Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Fixation and Sectioning

Fixation and Sectioning

Two basic types of preparation are used to visualize specimens with a light microscope: wet mounts and fixed specimens.
The simplest type of preparation is the wet mount, in which the specimen is placed in a drop of liquid on the slide. A liquid specimen can be directly deposited on the slide using a dropper. Solid specimens, such as skin scraping, can be placed on the slide before adding a drop of liquid to prepare the wet mount. Sometimes the liquid is simply water, but stains are often added...

Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy

Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy

To be visualized by an electron microscope, either transmission or scanning, biological samples need to be fixed (stabilized) so the electron beam does not destroy them and dried thoroughly (desiccated/dehydrated) so the vacuum does not affect them. Fixation needs to be done as quickly as possible because the sample properties will start changing as soon as it is removed from its natural environment. For example, in a tissue sample, the oxygen levels begin decreasing, causing an altered...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Click to plot.

Nature methods·2026

Same author

Color scales and the birth of viridis.

Nature methods·2026

Same author

A checklist for designing and improving the visualization of scientific data.

Nature cell biology·2025

Same author

Communicating cancer treatment with pictogram-based timeline visualizations.

Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA·2025

Same author

The crucial role of bioimage analysts in scientific research and publication.

Journal of cell science·2024

Same author

Ten simple rules for designing graphical abstracts.

PLoS computational biology·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 9, 2025

Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography

Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography

Published on: March 12, 2017

Insights on poster preparation practices in life sciences.

Helena Klara Jambor¹

¹National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Cancer Center, NCT-UCC, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.

Frontiers in Bioinformatics

|November 29, 2023

Summary

Life scientists spend significant time on poster design, often lacking training and feedback. Improved visualization training can enhance scientific posters and overall science communication.

Keywords:

BioVis data visualization data viz infographics poster design science communication science education visual communication

More Related Videos

Patient-Derived Tumor Explants As a "Live" Preclinical Platform for Predicting Drug Resistance in Patients

Patient-Derived Tumor Explants As a "Live" Preclinical Platform for Predicting Drug Resistance in Patients

Published on: February 7, 2021

Preparation of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Organisms Using Chemical Drying for Morphological Analysis in Scanning Electron Microscopy SEM

Preparation of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Organisms Using Chemical Drying for Morphological Analysis in Scanning Electron Microscopy SEM

Published on: January 7, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 9, 2025

Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography

Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography

Published on: March 12, 2017

Patient-Derived Tumor Explants As a "Live" Preclinical Platform for Predicting Drug Resistance in Patients

Patient-Derived Tumor Explants As a "Live" Preclinical Platform for Predicting Drug Resistance in Patients

Published on: February 7, 2021

Preparation of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Organisms Using Chemical Drying for Morphological Analysis in Scanning Electron Microscopy SEM

Preparation of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Organisms Using Chemical Drying for Morphological Analysis in Scanning Electron Microscopy SEM

Published on: January 7, 2019

Area of Science:

Life Sciences
Scientific Communication
Data Visualization

Background:

Scientific posters are crucial for dialogue at biological conferences.
Current posters are often data- and text-heavy, lacking visual structure.
Existing guides offer limited practical support for effective poster design.

Purpose of the Study:

To survey life scientists on their poster preparation methods.
To identify challenges faced by biologists in creating conference posters.
To assess the need for design and software training in scientific visualization.

Main Methods:

A survey was conducted among life scientists.
Participants reported on time allocation for poster preparation.
Data on training and feedback received during poster creation was collected.

Main Results:

Biologists dedicate approximately two days per poster, with half on visual design.
Most scientists receive no formal training in design or relevant software.
Feedback on visualization during preparation is minimal.

Conclusions:

Training in visualization principles and tools is essential for improving poster quality.
Enhanced skills would benefit other scientific visuals like figures and slides.
Improved poster design contributes to better overall science communication for researchers.