The Humboldt Research Award is granted to scientists who have had a lasting impact on their field of research. Humboldt Laureate Prof. Nigel Browning, one of the world’s leading experts in the field of electron microscopy, will spend his scientific stay at the INM and contribute his expertise to the INM research division Innovative Electron Microscopy. Browning is Professor at the University of Liverpool and Director of the Imaging Center at Liverpool (ICal).
Both Prof. Browning and his host at INM, Prof. Niels de Jonge, head of the Innovative Electron Microscopy division, have pioneered the development of new methods in electron microscopy and their applications in biomedicine and materials science. The Humboldt Research Award promotes their collaboration in the further development of high-speed electron microscopy for the investigation of biological materials and processes using advanced image processing techniques.
Prof. Browning’s current research focuses on the development of new imaging techniques for in-situ microscopy at atomic resolution in liquids and gases. The most important approach for this work was the development of advanced algorithms for data acquisition and image processing. These algorithms make it possible to obtain dynamic information about samples without them being destroyed by the electron beam of the microscope. Instead of capturing data for all pixels of an image, information of 10% or even less of the area to be analyzed is captured. The process by which the image is scanned is called compressive sensing. Another special method, Inpainting, calculates an image from the incomplete data. Browning and his group want to demonstrate the usefulness of the method and then pass it on to the scientific community in order to transfer it to as many different applications as possible. Based on his research in this field, nine patents have been filed so far.
LINK: Browning Group Liverpool