To develop non-invasive imaging approaches of cellular events is one of the frontiers of present time biomedical research. In particular in the diabetes field a major need is to develop strategies for the non-invasive monitoring of dynamic processes in the pancreas, including changes in beta cell mass and the inflammatory processes occurring during the development of type-1 and type-2 diabetes. Such approaches would have a tremendous clinical value, spanning from early prediction/diagnosis of type-1 diabetes to monitoring the response to potential beta cell restoration schemes. Another aspect concerns improvement of the islet transplantation procedure by providing the possibility of non-invasive "real-time" monitoring of graft evolution. The mission of the Cell Imaging unit is to conceive, develop and validate cellular imaging approaches for the visualization in the preclinical model of islets, beta cells, stem cells and inflammation. So far we have concentrated our work on setting-up read-outs for cellular stress by means of fluorescence microscopy and on improving the procedure for detection of intrahepatic transplanted islets by magnetic resonance imaging. The latter protocol is being translated in a clinical trial on diabetic patients receiving islet transplantation.