The Life Imaging Center (LIC) at the Hilde Mangold Haus (HMH) and the BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies is the central light microscopy facility of the University of Freiburg. It was established in 2001 and with a space of 380 m² it offers the whole spectrum of modern advanced light microscopy techniques for more than 300 users from natural sciences, the medical center and the technical faculty. It is also open to external users from other research institutes. The LIC has 12 confocal microscopes and 9 wide-field microscopes. They can be used for specialized techniques, like two-photon and high-speed microscopy, photo-manipulation and -activation, spinning disk, laser ablation, FLIM as well as ratio imaging, FRET, TIRF and time-lapse imaging. Super-resolution microscopy set-ups for 3D applications using gated STED technology, SIM, STORM or AIRYSCAN are also available. A major research focus of the LIC users is the work with organisms or cell culture systems that are commonly used in developmental biology, systems biology or cell signaling research. Commonly used samples are: Danio rerio, Arabidopsis, Drosophila, Xenopus, C. elegans, mice, as well as primary cells or long-term cultures and cell clusters (e.g. cysts, biopsies). A computer lab with 12 workstations, equipped with latest image analysis tools and visualization software, enables image processing and data analysis from acquisition to publication. At present, the LIC has, besides the head of the facility, three employees (scientists and technical staff). The LIC is founding member of the DFG-Gerätezentrum MIAP (Microscopy and Image Analysis Platform), a tri-national network of core facilities offering access to a big range of different light and electron microscopes, microscopy research and development labs, and image analysis departments in Freiburg, Basel, Strasbourg and Mulhouse.