Rok Podlipec, Luka Pirker, Ana Krišelj, and Primož Pelicon from the Condensed Matter Physics Department and the Department of Low and Medium Energy Physics, in collaboration with colleagues from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (Germany) and Elettra-Sincrotrone (Italy), have published an article in the journal ACS Nano. The article presents new approaches in advanced high-resolution correlative microscopy that can be used to uncover the mechanisms of interaction between harmful nanoparticles and lung epithelium. In their study, the researchers used a combination of optical, ion and electron microscopy techniques - on the same samples - to analyze the relationship between the structural and functional characteristics of cellular responses to TiO₂ nanoparticles, as well as their biological effects. Key findings include the extensive accumulation of essential minerals and iron, the binding of DNA molecules, and the localized formation of fibrous structures of likely fibrin origin on lung cell surfaces where the nanoparticles had been immobilized. These processes confirm the activation of immune responses and improve our understanding of the early stages of inflammation. The experimental approach developed provides a solid foundation for future research into the initial mechanisms of nanoparticle toxicity in biological systems at the nanoscale.