GUI development for single-molecule fluorescent image processing

Research Summary

Single-Molecule Super-Resolution Microscopy (smSRM) is a powerful imaging technique that allows the visualization of cellular structures at a higher resolution, which is widely applied in many fields of study. However, the ability for undergraduate and graduate students to comprehend the smSRM is limited, particularly for beginners who are not familiar with all the biophysical principles behind this technique. To address this, here we created a homemade easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI) to demonstrate the fundamental concept of smSRM, the fitting of super-resolved images, as well as the significance of key characteristics that would affect the image quality. This user-friendly software makes it intuitive for students to better understand and utilize the smSRM technique, and provides insights into how to design and explore single-molecule super-resolved experiments, and we hope it would inspire more people who are interested in this field to get in touch on this technique.