About the Course

The five-day theoretical course with practical demonstrations is devoted to modern light and electron microscopy, and the program is updated every year to reflect the newest trends. The course covers the theoretical background of microscopy as well as fundamental techniques in microscopy, and continues quickly to cutting-edge methods like super-resolution light microscopy, light-sheet microscopy, imaging of whole living organisms, and cryo-electron microscopy.

In the theoretical part, the course will cover the principles of light and electron microscopy, image creation, biological sample preparation recommendations, and will provide a guidance through the principal image processing procedures. The practical part of the course consists of demonstrations in smaller groups at the instruments, covering a wide range of microscopy methods, including Koehler illumination adjustment, widefield fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence macroscopy, confocal scanning and spinning disc microscopy, quantitative phase microscopy, light-sheet microscopy, advanced superresolution microscopy (STED, SIM), transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and cryo-methods of EM sample preparation.

After completing the course, the participant will be able to determine which microscopic technique should be used in order to answer the research question, including the sample preparation and data processing for publication. However, do not expect a detailed technical training on the microscopes or advanced training on sample preparation, super-resolution techniques or electron microscopy, these are part of the more specialized courses which we highly recommend (see course.img.cas.cz for details).

The course is primarily intended for PhD students and young researchers in the biomedical fields. A number of doctoral committees counts this course towards the fulfillment of student’s study obligations.

The course is an introduction to both light and electron microscopy with solid theoretical background extended with many practical presentations. The lectures and also practical sessions are taught by experts and scientists from the field or by product specialists from leading microscopy companies.

Language

The course will be taught in English.

Place of the Event

Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, Prague 4 – Krč

Scientific Supervisors

Coordinators of Course Modules