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Francisco Balzarotti

We develop novel optical methods and instrumentation for the observation of biological phenomena with the highest fidelity. In particular, we focus on super resolution fluorescence imaging and single molecule tracking implementations that offer outstanding spatial and/or temporal resolution. By bringing together expertise in optics, electronics, data processing, labelling and photophysics, we develop solutions to transverse obstacles in biology and biophysics such as quantification of protein clusters and complexes, and identification of protein interaction and dynamics.

Publications

Liu, Y., Dong, J., Augusto Maya, J., Balzarotti, F., Unser, M. (2025)

Point-spread-function engineering in MINFLUX: optimality of donut and half-moon excitation patterns.

 Opt Lett. 50(1):37-40
Gwosch, KC., Balzarotti, F., Pape, JK., Hoess, P., Ellenberg, J., Ries, J., Matti, U., Schmidt, R., Sahl, SJ., Hell, SW. (2023)

Reply to: Assessment of 3D MINFLUX data for quantitative structural biology in cells.

 Nat Methods. 20(1):52-54
Gwosch, KC., Pape, JK., Balzarotti, F., Hoess, P., Ellenberg, J., Ries, J., Hell, SW. (2020)

MINFLUX nanoscopy delivers 3D multicolor nanometer resolution in cells.

 Nat Methods. 17(2):217-224
Pape, JK., Stephan, T., Balzarotti, F., Büchner, R., Lange, F., Riedel, D., Jakobs, S., Hell, SW. (2020)

Multicolor 3D MINFLUX nanoscopy of mitochondrial MICOS proteins.

 Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 117(34):20607-20614
Stephan, T., Brüser, C., Deckers, M., Steyer, AM., Balzarotti, F., Barbot, M., Behr, TS., Heim, G., Hübner, W., Ilgen, P., Lange, F., Pacheu-Grau, D., Pape, JK., Stoldt, S., Huser, T., Hell, SW., Möbius, W., Rehling, P., Riedel, D., Jakobs, S. (2020)

MICOS assembly controls mitochondrial inner membrane remodeling and crista junction redistribution to mediate cristae formation.

 EMBO J. 39(14):e104105
Eilers, Y., Ta, H., Gwosch, KC., Balzarotti, F., Hell, SW. (2018)

MINFLUX monitors rapid molecular jumps with superior spatiotemporal resolution.

 Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 115(24):6117-6122
Balzarotti, F., Eilers, Y., Gwosch, KC., Gynnå, AH., Westphal, V., Stefani, FD., Elf, J., Hell, SW. (2017)

Nanometer resolution imaging and tracking of fluorescent molecules with minimal photon fluxes.

 Science. 355(6325):606-612
D'Este, E., Kamin, D., Balzarotti, F., Hell, SW. (2017)

Ultrastructural anatomy of nodes of Ranvier in the peripheral nervous system as revealed by STED microscopy.

 Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 114(2):E191-E199
Sahl, SJ., Balzarotti, F., Keller-Findeisen, J., Leutenegger, M., Westphal, V., Egner, A., Lavoie-Cardinal, F., Chmyrov, A., Grotjohann, T., Jakobs, S. (2016)

Comment on "Extended-resolution structured illumination imaging of endocytic and cytoskeletal dynamics".

 Science. 352(6285):527
Testa, I., D'Este, E., Urban, NT., Balzarotti, F., Hell, SW. (2015)

Dual channel RESOLFT nanoscopy by using fluorescent state kinetics.

 Nano Lett. 15(1):103-6
Balzarotti, F., Stefani, FD. (2012)

Plasmonics meets far-field optical nanoscopy.

 ACS Nano. 6(6):4580-4
Domené, EA., Balzarotti, F., Bragas, AV., Martínez, OE. (2009)

Photothermal measurement of absorption and scattering losses in thin films excited by surface plasmons.

 Opt Lett. 34(24):3797-9