During the week of April 7–11, the Fundamentals in Optical Microscopy course was held at the Institut Pasteur de Montevideo. We took this opportunity to speak with Dr. Claire Brown, Director of the Advanced BioImaging Facility (ABIF) at McGill University in Montreal, and one of the key figures behind the Train-the-Trainer model in microscopy. Claire shared her vision on how building an international network of expert microscopy trainers, rather than working in isolation, and sharing training materials can accelerate the spread of knowledge, empower new trainers, and strengthen sustainable microscopy education around the world.
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When Claire Brown, Director of the Advanced BioImaging Facility at McGill University, began developing microscopy courses 15 years ago, she had to build everything from scratch. “It was a lot of work, and I’ve never liked to see people reinvent the wheel,” she recalls. Her solution? Share the wheel, and teach others how to drive.
That philosophy became the foundation for the Train-the-Trainer (TtT) model in light microscopy, a program that not only offers technical instruction but also fosters a collaborative international community of educators. Claire’s vision has been instrumental in shaping sustainable training ecosystems around the world, including in Latin America.
“The idea of training trainers and sharing training resources, so people could build on it and make it better for their own communities, was really appealing to me,” Claire explains.
So far, the TtT course has been held in Buenos Aires and Montreal, training 37 microscopy educators from various countries. The next edition is set to take place in Melbourne, Australia, expanding this vibrant network even further.
But beyond teaching microscopy fundamentals, the TtT model is about building human connections. During the course, Claire dedicates time for participants to introduce themselves, share their background and even talk about their hobbies. “That really breaks the ice and helps build lasting connections,” she says.
One of the most inspiring success stories of this approach is that of Marcela Díaz, a biologist-turned-imaging scientist from Uruguay. Trained by Claire, Marcela has gone on to lead two editions of the Curso de Fundamentos en Microscopía Óptica through the Advanced Bioimaging Unit (UBA) in Montevideo.
“This year, Marcela organized the entire course herself, along with her team. I came just to support, and it’s wonderful to see that they don’t need me anymore,” Claire says proudly. “That’s success: when the knowledge lives on and grows without you.”
Marcela recently shared her journey in Nature Careers, highlighting how mentorship helped her transition from trainee to trainer and build new training pathways in Latin America. Read the full article here.
At LABI, we believe that initiatives like Claire’s are crucial for strengthening the region’s scientific capacity and training the next generation of researchers so that they have the tools and expertise they need for scientific discovery and innovation. Her work not only improves access to quality training but also creates a culture of sharing, mentorship, and collective growth.
“By doing it as a community and sharing the resources,” Claire emphasizes, “we’re able to reach more people, much faster.”
And that’s exactly the kind of momentum we need to keep building a thriving bioimaging ecosystem, from Montreal to Montevideo, and beyond.
