Welcome to Expanding Biology: Connecting the Expansion Microscopy Community
A field that initially consisted of a few early adopters and tinkerers, fascinated by the link between diaper hydrogel chemistry and nanoscopic resolution imaging, has now matured into a thriving field. The radical idea of overcoming the diffraction limit by pulling biological structures apart has shaped many careers and imaginations — ours among that of countless others. As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the first expansion microscopy publication, we reflect on the remarkable progress the field has made. With each new paper and method advancing specific applications, what once was met with skepticism has now become an invaluable resource.
As expansion microscopy matures and becomes more and more widely adopted, we are also seeing growing pains that researchers — whether new to the field or experienced old hands — are encountering daily. Whenever we speak with other expansion microscopists, we often lament recurring themes — expansion homogeneity, standardization, reproducibility, labeling and signal strength, protocol transfer between species of samples and biomolecules, and gel handling. Thinking about these challenges, we recognized the value of a central hub to bring the expansion microscopy community together to share solutions, troubleshoot problems, and celebrate new advancements. This is why we created Expanding Biology.
A Curated Literature Resource
As the first pillar of this community platform, Expanding Biology provides a searchable, curated literature database designed to help researchers discover relevant manuscripts and protocols. Users can filter results by organism, biomolecule of interest, and other key parameters. In the future, we envision adding community-driven notes to further enhance the database.
Tools and Protocols
In a next step at Expanding Biology, we want to curate validated protocols from the specialists in the field. For example, we are building a central database for antibody performance. By pulling from the literature database, we can track which antibodies worked effectively and at which stage, whether pre- or post-expansion. Over time, we aim to extend this approach to allow cross-referencing of catalog numbers, batches, and community feedback, reducing duplicative optimization efforts across labs.
Community Engagement
Finally, we hope Expanding Biology can be more than a resource — a place for researchers to connect, share, and contribute. We encourage contributions in the form of blog posts about new preprints, tips and tricks, or other insights that can benefit the wider community.
We’re excited to see Expanding Biology become a collaborative space where the expansion microscopy field can come together, learn from each another’s experiences, and accelerate discoveries. We invite you to visit the website, contribute your experience, and help shape the future of expansion microscopy together.
Hugo Damstra and Sven Truckenbrodt, August 2026