ELMI2026

  • Overview
  • Registration
  • Preliminary Programme
  • Info
  • Speakers
  • Committees
  • Sponsorship

Welcome to ELMI2026

We are excited to welcome you to the 26th edition of the European Light Microscopy Initiative – ELMI2026 meeting, taking place from 16 to 19 June 2026 in the historic and vibrant city of Coimbra, Portugal.

Hosted at the beautiful Convento São Francisco, ELMI2026 will continue the long-standing tradition of bringing together the international light microscopy community—from researchers and facility staff to developers and industry partners.

ELMI is widely recognized for its dynamic and interactive format, combining:

  • Cutting-edge scientific talks
  • Hands-on workshops led by leading microscopy companies
  • A comprehensive technology exhibition
  • Engaging community sessions that foster discussion and collaboration

Join us at ELMI2026 in Coimbra to explore the latest innovations in light microscopy, connect with colleagues from across Europe and beyond, and be part of one of the most influential events in the field.

Save the date and stay tuned—registration and abstract submission will open soon!

Session topics for ELMI2026

  • AI & Bioimaging Analysis
  • Spatial Biology & Multiplexing Imaging
  • Nanoscopy
  • Volumetric and Deep-Tissue Imaging
  • Novel sample processing techniques, probes and biosensors
  • Label-free Imaging

Registration

The meeting will start on Tuesday 16 June and will finish with a lunch on Friday 19 June, 2026

Registration will be on a first come, first served basis. Your place can only be confirmed after payment of the registration fee.

Fees:

Full Registration

  • Admittance to Core Facility Satellite meeting on June 16
  • Admittance to ELMI2026, including exhibitions and workshops
  • Access to the ELMI2026 App
  • Coffee and tea breaks
  • All meals are included (Lunch, Dinner, Conference Dinner, Lunch bag)
  • Two BUS Circuit from/to main hotel areas

€650

Student Registration

  • Admittance to Core Facility Satellite meeting on June 16
  • Admittance to ELMI2026, including exhibitions and workshops
  • Access to the ELMI2026 App
  • Coffee and tea breaks
  • All meals are included (Lunch, Dinner, Conference Dinner, Lunch bag)
  • Two BUS Circuit from/to main hotel areas

Requires a proof of student status

€450

Accompanying Person

  • Dinners on June 17th and 18th

€120

Participants are expected to book and pay their own accommodation and travel expenses.

Registration platform: Soon

Please email elmi2026@ppbi.pt if you have any questions.

Preliminary Programme

Day 1 – Core Facility Day – Tuesday, 16 June 2026
TimeSession
08:00–09:00Registration
09:00–09:15Welcome
09:15–10:30Talks
10:30–11:00Coffee / Tea Break
11:00–12:30Talks
12:30–13:45Lunch
14:00–15:30Talks & Discussion
15:30–17:00Fitness Event: Kick or Dance
17:00–18:00Community Workshops
18:00–18:30Coffee / Tea Break
Start ELMI Meeting
18:30–18:45Welcome
18:45–19:45Keynote
19:45–19:50Platinum Industry Talk I
19:50–19:55Platinum Industry Talk II
20:00–23:00Welcome Buffet Dinner in the Exhibition Area
Day 2 – Wednesday, 17 June 2026
TimeSession
08:00–08:45Registration
08:45–09:00Welcome
09:00–10:45Session I: Spatial Biology & Multiplexing
10:45–11:15Tea / Coffee & Exhibition
11:15–12:15Company Workshops: Session One
12:15–13:15Company Workshops: Session Two
13:15–14:45Lunch & Exhibition
14:45–15:15Company Workshops: Session Three
15:45–16:15Tea / Coffee & Exhibition
16:15–18:00Session 2: Nanoscopy Advances
18:10–20:00Poster Session + Drinks
20:00–23:30Reception & Buffet Dinner
Day 3 – Thursday, 18 June 2026
TimeSession
09:00–10:45Session 3: Volumetric and Deep Tissue Imaging
10:45–11:15Tea / Coffee & Exhibition
11:15–12:15Company Workshops: Session Four
12:15–13:15Company Workshops: Session Five
13:15–14:45Lunch & Exhibition
14:45–15:15Company Workshops: Session Six
15:45–16:15Tea / Coffee & Exhibition
16:15–18:00Session 4: Novel sample processing techniques, probes and biosensors
18:10–20:00Poster Session + Drinks
20:00–24:00Social Event (Gala Dinner and Party)
Day 4 – Friday, 19 June 2026
TimeSession
09:00–10:45Session 5: Label Free Microscopy
10:45–11:15Tea / Coffee & Exhibition
11:15–13:00Session 6: AI & Bioimaging Analysis
  • Travel
  • Visa Information
  • Accommodation
  • General
Venue

The ELMI2026 will be held in Coimbra, Portugal, from June 16 to 19, 2026. The event will take place at the Convention Center, located at the renovated building of the former São Francisco Convent. More information here.

Address: Av. Da Guarda Inglesa, nº 1 A   |   3040-193 Coimbra   |   Portugal

GPS coordinates: Latitude 40º 12′ 11‘ N | Longitude 08º 26′ 09’ W

Travel Information

Airport
Porto Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport: closest airport to Coimbra, about an hour and a half to Coimbra by public transport.

Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport:  Largest airport in Portugal, very close to Lisbon Oriente Train station. 

Airport Shuttle
Coimbra Airport Shuttle operates a door-to-door shared transfer between Lisbon (45€)/Porto (38€) airport and Coimbra.

Train
The main train station for long-distance trains is Coimbra-B. Rail travel from both Lisbon (approximately 1h45 min) and Porto (approximately 1h) is regular, fast and reliable provided you take the Alfa Pendular (AP) or Intercidades (IC) trains. Tickets must be purchased before boarding, at the ticket office at the train station or online. Regional trains are available to nearby destinations.

Bus/Taxi
Coimbra is served by the A1, the main highway of Portugal, arrival by Taxi, or BUS – Rede Expressos or FLIXBUS are also convenient and fast. Tickets must be purchased before boarding.

Visa Information

General Visa Information for Portugal

It is the attendee’s responsibility to investigate the visa requirements for Portugal and apply for a visa, if necessary.

You may need a short-stay Schengen visa if you plan to visit Portugal for up to 90 days. This requirement depends on your nationality. Visas must be applied for through the relevant Portuguese embassy, consulate or representing consular Schengen office in the delegate’s country of residence.

The nationality of the participants and delegates will determine whether or not they are required to apply for a visa. Delegates are requested to visit this website for more information. 

Invitation Letters

If you require a visa, you need to obtain and submit an official letter of invitation from the conference organizers to help facilitate the visa process. Please note that letters of invitation are only issued to registered and paid attendees.

Follow these steps precisely to receive your letter.

  1. Send an e-mail to elmi2026@ppbi.pt with the subject line: Invitation Letter – Your Name
  1. Provide these details, with a corresponding number:
  • Full Name
  • Name of Organization, and Credentials (Job Title)
  • Postal Address at Organization (Work)

Make sure your registration fee for the conference has been paid in full. Requests for invitation letters will not be processed if your registration is unpaid. If approved, your letter will be sent via e-mail. 

ACCOMMODATION

A range of hotels in Coimbra offer special conditions for ELMI2026 participants. Below you will find the available options, booking instructions, and promotional codes when applicable. Reservations must be made directly by participants.

The conference venue, Convento São Francisco, is located in the city center and all hotels listed below are within a short walking distance or a few minutes by car.

Please note that in Coimbra, a municipal city tax of €1 per person, per night applies to all hotels (unless otherwise stated). This tax is not included in room rates and must be paid directly at the hotel.

Quinta das Lágrimas (5⭐)

Hotel Astória

Zero Box Lodge

Hotel Mondego

Hotel Ibis

Sapientia Boutique Hotel

Hotel NH Coimbra Dona Inês

Hotel Vila Galé Coimbra

Hotel D. Luis

Hotel Coimbra Aeminium

Alternatively, bookings can be made via the travel agency Abreu (not at the special rate).

Useful Information

Visit Coimbra

Once Portugal’s capital (from 1139 to 1256), Coimbra is one of the country’s most historic cities, famous for its university, which is one of Europe’s oldest (it was founded in 1290). While it may lack the contemporary attractions of Lisbon and Porto, it’s rich in centuries-old monuments that illustrate every chapter of the history of architecture, and the university and surroundings are listed as a World Heritage Site. Find useful information about Coimbra here.

  • INVITED SPEAKERS
Ed Boyden

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, USA

Talk Title – “Optical Tools for Understanding and Repairing Biological Systems“

Hans-Ulrich Dodt

Medical University of Vienna

Vienna, Austria

Ilaria Testa

Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Solna, Sweden

Maria Alieva

CSIC-UAM

Madrid, Spain

Talk Title – “Spatiotemporal cellular communication in immunotherapy and cancer progression”

Peter Dedecker

KU Leuven

Leuven, Belgium

Ricardo Henriques

ITQB NOVA

Oeiras, Portugal

Talk Title – “Towards nanoscale live-cell biology through AI-enhanced super-resolution microscopy“

Takeshi Imai

Kyushu University

Fukuoka City, Japan

Talk Title – “Optical clearing of live tissues”

Thomas Chaigne

Fresnel Institute

Marseille, France

Virginie Uhlmann

BioVisionCenter

Zurich, Switzerland

Chiara Stringari

Laboratoire d’optique et biosciences, Ecole Polytechnique,

Palaiseau, France

  • SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
  • ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Alvaro Crevenna

EMBL Rome

Davide Accardi

Champalimaud Foundation

Gabriel Martins

GIMM

Hugo Botelho

FCUL

Joana Ferreira

MIA Portugal

José Rino

GIMM

Julien colombelli

IRB Barcelona

Luísa Cortes

CNC-UC

Paula Sampaio

i3S

Peter O’Toole

University of York

Anna Pezzarossa

Champalimaud Foundation

Luísa Cortes

CNC-UC

Maria Azevedo

i3S

Margarida Caldeira

CNC-UC

Patrícia Rodrigues

GIMM

Paula Sampaio

i3S

Tatiana Catarino

CNC-UC

Telmo Pereira

NMS

Teresa Rodrigues

iCBR

We are pleased to invite you to join us as a sponsor of the European Light Microscopy Initiative Meeting (ELMI2026). This will be the 26th edition of ELMI, a landmark event for the international microscopy community.

Industry partners are an essential part of ELMI, and we are committed to working closely with you to ensure strong visibility and valuable opportunities to interact with delegates. A wide range of sponsorship options is available, detailed in the following table and the attached Sponsorship Booklet, together with practical information about the meeting and venue.

Please note that some sponsorship packages are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.


AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Sponsorship LevelSlots Available
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Bronze		sold out
sold out
3
18
Workshop Rooms Available
1.4B Conventual
2.2A Almedina
2.1A Sofia
2.0F Mondego 17th June
2.0F Mondego 18th June
Extra SponsorshipSlots Available
Scientific Programme of CF Day1
CF Day Lunch and Coffee Breaks (Tuesday)1
CF Day Buffet Dinner (Tuesday)1
Lunches (Wed – Fri)3
Drinks and Coffee Breaks (Wed – Fri)3
Reception & Buffet Dinner (Wednesday)1
Social Event: Gala Dinner & Party (Thursday)sold out
Meeting App – Company Information 8
Meeting App – Notifications 6
Meeting App – Ad in Programme3
Website – Conference Programme 1
Website – Registration Pagesold out
Website – Workshop Schedule1
Poster Prizes1
Water Bottles (500 units)sold out
Lanyards (~500 units)sold out
Flyers (Registration Desk & Auditorium Entrance)5
Notepads, Pens & Other Promotional Materials1
Mobile Charging Stations8
Photoboothsold out