People & Groups

Our support team at DESY offers support and services to the Helmholtz Imaging Community. Our most prominent services are Helmholtz Imaging Modalities and Storage. We work on requests submitted to the HelpDesk, on Collaborations, and directly support the Projects. Particular focus is on the early stages of the imaging pipeline. Research activities include development and application of deep learning methods for image analysis, e. g. segmentation, object detection and classification.

At the beginning of the imaging pipeline, data is acquired in a physical process measuring a metric which represents the interaction of a given probe with a sample. The physics of these interactions can be modelled mathematically. To form an image the model has to then be inverted. These so-called inverse problems are at the heart of almost any image formation process and are the focus of the research unit at DESY. The goal of this unit is to strengthen the expertise in the mathematical field of inverse problems and to develop new modalities in specific domains by applying new physical forward models.

The Applied Computer Vision Lab is dedicated to catalyzing research in Helmholtz and beyond through customized image analysis solutions. Specifically, we support researchers in the annotation of image data, build tailored AI algorithms to optimally solve their problems, provide out-of-the-box solutions that can be applied across domains and accelerate the development of new algorithms. Finally, we are dedicated to improving algorithm evaluation through organizing competitions, supporting the choice of appropriate metrics and evaluation schemes.

Our support team at MDC is developing generic image processing and analysis algorithms and tools. These tools are applied across all imaging scales from submolecular resolution to aerial remote sensing imagery. In order to provide a unified entry point for how to use these tools, we develop and maintain Helmholtz Imaging Solutions.

Recognizing the imaging pipeline and the needs of the imaging users and experts within the Helmholtz Association the MDC focuses on image data preparation, management and processing with a particular focus on the integration of image data, algorithms, and visualization solutions across multiple modalities and scales in space and time. The goal is to develop and provide Helmholtz Imaging Solutions that can deal with the very heterogeneous image data that are acquired across the research fields of Helmholtz without imposing constraints on the respective image modalities.

Various challenges currently impede advanced AI technologies from directly benefiting society. The HI Research Unit at DKFZ pioneers research in three focus areas to address these challenges: 1) Advance to a deeper understanding and generalizability of algorithms (Focus Area Image Analysis), 2) Consider humans as an integral part of AI-application to enable reliable and safe deployment (Focus Area Human-Machine Interaction), and 3) Lead initiatives towards standardizing evaluation and benchmarking practices in the field and develop user-friendly tools to guide the community (Focus Area Validation Benchmarking).

We at the management unit of Helmholtz Imaging are responsible for the operation of the platform, the implementation of the strategy and the integration into the Helmholtz Association. In our team science and PR & outreach managers work hand in hand to coordinate the activities of the platform and the team play of its support and research units.
Organization of workshops and seminars, educational outreach, and the project funding line and facilitation of the meetings of the Helmholtz Imaging Steering Board and the Helmholtz Imaging Scientific Advisory Committee are just a few examples of how our team at DESY supports the community.

The Steering Board supervises the Helmholtz Imaging Team. The board consults the platform in decisions relevant for Helmholtz Imaging as a whole.

External scientific advice for the development of Helmholtz Imaging will be provided by the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). The SAC comprises national and international experts outside of the Helmholtz Association and also advises the Helmholtz Imaging Steering Board on all scientific aspects and the overall development of the platform. The members of the SAC are appointed by the President of the Helmholtz Association.