The Leica and Imperial Imaging Hub, an exciting collaborative venture between Leica Microsystems and Imperial College London, recently opened its…
The Imperial College London Imaging Hub
The Imperial College London and Leica Microsystems Imaging Hub is a collaboration focusing on advancing optical imaging for research and innovation. This partnership combines the expertise of Leica Microsystems and Imperial College London to push the boundaries of scientific applications.
Imperial College London is one of the world's leading universities with an international reputation for excellence in teaching and research. Imperial's 17,000 students and 8,000 staff are expanding the frontiers of knowledge in science, medicine, engineering and business, and translating their discoveries into benefits for our society.
Find out more
Visit the Imperial College London Imaging Hub website to find out how to access the instruments available.
Latest Updates
Leica Microsystems supports innovation through partnership agreement
Leica Microsystems has announced a partnership with Imperial College London in the field of optical imaging and its use in research and innovation, to…
The mission of the Imaging Hub
The mission of the Imaging Hub is to be a leading microscopy knowledge center, fostering meaningful dialogue between academia and industry.
Scientists benefit from access to Leica's microscopy systems and optimised imaging workflows, enabling deeper insights into their research through high-quality images and data. Seminars, workshops and events are also regularly held, welcoming scientists from the university and the wider scientific community.
The Imaging labs in Imperial’s South Kensington campus comprise of two large rooms equipped with Leica Microsystem’s latest advanced confocal and widefield microscopy systems. Open to all researchers, it also includes an analysis suite with Aivia software for AI-based image analysis and a tissue culture area for sample preparation, with additional support facilities nearby. Expert guidance is provided by Leica's Application Specialists who can provide technical advice and answer any questions relating to imaging workflows.
Regular feedback from an application specialist helps you to fully utilise the capabilities of the systems. This enables you to rapidly acquire high-quality data, crucial for gathering preliminary results for your next grant application or completing the final revision of a manuscript under review.
Apply now
Register your interest in becoming a facility user.
Meet the Team at the Imperial College London & Leica Microsystems Imaging Hub
Dr. Periklis (Laki) Pantazis
Dr. Pantazis is a Reader in Advanced Optical Precision Imaging at the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College London (ICL), UK. He is also Director of the Imperial College London and Leica Microsystems Imaging Hub. Dr Pantazis obtained his PhD in Biology and Bioengineering at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden, Germany. As a Royal Society Merit Award recipient, he established the Laboratory of Advanced Optical Precision Imaging at ICL in 2018/19.
Dr. Miguel Ángel Hermida Ayala
Dr. Hermida Ayala serves as the Facility Manager at the Imperial College London and Leica Microsystems Imaging Hub and has held the position of Deputy Technical Operations Manager for the Department of Bioengineering since 2023. Additionally, he leads the Undergraduate Teaching Technical team. He completed his Master's Degree at Hospital Universitario de la Princesa in Madrid, Spain, and earned his PhD in Bioengineering and Cancer Biology from Heriot-Watt University, UK, in 2017. From 2017 to 2019, Dr. Hermida Ayala worked as a Postdoctoral Research Assistant at Barts Cancer Institute. He then joined Imperial College London as a Core Laboratory Technician in the Bioengineering Department. In 2020, he became the CRUK Microfabrication and Prototyping Facility Manager and subsequently took on the role of Manager at the Biosciences Core Facility in 2021.
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