In this interview, electron microscopy expert Erin Tranfield (EMBL Postdoc, 2009-2013) discusses her unconventional career path with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoc 1999-2004) which led from researching air pollution's impact on the heart to studying lunar dust toxicology at NASA. She explains that electron microscopy is a powerful tool because it uses electrons instead of photons to achieve a higher resolution, allowing scientists to distinguish structures that are extremely close together.

Beyond technical details, Erin highlights the breadth of biological research in space exploration, ranging from waste management to growing food in alien soil. She also stresses the importance of fine-tuning imaging techniques to match spe ...