Visualizing Electron Microscope Data with Dan Tracey of the IU Dept. of Biology

Research in the Tracey laboratory aims to understand the general principles that govern the specification and function of neuronal circuits. We study this problem using the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster whose relatively simplified nervous system must perform many of the same computations that are carried out by our own. Shawn Slavin of the AVL Vis group successfully merged and aligned electron microscope image stacks in IU’s HPC environment, stitching together hundreds of slides into remarkably detailed mosaics. As capture resolution increases and HPC resources get more powerful and accessible, building workflows to leverage enhanced imagery such as these empower scientists to discover new pathways to knowledge and understanding of biological microstructures.

Jun 2021

Jun 2021