Working Group 1
Quality Assessment and Reproducibility for Instruments & Images in Light Microscopy
The Consortium for Quality Assessment and Reproducibility for Instruments and Images in Light Microscopy (QUAREP-LiMi), formed by the global community of practitioners, researchers, developers, service providers, funders, publishers, policy makers and industry related to the use of light microscopy, is committed to democratizing access to quantitative and reproducible light microscopy and the data generated by it.
Our mission is to provide a comprehensive set of community-agreed guidelines, protocols, automation procedures and other resources aimed at improving quality control, quality assurance, and instrument/method calibration. The stakeholders advocate for the use of the highest level of reproducibility for data generated by light microscopy methods in scientific research and biotechnology applications. In support of achieving its mission, QUAREP-LiMi:
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sanctions Working Groups to form teams that focus on specific technical or outreach topics;
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maintains, disseminates, and teaches best practices, protocols, and software tools; and
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collaborates with providers of reference materials or instrumentation or other tools that enable the easy implementation of best practices at the community level.
We came together in our first online Web meeting on the 28th of April, 2020, with about 50 attendees. By now (24st of April 2024), the network has grown to 620 people from 41 countries worldwide. We have members from academia (research labs, core facilities), national microscopy communities, companies involved in the microscopy business, organizations or institutions related to standardization on a national or international level, and scientific publishers and observers from funding agencies (see the graph below and on the member page for an overview).
Ten working groups (WGs) were established in the 2nd General Meeting on the 9th of July 2020 to bring our common aims quickly forward. Our web page gives an overview of QUAREP-LiMi’s work. In the 3rd General Meeting, WG 11 “Microscopy Publication Standards” and later WGs 12 “Image Visualization and Analysis” and 13 “Phototoxicity” were established. WG 14 “Environment” and 15 “FLIM” are in the process of being established, and WG 8 is restructured to work on “Education, Training and Outreach”.
QUAREP-LiMi operates a NextCloud and an OMERO server, serving as a centralized repository and exchange point for our collective work. These platforms facilitate collaboration and data sharing among our members.
QUAREP-LiMi is absolutely open to new members, and we are looking forward to your contribution. If you are interested in joining our initiative, please fill out our membership form. Use our form for changing your working group (WG) or joining a new WG. For any further questions, please contact us.
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Working Group 2
60th meeting, 9th of March 2026
Meeting date
09/03/2026 @ 5:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
Agenda
- Organizational matters and News
- Preparation for WG2 elections
- WG2 contribution to ELMI 2026
- Updates on: theory paper, FOM 2026 poster
- Work on comparison protocol
- Summary and next steps
Summary
After agreeing on the next meeting dates and reporting from the last SC meeting, we discussed the upcoming elections for our WG2 co-chairs and representatives. This was followed by a finishing the abstracts for our planned two workshop contributions for ELMI2026. The theory paper preparation group planned to meet at FOM, where some WG2 members will present our work on a poster.
The reminder of the meeting of worked on our comparison protocol. We discussed several aspects and came to the conclusion that we need to start by defining the acceptable variations of the light source used for determining detector parameters. This we will discuss in the next meeting. In addition, we need to measure several detectors to get an overview of performance variability. We will discuss a workflow and timeline in the upcoming meeting.
59th meeting, 9th of February 2026
Meeting date
09/02/2026 @ 5:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
Agenda
- Organizational matters and News
- WG2 contribution to ELMI 2026
- Updates on: theory paper, FOM 2026 poster abstract, LiMi-model – camera model & glossary, dexel – pixel project
- Work on comparison protocol
- Summary and next steps
Summary
The meeting began with discussions about poster presentations, workshops, co-chairs, and meeting attendance statistics, followed by confirmation of upcoming meeting dates and agenda items. The team reviewed updates on various initiatives including ELMI 2026, Working Group 11’s publication, and the LiMi-model webpage, while also discussing workshop proposals and potential contributions to the ELMI 2026 conference. The group focused on developing comparison protocols for microscope and detection systems, deciding to prioritize consistent measurement protocols over complex system comparisons, with plans to invite Working Group 1 members for further discussion.58th meeting, 12th of January 2026
Meeting date
12/01/2026 @ 5:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
Agenda
- Organizational matters and News
- Update on theory paper
- Poster abstract for FOM 2026
- Update on LiMi-model – camera model & glossary
- Update on dexel – pixel approval process
- Topics for 2026 – priorities and timelines
Summary
We started the meeting with agreeing on our next meeting dates and what to report to the SC meeting the next day. This was followed by an update on the theory paper project and endorsement for a poster abstract for FOM 2026. Next we shared the great news that the 5-year-long camera model and glossary project finished the revision by the stakeholder group. The next step is to go to the SC with a proposal for change (PFC) for approval to go to phase 4 (community approval). The dexel-pixel project interest group consisting of members of WGs 2, 7, and 10, finished the approval rounds through the respective working groups. Next, the texts will be presented to the SC for approval and subsequent dissemination. We finished the meeting with discussing the various topics we as WG2 want to work on in 2026. The order of the topics was also discussed and agreed. We will start in our February meeting with working on a protocol to compare measurements between two detection and / or microscope systems.57th meeting, 08th of December 2025
Meeting date
08/12/2025 @ 5:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
Agenda
- Organizational matters and News
- Update on theory paper
- Update on LiMi-model – / NBO-Q camera model & glossary
- Report from dexel – pixel stakeholder group meetings
- Recap of 2025 and outlook to 2026
Summary
The meeting started with a brief summary of the last Steering Committee meeting, which included decision on the name “LiMi-model” to replace “NBO-Q”, planning for the annual meeting, announcement of three open positions for QUAREP-LiMi funded through a DFG grant, and report from work by WG11 which will be published soon. We continued the meeting with discussing the next steps for our theory paper and the possibility to represent our work with a poster during FOM 2026. After a short about the current status of our camera model and glossary work, we went through the documents prepared by the dexel-pixel stakeholder group. WG2 approved the definitions with potential change to the pixel definition by WG10. In addition, the social media text and long texts were approved too and sent to WG10 for their approval. We will review the result in our January meeting, before the whole document is sent to the SC for approval. Since this was the last meeting in 2025, we finished with a short recap of our achievements in 2025 and outlook to our plans for 2026.56th meeting, 10th of November 2025
Meeting date
10/11/2025 @ 5:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
Agenda
- Organizational matters and News
- Update on theory paper
- Short update on NBO-Q camera model & glossary
- Discussion about dexel vs pixel text
Summary
After an initial discussion and open question about the correct procedure for writing the paper—particularly regarding contributions and data sharing—the conversation moved to the paper draft. The subgroup presented the main document they are working on and addressed key points such as the choice of journal and the paper format, which will likely be a scientific report or review. It was agreed that formal guidelines and a brainstorming session will be needed to define protocol updates and determine how much new data can be included. At the beginning of next year, a smaller subgroup should be formed with clearer ideas on these issues, and efforts should be made to invite additional contributors, especially from company representatives.
A brief summary of the last Steering Committee meeting followed: new funding opportunities were confirmed, and the success of the DFG application was noted. The need to create an OMERO subgroup was highlighted, and Britta reported on her presentation during a Springer/Nature webinar on WG2 protocols. The group also discussed concerns about FAIR data sharing costs but concluded that the topic extends beyond WG2; the Steering Committee will be informed. Additional updates were provided on the NBO-Q camera model and glossary, as well as on the ongoing discussion regarding dexel versus pixel terminology together with WG10.
55th meeting, 13th of October 2025
Meeting date
13/10/2025 @ 5:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
Agenda
- Organizational matters and News
- New name for NBO-Q model
- Update on NBO-Q camera model & glossary
- Discussion about dexel vs pixel text
- Update on theory paper
At the beginning of our meeting, we shared information from the SC meeting: a big NSF grant was approved and process for finding a better suited name for our model was agreed.
Next, we discussed the proposed names for the model to replace NBO-Q and agreed that WG2 endorses the suggestions by WG7: LiMi Model. Our camera part of the model is still in the process of being finished, one more meeting round needs to be organised. Specifically, the definitions and describing texts for pixels (as picture elements) and dexels (as detector elements) need to be finalised. We discussed the suggested definitions and text drafts. In the last part of the meeting, the paper subgroup reported about their progress. The content of the work in progress will be shared on the QUAREP-LiMi cloud, in a folder privat to the paper subgroup.
Working Group 3
Working Group 4
56th meeting, 21st of July 2026
Meeting summary
WG04 had a presentation from one of its members, Junqing, from the National Physical Laboratory, UK, on “Dimensionally Traceable 3D Microstructures for Multimodal Microscope Calibration,” followed by a group discussion. The group then discussed the upcoming group elections (for SC, ERB, and OBs); the current co-chairs stated they are willing to remain in their positions, though new nominations are welcome. The group will set up a nomination/election poll.
54th meeting, 21st of April 2026
Meeting date
21/04/2026 @ 5:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
The working group discussed the issue of low attendance at meetings and considered the possibility of increasing visibility through social media channels. This matter will be raised with the Steering Committee (SC) for further guidance.
The group also addressed the development of a new protocol for widefield (WF) and spinning disk (SD) microscopy systems. Attending members agreed to prepare an initial draft covering both modalities. MA will share a link to the first version of the protocol ahead of the next meeting to enable further discussion.
Finally, it was noted that the WG04 abstract submitted for a workshop at ELMI 2026 has been accepted.
53rd meeting, 17th of March 2026
Meeting date
17/03/2026 @ 5:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
The WG was updated by LacJ about the feedback requests from the other WGs and the general news from Quarep‑LiMi. The WG then discussed the abstract outline to be submitted for a workshop at ELMI 2026.
52nd meeting, 17th of February 2026
Meeting date
17/02/2026 @ 5:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
PS updated the group on the latest news from QUAREP‑LiMi. The group discussed the protocol changes to be implemented. AB presented results obtained on different systems from his facility. Based on these findings, new action items were defined. The next meeting is scheduled for March 23.
Working Group 5
62st meeting, 9th of July 2026
Meeting date
09/07/2026 @ 3:30 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
Meeting covered volunteers for elected posts, ELMI feedback, OMERO upload catch up and data collected so far to determine best bead size for ISM based systems. Lastly, a presentation from an intern at the French metrology group detailing software development for identifying aberrant PSFs.
Working Group 6
Working Group 7
40th meeting, 9th of March 2026
Meeting date
09/03/2026 @ 5:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
Topics:
1) WG7 Participation in the ELMI Meeting
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It was agreed that WG7 will submit an abstract for a community workshop at ELMI, focused on the LiMi-Model.
Also, it was decided that WG7 will support WG2 on a workshop or poster about the LiMi-Model_Camera revision process and outcome.
2) Discussion on the LiMi-Model website and LiMi-Model Viewer
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Participants were requested to provide feedback on the following three topics (please find details in the minutes document):
1) The LiMi-Model Viewer functionality
2) The LiMi-Model Viewer legend
3) The BP document
3) Content of the ELMI LiMi-Model Workshop
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This workshop will serve as the first major outreach effort for the LiMi-Model, covering its purpose, governance structure, and the ways in which community members can engage and contribute.
To provide a broader context, the workshop will open with an introductory presentation situating the LiMi-Model within the wider landscape of community metadata initiatives, including REMBI, imaging modality ontologies (such as FBbi and EDAM), and Next Generation Metadata schema definition languages. This aims to bring greater clarity to the range of ongoing efforts in the field.
The workshop will cover the following topics:
– Presentation of the LiMi-Model website
– Presentation of the model visualisation (prepared by Antony)
– Overview of model governance and contribution pathways
39th meeting, 19th of January 2026
Meeting date
19/01/2026 @ 5:00 AM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
WG7 met to kick off 2026 with introductions, including a few new faces, and a round where everyone shared their wishes for the year ahead. The group caught up on ongoing work around light microscopy metadata, including LiMi-Model, REMBI alignment, and links to efforts beyond bioimaging. We discussed updates on repositories, community coordination, and the fact that several new full-time positions have now been funded to work specifically on metadata extensibility. Looking ahead, the group plans a future presentation on the Czech national strategy for metadata, and agreed on a handful of practical next steps to keep the different efforts better aligned.
38th meeting, 17th of November 2025
Meeting date
03/11/2025 @ 5:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
The following decisions were made regarding the revision of the QC/Performance Extension of the NBO-Q (aka LiMi Model)
DECISION 1: “QC/QC Run” shall be fused with “QC/QA assay”
DECISION 2: DateTime and ProtocolUsed fields will be added to both Sample and Experiment
NEXT STEP: CONSENSUS: invite people from QUAREP WG12 and BINA Informatics WG to present about the current state of the art. Ask them to provide a representative who will be available to present at our next meeting.
37th meeting, 15th of September 2025
Meeting date
15/09/2025 @ 5:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
Discussion about the new name for the NBO-Q model: WG7 will present the three finalist names to the SC and present the pros and cons of each of the three names. At the same time, a vote was held to determine the preferred name of WG7.
2) Update on the status of the NBO-Q webpage: Anthony presented progress towards an interactive viewer of the NBO-Q to be used for the website.
3) REMBI-DCAT-AP presentation: Marek Cebecauer presented work performed by the Czech Core Metadata Model (CCMM) initiative to build a DCAT-based REMBI schema.
4) Announcement of the successful funding of the Imaging-Persistent Hardware Descriptor (PHD) project to assign persistent identifiers to individual microscopes and their hardware descriptors.
36h meeting, 16th of June 2025
Meeting date
16/06/2025 @ 5:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
We had an extended conversation about the naming of the NBO-Q model, eliminating some of the previous suggestions and adding a few new which will be sent out to WG7 again for further voting. We also looked at the status of the website update and reported on discussions from ELMI.
35th meeting, 5th of May 2025
Meeting date
05/05/2025 @ 5:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
Worked on aligning attributes from the “MetricDataset”, “MetricsOutput” and “KeyMeasurements” classes of microscopemetrics-schema
with NBO-Q
NEXT STEPS:
Discuss with Julio ML about the mapping and questions that were put forth during this meeting
Working Group 8
14th meeting, 23rd of April 2025
Meeting date
23/04/2025 @ 4:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
Summary (topics discussed): Presented and discussed objectives and survey, provided feedback from GerBI, who saw the survey. Sylvia and Gaby showed the latest changes made to the survey. Asked for more contributions (links were shared again). Angela suggested also we have someone more expert on surveys go through the questions (especially making it quantifiable through better structured Likert scales?).
Once this is sorted the Gaby sends a preview of the survey to all QUAREP for final feedback, on the spirit of opening to all community before going public with results.
We ten plan for a date for releasing if and when there is consensus.
Ask also to vote on whether we can/should ask for email (as optional, never mandatory!).
Working Group 9
Working Group 10
41st meeting, 09th of December 2025
Meeting date
09/12/2025 @ 4:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
Discussion about dexel definition work between WG2, WG7 and WG10;
Raw image definition paper V0.8: What‘s new? What remins to be done? Proofreading and assignment of tasks. Target publication date, timeline and help (all)
40th meeting, 14th of October 2025
Meeting date
14/10/2025 @ 4:00 PM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
Discussion about Pixel vs Dexel definitions. Validation of the document.
Presentation by John Oreopoulos (Andor) about methods to measure internal scan head background levels, discussions.
Working Group 11
18th meeting, 9th of February 2023
Meeting summary
In order to get the finalized draft, we agreed on having the next meeting in two weeks. We will meet on Thursday Feb 9th at 11 am EST, 5pm CEST.
We will start our discussion from the “Detectors” section. The only homework assigned to you is to read the current checklist document and start thinking about how you feel about the metadata items to be ready to have another great discussion.
We will work on the checklist, but we will update the mind map too.
17th meeting, 26th January 2023
Meeting date
26/01/2023 @ 10:29 AM (CET/CEST)
Meeting summary
We are looking forward to continuing our work on publishing standards with you. As suggested, we are dedicating 1.5 h to our recurring meeting, which happens on the 4th Thursday of the month, at 11 am Boston time, 5 pm Berlin time. Thank you!