When biology meets materials science – Interdisciplinary applications of electron microscopy

Research at the interface between biology and materials science creates challenges for electron microscopists. Everything from the sample preparation to the choice of imaging and analytical techniques and the interpretation of the resulting data refuses to sit comfortably within the domain of one discipline or the other. Ultimately, these problems are best addressed by an interdisciplinary team that brings together expertise from both sides. While working in this environment can be challenging, with the need to learn new approaches, new language, and step outsides one's comfort zone, the benefits can be significant. Here we highlight those benefits using three examples of our own interdisciplinary collaborations (involving nanoparticles and other inorganic materials in plants, and nanostructures in butterflies) to encourage more electron microscopy researchers to reach out and embrace their colleagues on the other side of the interdisciplinary divide.