The combination of new probes with advanced microscopy allows real time observation of biological processes in living cells at an unprecedented level. In particular, semiconductor quantum dots, coupled with high speed confocal microscopy, make it possible to resolve individual steps of molecular motors with nanometer spatial resolution and millisecond time resolution. By developing a new reporter protein, we are able to observe stochastic events of gene expression, and detecte protein being generated one molecule at a time in E. Coli cells. Advances in Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) microscopy enable us to visualize living cells and tissues based on vibrational spectroscopy without fluorescence labels.