Winter School 2012

Winterschool 2012 Jan 15th-20th

Practical course in advanced microscopy in Zürich, 15.1.- 20. 1. 2012

This advanced microscopy course is intended for PhD students and post-graduates with prior experience in microscopy. The goal of the course is to teach and train fundamental knowledge and skills in a specific microscopic technique. Students will be able to apply this technique to their own present and future projects. Practical work consists of seven different modules covering a specific topic each (please see description below). Each module lasts throughout the whole course. Students will participate in one practical module only. For the practical training the students will use the latest instrumentation. Apart from practical modules, theoretical sessions will provide sound background of all the different techniques for all students.

An Industry Day, Wednesday, January 18th, provides an overview of the latest developments in instrumentation and techniques currently on the market. Different companies in the field of light and electron microscopy will be invited to this event.

Contact: winterschool@zmb.uzh.ch

Informations, timetables and module descriptions will be updated continuously.

Download: General timetable
Download: Program Industry Day
Download: Directions

 

Registration, Course Fees and Credit Points

Registration is possible until 25th of November 2011.
Course fee for attendants from academical institutions: CHF 400.-

The course fee of applicants from the MD-PHD program of the University of Zurich or students in the framework of the Kidney.CH NCCR is covered by these programs.
Applicants from industry, please inquire about industry course fee.

Credit Points
The course is awarded 2 - 3 ECTS credit points, depending on your institution.

 

Modules 0-7:

Module 0: Basic and Applied Light Microscopy (8 students)

In basic and applied light microscopy you will be introduced to the function of light microscopes. Correct operation in bright field and fluorescence imaging including 3D imaging, contrast generation like phase contrast and differential interference contrast will be trained. Additionally sample preparation suitable for 3 D fluorescent imaging will be discussed and practically performed.

Module 1: High resolution light microscopy (10 students)

This module will focus on the acquisition of well-resolved light microscopic images using different types of light microscopes (confocal laser scanning microscopes, structured illumination microscopes, wide field microscopes). Exercises and training sessions will provide an understanding of the different imaging characteristics of the various microscopes. You will study advantages / disadvantages of different immersion media as well as objectives for your samples. Moreover, you will learn to measure point spread functions, to deconvolve data sets and to perform 3D image processing. Samples will be provided.

Module 2: Life Cell Microscopy (6 students)

The second module will focus on time-lapse measurements using living cells. Special emphasis will be given to long-term investigations using both mainly wide-field and confocal systems. The participants will learn how to set-up, design and analyse such overnight experiments. You may bring along your own samples.

Module 3: Fine structure preparation for transmission electron microscopy (6 students)

In this module you will learn how to prepare plastic-embedded biological specimens by chemical and cryo preparation techniques (high-pressure freezing, freeze-substitution) with preservation of the fine structure. Embedded samples will be thin-sectioned by ultramicrotomy, contrasted and imaged in the transmission electron microscope. You can bring your own samples.

Module 4: Immuno electron microscopy (6 students)

In this module you will learn how to section plastic-embedded biological specimens and how to perform all subsequent steps required for immunolabeling of plastic-embedded ultrathin sections including validation by light and transmission electron microscopy. Samples will be provided.

Module 5: 3D Correlative Microscopy (CLSM/FIB-SEM) (6 students)

From 3D LM structure to 3D EM structure. This module will teach the basics of methodology and preparation techniques needed to perform light and electron microscopic investigations on identical / same sample areas by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM), as well as transmission electron microscopy (TEM). You will learn to collect correlative data sets from one ROI in 2D and 3D using the described imaging techniques, and get a better understanding of the different image characteristics. Further you will learn to correlate the different image types with software tools to finally align multimodal data in 3D and create 3D models. Samples will be provided.

Module 6: Array Tomography - 2D Correlative Microscopy (6 students)

From 2/3D (in-vivo) structure to 3D SEM structure (FLM, CLSM, array tomography SEM) with the new tool Shuttle and Find. This module will teach the basics of methodology and preparation techniques needed to perform light and electron microscopic investigations on identical / same sample areas. You will learn to collect 2D and 3D data by fluorescence light microscopy FLM, (CLSM) and SEM and get a better understanding of the different image characteristics and learn that SEM conquer TEM ultrastructure application nowadays. Further you will see that array tomography can be combined with immuno-cytochemistry to localize antigens on serial sections for FLM and SEM. Finally you learn to correlate the different image types with software tools to finally align multimodal data and antigen maps in 3D. Samples will be provided.

Module 7: CryoTEM Tomography and Stereo TEM (SEM) (6 students)

Module 7 will focus on understanding modern TEM tomography techniques in EM, e.g. TEM and STEM tomography. You will learn how to prepare samples for cryoTEM tomography tilt series of frozen hydrated or thin sections. In addition you will learn to make stereo pair images from plastic sections revival of a fast way to get a first glance of the third dimension before you invest in TEM Tomography. You will explore the possibility of these 3D imaging technologies and learn how 3D datasets can be reconstructed and used to produce 3D models. Samples will be provided.

Organization:

Urs Ziegler, Andres Kaech, Center for Microscopy and Image Analysis, University of Zürich
Roger Wepf, EMEZ, Electron Microscopy ETH Zürich
Gabor Csucs, LMC, Light Microscopy Centre ETH Zürich

 

Winter School is sponsored by: