About Us

The Association of Clinical Electron Microscopists (ACEM) aims to promote awareness, teaching and best practice of clinical electron microscopy, i.e. electron microscopy applied to human specimens for the purpose of diagnosis and research.

Having a Biopsy?

A key part of the work of ACEM members is providing important medical diagnostic information from biopsies. Electron microscopy is particularly important in the fields of kidney disease, muscle pathology, tumour pathology, neuropathology, paediatric pathology, studies of ciliary structure, parasitic protozoan infections in AIDS, viral gastroenteritis and viral infections of the skin. Find out more…

Founded in 1998, ACEM represents clinical electron microscopy in the UK at government and health professional organisation level. Although UK-based, we have overseas members around the world.

What is a biopsy?

A biopsy is a piece of tissue which is removed from a living body for the purpose of examination for medical diagnosis. This is usually done as a minor operation under local anaesthetic.

A biopsy is taken to aid the consultant physician in obtaining a diagnosis…. find out more…
 

Fabrys disease (renal biopsy)
 
Fabrys disease (renal biopsy)

 

Dark-staining tonofibrils and intercellular junctions (desmosomes), distinctive for epithelial cells – neck tumour.
 
Dark-staining tonofibrils and intercellular junctions (desmosomes), distinctive for epithelial cells – neck tumour.

 

Renal-Glomerulous
 
Renal Glomerulous