Stanford researchers introduced interferometric Image Scanning Microscopy (iISM), a label‑free imaging technique that combines interferometry and image‑scanning methods to visualize live cellular structures at roughly 120‑nanometer resolution without fluorescent labels. The platform was presented as a tool to overcome phototoxicity and perturbation associated with fluorescence microscopy. The team demonstrated iISM’s ability to image cellular architecture and dynamic responses—such as pathogen or drug intrusion—while preserving native context and avoiding bleaching or label‑related artifacts. The technology integrates interferometric contrast with high spatial resolution for longitudinal live‑cell studies. Inventors say iISM will open new experimental possibilities in cell biology, enabling observation of subcellular interactions and metabolic responses in real time and in situ. For lab directors and imaging cores: iISM may reduce reliance on fluorescent probes for certain assays, but will require evaluation of throughput, compatibility with existing workflows and downstream quantification compared with established modalities.