Revolutionary microscopy: Nobel Prize winner Stefan Hell in focus!

Revolutionary microscopy: Nobel Prize winner Stefan Hell in focus!

On October 18, 2025, the Technical University of Dortmund will welcome a special guest: the Nobel Prize winner Prof. Stefan W. Hell. He is known for his groundbreaking work in the field of microscopy and will give a lecture as part of the “Initial Ignition” event series, supported by the Wilo Foundation. Hell is a powerful example of how an idea whose time has come can change the scientific world.

At the beginning of his career, Hell's visionary idea of ​​exceeding the resolution limit of light was ridiculed by many. His research aimed to visualize structures smaller than 200 nanometers - a challenge that was previously considered insurmountable. The development of high-resolution optical STED microscopy, for which Hell was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2014 together with Eric Betzig and William Moerner, represented a revolutionary breakthrough in light microscopy that could fundamentally change scientific research.

STED microscopy: A technological breakthrough

STED technology makes it possible to overcome the diffraction limit of light. It enables up to ten times better resolution compared to conventional fluorescence microscopes. This method has not only revolutionized research in basic science, but also gives biologists and physicians the ability to study living cells in more detail than ever before. Particular attention is paid to the neuronal synapses, whose structure and function were made comprehensively visible for the first time using STED microscopy.

Hell developed the STED technique at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, where his team obtained the first detailed images of neuronal synapses in 2006. This was a crucial step towards deep insight into biological processes. Before Hell, light microscopy was considered to be at its limit for structures smaller than 200 nanometers, so there was no prior work that predicted such progress.

Exchange and inspiration

The event at TU Dortmund University will end with a discussion session that will allow the audience to get in direct contact with the Nobel Prize winner. Those interested must register to participate by November 4th. The “Initial Ignition” series has already welcomed numerous prominent guests, including greats such as Prof. Frances Arnold, Prof. Erwin Neher and Prof. Klaus von Klitzing, who are also Nobel Prize winners.

Stefan W. Hell is not only an outstanding scientist, but also an example of the power of ideas. He has shown that many scientific advances are initially not recognized by the general public until the time is finally ripe. His work has pushed the boundaries of microscopy and opened up new opportunities for research.

The interest in STED microscopy and the new technologies that Hell helped develop can be felt at many institutes around the world. These techniques provide completely new insights into the life of cells and the processes that take place in both health and disease. The Nobel Prize is not only an award for individual achievements, but also stands for the progress of science and the tireless human spirit.

For more information about Stefan W. Hell's achievements and the upcoming lecture, please visit the website TU Dortmund, Max Planck Institute and Science.de.