Biological Imaging

Euro-BioImaging (EuBI) is the European landmark research infrastructure for biological and biomedical imaging as recognised by the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), operating through a hub and spoke model across partner countries and institutions. Through EuBI, life scientists can access imaging instruments, expertise, training opportunities and data management services that they might not find at their home institutions or among their collaboration partners. EuBI was granted the legal status of an ERIC (European Research Infrastructure Consortium) on 29 Oct 2019, and EuBI became fully operational in December 2019, having operated in a limited interim capacity since May 2016.

The mission of EuBI encompasses two main aims:

• To provide access, services and training to state-of-the-art imaging technologies for all life scientists in Europe and beyond
• To foster the liaison and cooperation of all its stakeholders (including scientists, industry, national and European authorities)

The UK Node of Euro-BioImaging has been operational since 2022 as a pilot biological imaging Node. This year, BBSRC & MRC awarded long-term funding to the Node to enhance its activities, including expansion include more biological facilities (this application) and later in 2026, establishment of biomedical Node imaging sites in the UK.

This expansion of biological sites seeks applicants to join the existing seven sites providing community access within the UK, with successful applicants expected to dedicate at least 20% capacity in the proposed facility/instrument(s) for the wider EuBI community use - fostering collaborative opportunities both within the UK and between the UK and EuBI users.

Identification of new biological UK Nodes for EuBI is open to all UK-based imaging facilities who can offer the above capacity for use via EuBI.

Whilst no direct funding will be provided through this call, lead applicants should be eligible to receive UKRI funding and be associated with a UK Imaging facility (please see the UKRI Grants Guide for eligibility guidance). Applicants can either apply on behalf of a single facility, or a group of facilities offering a network that offers added value to the user over access to a single site.

We encourage applications from UK-based imaging facilities that can:

• Demonstrate technical and scientific excellence.
• Describe in detail how the facility will add value to users’ research.
• Demonstrate sufficient capacity to allow additional access through EuBI collaboration.
• Show that named facilities and associated staff are sustainable and supported for at least the next 5 years

This call is administered by BioImagingUK, with support from UKRI-MRC and UKRI-BBSRC. For any queries, please contact BioImagingUK’s Project Officer on [email protected]

The UK Node of Euro-BioImaging is currently operational with seven complementary sites located across the UK:

• Edinburgh Super Resolution Imaging Centre (ESRIC) - Advanced super-resolution microscopy specialising in techniques beyond the diffraction limit
• Francis Crick Institute (London) - State-of-the-art biological optical volume imaging for imaging thick samples
• King's College London – Multi-scale correlative and multimodal microscopy capabilities
• OCTOPUS - Harwell Research Complex – Highly specialised imaging technologies and interdisciplinary expertise
• Oxford Brookes University - Including containment facilities and specialised organism support
• University of Liverpool – Integrated and advanced imaging technologies with broad biological expertise
• University of York – Including PALM/STORM/SIM technologies, spatial transcriptomics, and phase imaging

These sites collectively served almost 200 external users and produced 147 scientific publications in 2024 alone, demonstrating the significant impact and success of the UK Node model.

Benefits of Joining the UK Node:

Successful applicants will join this established network and gain access to:

International Recognition

• Facilities undergo a rigorous application and review process to become internationally renowned imaging facilities
• Association with Euro-BioImaging's 41 Nodes comprising 247 facilities across 18 countries and EMBL

Access to Funding and Support

• The UK Node has received strategic funding from UKRI-BBSRC and UKRI-MRC to support professional development of core facility staff and provide user access funds
• EuBI supports Nodes in accessing national and EU-level infrastructure funding, promoting sustained growth and enhancing cutting-edge services

Enhanced Collaboration Opportunities

• Annual All-Hands meetings enable networking across Europe, promoting knowledge exchange and sharing of best practices
• Dedicated industry partnering events showcase capabilities and facilitate networking between academic facilities and commercial users
• Access to the broader Euro-BioImaging community of over 500 core facility staff

Specialised Support Services

• A dedicated Data Steward provides training and guidance for depositing bioimaging data in appropriate repositories
• Upskilling of facility staff in FAIR data principles and open science practices
• Technical expertise sharing and collaborative problem-solving across the network

User Access Enhancement

• Integration into the Euro-BioImaging user access system, connecting your facility to researchers worldwide
• Professional support in user project evaluation and management
• Quality assurance frameworks and user satisfaction monitoring systems

Completed Expression of Interest forms must be submitted by email to [email protected] by 2nd December 2025, 16:00 GMT. Should you have issues completing the Expression of Interest form, or require the form in an alternative format, please contact [email protected] for assistance.

Guidance Notes:

1. All sections are mandatory, please complete all sections as fully as possible.
2. No financial information is required, as funding will not be offered through this specific call.
3. Please use bullet points/tables as appropriate for readability.

Section Overview:

Table 1 - Expression of Interest Form Sections

Section A asks for basic information regarding the institution & facility composition.

Section B addresses how your proposal would align with the assessment criteria. The assessment panel will wish to understand the specialism of the facility, be it in provision of highly specialised or high-end technologies, methodological or technical expertise, training, storage or interpretation and analysis of results.

Section C concerns portfolio information which will be informative to allow us to understand the make-up of the facilities supported.

Applications will be assessed against the following 6 assessment areas (not listed in order of priority, equally weighted):

Assessment Area 1: Scientific and Technical Excellence

The demonstrable technical excellence of the facility or group of facilities, including evidence of world-class capabilities and scientific impact.

Assessment Area 2: Added Value and Innovation

The unique value and innovation that the facility provides to users' research beyond basic equipment access, including methodological expertise, advanced sample preparation, and data analysis support.

Assessment Area 3: User Access and Management Capability

The facility's capacity and capability to accept, support, and manage external users effectively, including clear access procedures and user journey planning.

Assessment Area 4: Sustainability and Infrastructure Management

The long-term sustainability of the facility, including maintenance strategies, quality control systems, and administrative arrangements for the next 5 years.

Assessment Area 5: Training and User Support

The facility's capability to provide high-quality training and ongoing user support, contributing to skill development in the UK imaging community.

Assessment Area 6: Community Engagement and Strategic Impact

The facility's commitment to engaging with the broader national and international imaging community, including alignment with UKRI strategic priorities and EuBI objectives.

The UK Node of EuBI is keen that a balanced portfolio which represents a spectrum of UK’s capabilities in biological imaging form the basis of the proposed “Nodes”. In the event that a number of similar applications are received, a portfolio approach will be taken to ensure there is a balanced selection of facilities that aligns with UK national requirements and those of Euro-BioImaging. (EuBI) We advise candidate Nodes to evaluate EuBI’s technology portfolio (EuBI’s new technologies) and the wider capabilities of EuBI when considering the technology, skills, expertise, and resources of the proposed node.

Supporting documents must be included (see table in section A) in PDF format. For multi-institutional Nodes, supporting documents must be provided by all hosting institutions (in a single PDF file).

Guidance for Letters of Support (LoS)

Please ensure that all letters of support are on headed paper and that they are signed and dated within 6 months of the date of submission of the proposal. Only directly relevant letters of support should be submitted. A maximum of 5 letters of support combined from prospective and existing users (see table below) demonstrating community demand should be provided. Collaborative letters of support may be provided as necessary. All letters of support plus a tabulated summary should be collated and attached as a single pdf.

The UK Node expects letters of support aimed at demonstrating demand to explain clearly the impact and benefit of the proposed resource on the writer’s research and the associated community and if possible, where this research has demonstrated scientific, economic or societal impact. Letters of support that fail to do so, particularly template letters indicating generic support without identifying a particular usage, are of negligible value for the assessment and should not be submitted. Carefully chosen letters containing relevant evidence of the requirement/ benefit to be gained, are of greater value than large numbers of letters.

Guidance for Letters of Commitment (LoCs)

Letters of Commitment must confirm the following from all facilities comprising the proposal:

1. The application is supported in full by all named facilities
2. Facilities are suitable to host users at the capacity stated within the application
3. The named facilities and associated staff are sustainable and supported for at least the next 5 years
4. All facilities understand there is no financial commitment from UKRI at this moment.

Please submit all required documents via email to [email protected] by 4pm on Tuesday 2^nd December 2025.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email [email protected].