Registration date: You can register now by sending an Email to the IMPRS office.

Course description

This 1-week course (half-day) aims to provide you with a basis for general microscopic work, be it transmitted light or fluorescence microscopy. It covers the basics of sample preparation, experimental design and an introduction to FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) by Dr. Tobias Engl from the Department of Insect Symbiosis. Demonstration of other advanced techniques available at the MPI for Chemical Ecology are also included, such as multiphoton microscopy, super-resolution microscopy and X-ray micro tomography. The theoretical parts will be combined with several practical exercises on the different experimental setups where you can also visualize your own samples, besides the FISH.
You are welcome to provide us with your own samples, but please inform us in advance so we can include them in the practical parts.

Monday (April 8, A1.041)
9:00 – 10:30
Lecture on transmitted light microscopy and general microscopy basics (Veit Grabe)
11:00 – 13:00
Instruction for upright and inverse microscopy, Köhler illumination, contrast methods, white balance, aperture, EDOF & camera types (split groups with Tobias Engl & Veit Grabe)

Tuesday (April 9, B2.021)
9:00 – 10:30
Lecture on basics of reflected light microscopy and sources of fluorescence (Veit Grabe)
11:00 – 12:00
Lecture on FISH methodology and preparation of FISH samples (Tobias Engl)
12:00 – 13:00
Start of preparation of FISH samples (Tobias Engl)

Wednesday (April 10, B2.021)
9:00 – 10:30
Lecture on advanced techniques like STED, FLIM, µCT & 2Photon (Veit Grabe)
11:00 – 13:00
Further processing of FISH samples from the day before (Tobias Engl)
Microscopy of FISH samples (split groups with Tobias Engl & Veit Grabe)

Thursday (April 11)
9:00 – 10:30
Practical group 1 @ µCT (Veit Grabe)
Practical group 2 @ Stereo microscopy (Tobias Engl)
11:00 – 13:00
Practical group 2 @ µCT (Veit Grabe)
Practical group 1 @ Stereo microscopy (Tobias Engl)

Friday (April 12)
9:00 – 10:30
Practical group 1 @ 2Photon microscope (Veit Grabe)
Practical group 2 @ cLSM with STED (Tobias Engl)
11:00 – 13:00
Practical group 2 @ 2Photon microscope (Veit Grabe)
Practical group 1 @ cLSM with STED (Tobias Engl)