Laure Plantard: A journey through microscopy, mountains and inclusion

In this interview, we spoke with Laure Plantard, a research associate at the FMI’s Facility for Advanced Imaging and Microscopy (FAIM). With a strong passion for hands-on work, Laure found her niche in supporting researchers with microscopy techniques, while also being committed to fostering an inclusive work environment and improving communication across diverse teams.

What led you to work as a research associate at FAIM’

While doing my postdocs at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and EMBL Heidelberg, I made lists of things I liked and disliked in my work. For example, I enjoyed being hands-on with the microscope but wasn’t too fond of writing papers. I found my first position at the University of Copenhagen, joining their Microscope Facility. After six years there, I spent two years in Dresden at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics. Moving to the FMI was a tough decision because I loved Dresden, but the possibility of a permanent position here was very appealing. I also love mountains, and after six years in Denmark, I was really craving some!

What does your work at FAIM involve’
I interact with anyone who needs to use a microscope. We discuss their research and try to find the best instrument to help them answer their exciting questions. I also look for new instruments that could be suited to specific projects and I take care of the microscopes, ensuring they perform as they should. Additionally, I handle some administrative tasks, teach a bit, and help organize courses on important topics such as specific techniques in microscopy. Do you have a favorite microscope’
I don’t have a favorite. Each microscope has its own personality. But I do enjoy using the spinning disk microscopes because they acquire images quickly-you don’t have to wait minutes for an image. We have several of them, and I find them fun to work with. You’re also involved in the institute’s EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) efforts. Can you tell us about that’
Facilities staff like myself are not often asked to be part of bigger initiatives, so when the Inclusive Communication Taskforce asked for volunteers, I jumped at the chance. I’m still figuring out exactly how I can help, but one suggestion I made was to involve everyone interested in populating the EDI page on the FMI intranet, so it reflects the diversity of the people here. Some of the scientists you work with may have different physical or cognitive needs. How do you support them’
We’ve had scientists with ADHD [Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder] or hearing loss, or people who needed help with handling some parts of the microscopes. We try to adapt our training methods to accommodate them. It’s important that everyone feels welcome and able to work. When we moved to FMI’s new building, one had to be between 1.70 and 1.80 meters tall to easily reach the microscope switches, which excluded a lot of people. We’ve since addressed that, but since many years we have stools in every microscopy room to make sure that everybody can reach switches. How could the FMI support your efforts to create a more inclusive environment’
In facilities, we interact with a lot of people, so improving our communication skills is always important. It would be great to have training on how to communicate better, especially with people from different cultural backgrounds and those with special needs. How do you see the future of EDI efforts at the FMI’
The institute has already made a lot of progress, but there’s always more to do. I’d love if facility staff could be involved in some way during the visits of prospective PhD students. We could offer tours of the facilities, for example, so that applicants can see firsthand what we do and what opportunities are available to them. Outside of work, how do you spend your time’
I love being in the mountains - skiing, climbing, mountaineering. I even tried paragliding for a while, but now I mostly hike. I’m a bit of an introvert, so after interacting with a lot of people during the week, I like to recharge by being alone in nature. I also enjoy reading graphic novels. One of my favorites is The Photographer, which tells the story of a photographer who followed a team from Doctors Without Borders through the mountains of Afghanistan in the 1980s.

Born and raised in Burgundy, France, Laure Plantard studied biology at the universities of Dijon, Lille, and Montpellier. She completed her PhD at the University of Lausanne, where she focused on genetic skin diseases. During postdoctoral research at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and EMBL Heidelberg, Laure developed a passion for microscopy. This led her to join the Microscope Facilities at the University of Copenhagen and the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden before becoming a member of the Facility for Advanced Imaging and Microscopy at the FMI in 2020.