholtz UNLOCK Benchmarking Call: Learn about funding for high-quality AI benchmark dataset at an information session on April 10.
• Quantum Use Challenge Matchmaking: Connect with potential partners on March 25 in Berlin.
• Helmholtz Imaging on the Road: Open Science Day at GFZ.
• Helmholtz Imaging Case Film: Watch the story behind our corporate design.
• Meet Us: Catch Helmholtz Imaging team members at scientific events, including our Helmholtz Imaging Conference in June.
• Partner Updates: Discover the latest from HMC, Helmholtz AI and HIDA.
• Opportunities: Explore new funding calls, recent publications and job postings. 
• Share Your Events: Let us know about imaging-related events at Katharina.Kriegel@helmholtz-imaging.de. 

Happy reading!

Your Helmholtz Imaging team

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A personal note from us:

Do you have an imaging challenge, no matter how big or small? We’re here to help you, free of charge. Contact us via our support hub. 

Also, if you haven’t yet, join our network of experts, modalities, instruments, and facilities! CONNECT with us.

Interested in receiving our newsletter directly in your mailbox? Subscribe here.

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Helmholtz Imaging Conference 2025: Registration & Call for Abstracts Open

Join us from June 25-27 in Potsdam for an inspiring event featuring interesting keynotes by Robert Haase, Laura Waller, and Manuel Guizar-Sicairos, interactive discussions, scientific presentations, a poster and unconference session, and exciting networking opportunities. Whether you’re advancing imaging technologies or applying them in your research, this conference is for you!

• Register now & secure your spot.
• Call for abstracts: Showcase your research! Submit an abstract by May 1, 2025 for a poster presentation or a talk.
• Bring your own imaging challenge: Facing an imaging-related challenge? Submit your topic and join the discussion.
• Pre-conference workshops: Start the conference with a deep dive! On June 25 (9:00-12:00 PM CET), host a Pre-Workshop to explore imaging topics.

Be part of an engaging community shaping the future of imaging science!

nnInteractive: A Breakthrough in AI-Driven 3D Interactive Segmentation

We’re proud to present nnInteractive, a cutting-edge AI-driven 3D interactive segmentation tool designed to revolutionize volumetric annotation in imaging.

What makes it stand out?

• Supports diverse prompting options
• Seamless 3D segmentation from intuitive 2D interactions
• Unmatched generalization: trained on 120+ datasets (CT, MRI, PET, 3D Microscopy, etc)
• Integrated into widely-used imaging platforms

nnInteractive delivers unmatched accuracy and efficiency across imaging modalities.

Try it today in Napari or MITK!

Explore nnInteractive

New CONNECT Blog Post: Advances in Holographic Image Reconstruction

In coherent lens-less microscopic imaging, a major challenge is the phase problem, where detectors capture only intensity, losing critical phase information. This complicates the reconstruction of sharp, artifact-free images from holograms. Traditional solutions often require multiple acquisitions or strong constraints like spatial support, making them impractical for time-sensitive in situ studies.

Now, two innovative approaches offer breakthroughs in artifact reduction and autofocus precision:

• PGD-based reconstruction enhances single-hologram image retrieval
• Model-matching autofocus refines Fresnel number estimation for sharper images

Both methods were successfully demonstrated at PETRA III (DESY, Hamburg), pushing the boundaries of X-ray near-field holography.

This research originated from the Helmholtz Imaging Project SmartPhase.

Learn more about these exciting developments on the CONNECT Blog

Enhance Your Data Science Expertise: HIDS Joint Training Portfolio Now Online!

Are you looking to expand your skills in information and data science? The five Helmholtz Information and Data Science Platforms have collaborated to create a joint training portfolio for researchers at every career stage. All courses are conducted in English and open to scientists from diverse disciplines.

We’re excited to offer the following courses in 2025:

3D Data Visualization (November 10-13, 2025; registration will open in summer): Bring your volumetric data to life! Gain hands-on experience with 3D visualization techniques using tools like Fiji, Blender, and Neuroglancer.

Regularization in Image Reconstruction (October 6, 2025; registration will open in summer): Understand the fundamentals of image reconstruction and inverse problems in this 7-hour course. Explore regularization strategies, deep learning techniques, and Bayesian approaches with hands-on tutorials and expert guidance.

Six Main Tasks in Image Processing (September 4 – October 9, 2025; registration will open in summer): This seminar series covers six key image processing tasks, following a typical workflow from reconstruction to segmentation, denoising, and tracking. The course includes lectures and discussions, with a focus on practical application.

Save the dates and stay tuned for the registration details!

Explore the full training portfolio and find the perfect course for you

Fabian Isensee Wins the 2025 Leopoldina Prize for Young Scientists

Join us in celebrating Fabian Isensee, who has been awarded the 2025 Leopoldina Prize for Young Scientists by the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina for his outstanding contributions to AI-driven medical image analysis. This prestigious award, endowed with €5,000, recognizes his groundbreaking work in automated segmentation techniques, a key technology for tumor detection, disease diagnosis, and treatment planning. The award ceremony will take place on April 2, 2025, in Halle (Saale), where Fabian will present his research.

Read more

Open Positions as AI Experts at DESY. Join our team!

We’re expanding our team! We are currently offering three open positions for AI Experts at DESY. Check out the details below and find the role that fits you best.

AI Expert – On Premise LLMs & Integration of domain-specific knowledge: Apply by March 24, 2025. More information

Scientific AI Expert with focus on process optimization: Apply by March 31, 2025. More information

Scientific AI Expert with focus on data curation and training: Apply by March 31, 2025. More information

HI Projects: Helmholtz’ Finger on the Pulse of Imaging

At Helmholtz Imaging, we know that great ideas deserve the right support. Since 2020, 35 projects have pushed the boundaries of imaging science, tackling challenges in medicine, AI, geosciences, energy research, and more.

We’ve seen incredible innovations emerge: AI-powered environmental monitoring, real-time medical imaging, and X-ray techniques that help design better materials. And these projects don’t stop at research – they create solutions, build networks, and drive real-world impact.

So, if you’ve ever thought about applying for the HI Project funding, now’s the time to start shaping your idea! The next call opens in May 2025.

Get inspired by our success stories and start thinking about how your research could be part of it

Helmholtz UNLOCK Benchmarking Call – Information Session on April 10

The Helmholtz Information & Data Science Framework has been discussing the need for high-quality, publicly available benchmark datasets in AI-driven research. Following last year’s Incubator Workshop, an initiative group has been working to advance this topic.

As a first step, a short-term funding program for benchmarking datasets will be launched. The call for proposals is expected to be published on April 1, with funding available for projects in 2026.

An information session on April 10, 10:00–12:00 CET will provide details on the call and how interested Helmholtz researchers can participate.

Join the session online: https://helmholtz-de.zoom-x.de/j/68248419624?pwd=W8BQwiaHSdNQUUQfjdQbp3iOes3pHr.1 (Meeting ID: 682 4841 9624, Reference number: 439759).

Quantum Use Challenge Matchmaking Event

The Helmholtz Association invites proposals for joint research projects in the field of quantum use, aiming to expand the diverse research approaches of quantum technologies to include new, relevant and previously little-explored fields of application.

On Tuesday, March 25, 2025, from 10:00 to 17:30 (CET) Helmholtz organizes a matchmaking event for the Quantum Use Challenge at the Helmholtz Head Office in Berlin (Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Str. 2, 10178 Berlin).

This event provides a unique opportunity to connect with potential project partners, exchange ideas, and initiate collaborative research projects that apply quantum technologies to real-world challenges in Earth & Environment, Energy, and Health.

Don’t miss this opportunity to shape the future of quantum applications and become part of a growing interdisciplinary community!

Learn more about the call & register here

Helmholtz Imaging on the Road: Open Science Day at GFZ

On March 3, 2025, Helmholtz Imaging was once more on the road – this time at the 1st GFZ Open Science Day in Potsdam. The event brought together researchers to explore the role of Open Science in an increasingly digital research landscape, fostering exchange and collaboration.

Helmholtz Imaging showcased its support portfolio and contributions to Open Science principles. The day concluded with the opening of the Best Scientific Image Contest 2024 exhibition, which was on display at the GFZ library until March 14.

Read more

Do you want to bring the Helmholtz Imaging Roadshow to your Center? Reach out. We are happy to discuss the details with you.

Helmholtz Imaging Case Film – Watch Now!

How do you create a visual identity that reflects cutting-edge scientific research and support while staying versatile, striking, and timeless? Together with Bureau Bald, we shaped a corporate design that does just that: enhancing our identity while keeping the focus on research.

Watch the film to see the story behind our design

Meet Helmholtz Imaging

Say hello to Helmholtz Imaging team members at the following events:

• Meet Deborah from our HI Engineering and Support Unit at MDC at the Helmholtz Reproducibility Workshop on March 25 in Berlin. While registration for the on-site event is closed, you can still register for the keynotes until March 23, 2025.
• Say hello to Martin at the workshop “Conservation laws and non-reciprocity” on May 5 – 8, 2025 in Münster!
• Say hi at our 5th Helmholtz Imaging Conference on June 25-27 in Potsdam. Looking forward to seeing many of you there!

News from our Partner Platforms

Funding Opportunities & Awards

Helmholtz Enterprise Project Call: Support for founders at the Helmholtz Centers: Get funding for field studies and / or the establishment of start-ups. Submit your project proposal by March 28, 2025.

FlashFloodBreaker – PhD Scholarship Machine Learning NIMBUS: Apply for PhD scholarship for research in the area of machine learning and data science. The deadline is March 27, 2025, 4 PM CET.

Scientific Preliminary Projects on Fundamental Questions in Quantum Technologies and Photonics: Get funding for first time demonstrations in the laboratory of functional principles from fundamental research in the field of quantum technologies or photonics.

New publications

Polarity-JaM: an image analysis toolbox for cell polarity, junction and morphology quantification by Wolfgang Giese, Jan Philipp Albrecht, Olya Oppenheim, Emir Bora Akmeriç, Julia Kraxner, Deborah Schmidt, Kyle Harrington & Holger Gerhardt

Navigating prevalence shifts in image analysis algorithm deployment by Patrick Godau, Piotr Kalinowski, Evangelia Christodoulou, Annika Reinke, Minu Tizabi, Luciana Ferrer, Paul Jäger, Lena Maier-Hein

X-ray phase contrast imaging and diffraction in the laser-heated diamond anvil cell: A case study on the high-pressure melting of Pt by Emma Ehrenreich-Petersen, Bernhard Massani, Thea Engler, Olivia S. Pardo, Konstantin Glazyrin, Nico Giordano, Johannes Hagemann, Daniel Sneed, Timofey Fedotenko, Daniel J. Campbell, Mario Wendt, Sergej Wenz, Christian G. Schroer, Mathias Trabs, R. Stewart McWilliams, Hanns-Peter Liermann, Zsolt Jenei, Earl F. O’Bannon

Discover all publications by Helmholtz Imaging

Job openings

FZ Jülich
PhD Position – Image processing of cryo-EM data

DESY
AI Expert – On Premise LLMs & Integration of domain-specific knowledge

Scientific AI Expert with focus on process optimization

Scientific AI Expert with focus on data curation and training

More jobs