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H E A L T H I N N O V A T I O N , O V E R C O M I N G D I S E A S E S A N D P A N D E M I C S

The research field of health innovation and advancements in disease management made substantial progress in 2023 at the ESRF, largely attributable to the enhanced capabilities of the new Extremely Brilliant Source (EBS). This cutting- edge research, highlighted in the articles that follow, spans a spectrum of disciplines, revealing insights into the intricate mechanisms of various physiological and pathological processes.

One notable area of investigation involves the utilisation of X-ray-based hierarchical phase-contrast tomography at the BM18/BM05 beamlines to unravel the enigmatic lung scarring mechanisms in conditions such as Long- COVID syndrome or pulmonary fibrosis (page 12). Through this technique, researchers have unveiled unprecedented details of the structural alterations within the lung tissue, shedding light on the lingering impacts of respiratory illnesses and paving the way for targeted therapeutic interventions. Turning our attention to neurobiology, researchers have employed X-ray holographic nanotomography on ID16A to investigate how neurons sense leg movements in the common fruit fly (page 14). This innovative approach has opened a window into the complex neural circuits governing movement perception, offering insights that extend beyond basic neuroscience to potential applications in the fields of robotics and prosthetics.

The impact of X-ray irradiation on bone nanocomposites has been investigated using micro-computed tomography imaging at ID19, revealing damage to collagen due to high-energy photoelectron excitation (page 16). This finding has implications for understanding the effects of radiation on bone integrity, particularly relevant in medical contexts such as radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging. The biomechanical properties of bone tissue have been a subject of intense investigation, with X-ray scattering experiments on ID13 combined

with micromechanical testing providing unprecedented insights into the nonlinear mechanical properties of bone tissue on the microscopic and molecular levels (page 18). This holistic approach enhances our understanding of bone biomechanics and lays the groundwork for advancements in orthopaedics and regenerative medicine.

Within the field of bioimaging, a ground-breaking technique exploiting high-energy X-ray fluorescence (XRF) microscopy has been developed at ID15A, enabling ultrafast, non-destructive and multiplexed targeted molecular contrast for X-ray bioimaging (page 20). This advancement holds promise for revolutionising diagnostic imaging, providing clinicians with a powerful tool for rapid and detailed assessments of biological tissues. Environmental research has been carried out using XRF microscopy at ID21 and nano-XRF mapping at ID16B, which have emerged as powerful tools for tracking environmental pollutants, such as iron, in endometrial lesions (page 22). This capability enables a deeper understanding of the impact of environmental factors on human health, particularly in the context of reproductive health and disease.

In muscle physiology, X-ray diffraction experiments at ID02 have contributed to the fundamental understanding of muscle contraction by elucidating how the titin protein activates molecular motors in muscle, unravelling the intricacies of the molecular machinery that underlies muscle function (page 24). These findings are also promising for the development of novel strategies for treating muscle-related disorders.

Furthermore, macromolecular X-ray crystallography (MX) conducted at our MX beamlines (ID23-1, ID23-2, ID30A-1, ID30A-3, ID30B and ID29) has played a crucial role in deciphering the three-dimensional structures of proteins, enzymes and viruses at atomic