EMBL Course
The aim of the course is to train microscopy users in different super-resolution microscopy methods: Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) and MINFLUX nanoscopy. Both techniques overcome the diffraction limit of light with the help of a donut-shaped laser beam, thereby achieving resolutions that are impossible with conventional light microscopy.
The course combines scientific lectures by experienced researchers from the super-resolution field with hands-on sessions at the different super-resolution microscopes and in the laboratory. Participants will gain a technical understanding of the methods as well as an overview of different application fields and imaging techniques, sample preparation, and data handling for both STED and MINFLUX.
After the course, participants can choose the right approach for their experimental needs and perform their experiments on a STED or MINFLUX microscope.
Aimed at early-stage researchers (e.g. pre- or post-doctoral level) in the life sciences with access to STED and MINFLUX super-resolution microscopy facilities, and at imaging facility staff involved in training and supporting scientists using STED and MINFLUX super-resolution microscopy. Participants should have an immediate need to apply these techniques. The course will have a strong emphasis on the practical know-how needed to exploit the latest developments in STED and MINFLUX microscopy. It is therefore equally suited to scientists who are already using super-resolution microscopy in their research and to researchers using advanced imaging techniques who wish to improve their practical knowledge.
At the end of the course, participants will be able to plan an experiment using STED and MINFLUX super-resolution microscopy, prepare their own samples accordingly, acquire images using optimal conditions and settings and analyse them using appropriate methods and tools.
“The EMBL Imaging course was a fantastic opportunity to work hands-on with state-of-the-art technology and connect with leading scientists and specialists in the field. It was an inspiring experience that sparked new ideas for my project and significantly broadened both my technical skills and professional network.” – Ana Marija Knez, Heidelberg University Biochemistry Centre, Germany
“The theory lectures were detailed, extensive, and informative; and we got hands-on training in all aspects – starting with sample preparation to dealing with experimental artefacts and interpreting the data.” – Parijat Biswas, University of Helsinki, Finland
Are you on social media? Post using #EMBLSTED_MINFLUX and don’t forget to tag @EMBLEvents.
| Time | Session | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 08:40 – 09:00 | Bus from ISG to EMBL Imaging Center | ISG Hotel Bus stop |
| 09:00 – 10:00 | Welcome and house notes | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 10:00 – 12:30 | Introduction Round | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch | EMBL Canteen |
| 13:30 – 14:30 | Lecture 1: Marko Lampe – DKFZ Heidelberg, Germany Sebastian Schnorrenberg – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 14:30 – 15:00 | Coffee Break | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 15:00 – 16:00 | Lecture 2 | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 16:00 – 18:30 | Practical 1 | Imaging Center Labs |
| 19:00 – 20:00 | Dinner | EMBL Canteen |
| 20:00 – 20:10 | Departure to ISG | ATC Bus Stop |
| Time | Session | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 08:40 – 09:00 | Bus from ISG to EMBL Imaging Center | ISG Hotel |
| 09:00 – 09:15 | Overview of the day | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 09:15 – 10:00 | Lecture 3 | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 10:00 – 10:45 | Lecture 4 | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 10:45 – 11:15 | Coffee Break | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 11:15 – 12:00 | Lecture 5 | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Lunch | EMBL Canteen |
| 13:00 – 15:30 | Practical 2 | Imaging Center Labs |
| 15:00 – 15:30 | Coffee Break | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 15:30 – 18:30 | Practical 3 | Imaging Center Labs |
| 19:00 – 20:00 | Dinner | EMBL Canteen |
| 20:00 – 20:10 | Departure to ISG | ATC Bus Stop |
| Time | Session | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 08:40 – 09:00 | Bus from ISG to EMBL Imaging Center | ISG Hotel |
| 09:00 – 09:15 | Overview of the day | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 09:15 – 10:00 | Lecture 6 | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 10:00 – 10:45 | Lecture 7 | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 10:45 – 11:15 | Coffee Break | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 11:15 – 12:00 | Lecture 8 | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Lunch | EMBL Canteen |
| 13:00 – 15:30 | Practical 4 | Imaging Center Labs |
| 15:30 – 16:00 | Coffee Break | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 16:00 – 18:30 | Practical 5 | Imaging Center Labs |
| 19:00 – 20:00 | Dinner | EMBL Canteen |
| 20:00 – 20:10 | Departure to ISG | ATC Bus Stop |
| Time | Session | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 08:40 – 09:00 | Bus from ISG to EMBL Imaging Center | ISG Hotel |
| 09:00 – 09:15 | Overview of the day | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 09:15 – 10:00 | Lecture 9 | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 10:00 – 12:30 | Practical 6 | Imaging Center Labs |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch | EMBL Canteen |
| 13:30 – 16:00 | Practical 7 | Imaging Center Labs |
| 16:00 – 18:30 | Free time downtown | |
| 18:30 – 20:30 | Downtown Dinner |
| Time | Session | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 08:40 – 09:00 | Bus from ISG to EMBL Imaging Center | ISG Hotel |
| 09:00 – 09:15 | Overview of the day | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 09:15 – 10:00 | Lecture 10 | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 10:00 – 10:45 | Lecture 11 | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 10:45 – 11:15 | Coffee Break | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 11:15 – 12:00 | Lecture 12 | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Lunch | EMBL Canteen |
| 12:30 – 15:30 | Practical 8 | Imaging Center Labs |
| 15:30 – 16:00 | Coffee Break | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
| 16:00 – 18:30 | Practical 9 | Imaging Center Labs |
| 19:00 – 20:00 | Dinner | EMBL Canteen |
| 20:00 – 20:10 | Departure to ISG | ATC Bus Stop |
| Time | Session | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 09:00 – 11:30 | Practical 10 | Imaging Center Labs |
| 11:30 – 12:30 | Lunch | EMBL Canteen |
| 12:30 – 15:00 | Practical 11 | Imaging Center Labs |
| 15:00 – 15:30 | Closing remarks and farewell | Imaging Center Lecture Hall |
The course is limited to 20 participants. For selection purposes, please note that your application will not be considered without a letter of motivation.
Your registration for this course includes:
Accommodation and travel are not included in the fees — participants are expected to book and pay their own expenses.
| Academia | €725 |
| PhD Student | €725 |
The registration fee should be paid only after acceptance to the course. The results will be announced approximately 2-3 weeks after the application deadline.
If you are no longer able to take part in the course, please inform your course contact responsible for this event. Your registration and the submitted motivation letter will be deleted.
Please also check our Terms and Conditions for the cancellation policy.
For further information about registration, please refer to the FAQ page.
After you have logged in and successfully registered, you will receive an email asking you to submit your motivation letter. Click on the link provided and enter your motivation letter in the text box provided. Alternatively you can submit your motivation letter by clicking on the link on the confirmation page directly after registering.
Instructions
Please note:
For detailed instructions, please watch our video on how to submit a course motivation letter.
Please note it is not possible to apply after the motivation letter deadline!
For further information about registration and motivation letter submission please refer to the FAQ page.
The selection process will take place with the results announced by email to all applicants / submitters. We aim to announce 3 weeks (21 days) after the motivation letter submission deadline but delays may occur.
Limited financial assistance is provided by the EMBL Advanced Training Centre Corporate Partnership Programme and EMBO in the form of registration fee waivers, travel grants and childcare grants.
Your place in the meeting is only confirmed by paying the registration fee, which is mandatory even when receiving a fee waiver.
The fee waiver will cover the registration sum that you have paid to attend the course.
The travel grant will cover the cost of travel (airfare, train, bus, taxi, accommodation, visa) and is provided up to specified caps which are normally as follows:
– up to €400 for participants travelling to an EMBL Course within Europe.
– up to €1000 for participants travelling to an EMBL Course from outside Europe.
The organisers may reduce the grant cap to accommodate more participants. Recipients will be notified of their travel cap amount when they are informed of the outcome of their application. Original receipts must be provided with your signature for all costs incurred within two months of completion of travel. Scanned copies cannot be accepted.
There is the possibility to apply for a childcare grant to offset child care costs incurred by participants, speakers, trainers and organisers when attending a course. Eligible costs include (but are not limited to) fees for a babysitter or child-care facility and travel costs for a caregiver. Please note that priority will be given to early-stage researchers. There is a limited amount of funding available for the childcare grants and funds will be distributed amongst eligible applicants.
Applies to selected courses only. Availability will be indicated during the abstract or motivation letter submission process.
This grant covers costs related to your attendance to the course (registration, travel and accommodation costs). The grant is restricted to PhD students and postdocs who conduct basic biomedical research.
Whether you are eligible to apply for a travel grant, depends on when you received your university entrance qualification (e.g. Abitur, A-Levels, High School Diploma, Final State Examination):
– for PhD and MD students, as well as graduates, the university entrance qualification must not have been obtained more than 11 years ago at the time of the envisaged course
– for postdocs, the university entrance qualification must not have been obtained more than 13 years ago at the time of the envisaged course
Whether you are attending onsite or virtually, to apply for financial assistance, please follow the steps in the application system. During the process of submitting your motivation letter to the system, you will be asked which type of grant you want to apply for.
Applications for financial support will not influence the outcome of your selection results.
Grant allocations are announced by email to all applicants / submitters after the selections results.
Allocation results do not influence your selection to the course. Selection for financial assistance is based on scientific merit, your current work or study location, the reasons for needing financial support, and the impact this event will have on your career.
Please note that for childcare grants, priority will be given to early-stage researchers.
Check out this list of external funding opportunities.
For further information about financial assistance please refer to the FAQ page.
We can send you a registration confirmation to support your visa procedure (not an official invitation letter). Please contact the Conference Officer responsible for your event. Read our FAQ for more information.
If you are travelling to Heidelberg via aeroplane, train, car, or long-distance bus, you can find useful information on our travel information page.
Accommodation is not included in the registration fee.
A mix of single and twin rooms have been reserved for 6 nights from 21 to 28 November at the ISG hotel. Single rooms are limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis.
After the selection process, selected participants should contact the hotel directly to make a booking with a booking code (code of your course, ABI26-01) by the deadline of 26 October 2026.
We recommend that all course participants stay at the dedicated hotel for the course.
Shuttle buses will go from the ISG Hotel to EMBL and back, mornings and evenings. A bus schedule and location of the bus stops will be made available prior to the meeting.
In addition to the shuttle busses, there is also the public bus 28 that serves the EMBL campus and taxis can be easily booked at any time. For more information, please refer to the local transportation (RNV) website.
You may also walk from the ISG Hotel to EMBL (takes up to 30 minutes)
Map to walk from ISG Hotel to EMBL
Address: EMBL Heidelberg, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
For more information about travel and accommodation, please refer to the FAQ page.
Here you will find useful information for when you are onsite at the event.
All meals and coffee breaks are included in the registration fee. Our catering staff will prepare a variety of vegetarian meals, meat and fish dishes, soups, pasta, fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as a variety of desserts.
Please wear your badge at all times when serving yourself.
No food or drinks are allowed in the computer training lab or wet labs.
Wi-Fi is available on campus using the EMBL-Events network and the event specific password, which will be provided on site. The eduroam network (secure, worldwide roaming access service developed for the international research and education community) is also available.
During the conference, an EMBL Photographer may be taking photos. If you would not like to appear in these, please inform the photographer or a member of the Course and Conference Office.
There are lockers available next to the stairs leading down into the Auditorium. You will find some of those equipped with sockets to charge your smartphone/tablet etc.
In most places the electricity is 220 volts AC (50 cycles). An adaptor and a plug that fits the German socket may be needed for your appliances/laptop (i.e. American, Japanese, etc.). A USB charging station for electronic devices is available at the registration desk.
We can help to print your boarding pass/train ticket. Please send it to events@embl.de and collect your print-outs at the registration desk.
There are lockers available on-site to store your luggage, which require a 2 EURO coin to operate. There is another luggage room on level E0, which is free to use but remains unlocked during the course.
‘’Lost and Found’’ items are kept at the registration desk until the end of the course.
There is a nursing room available in the ATC Rooftop Lounge on level A29.
There is a room for prayer, yoga, and meditation, located on level E0 behind the Auditorium. Please be respectful of others using the room.

Please take a moment to read our health and safety policy.
If first aid is required
In case of fire
Beyond first aid
The Heidelberg University Hospital or ‘Universitätsklinikum‘ has a 24 hour accident and emergency facility and is at ‘Im Neuenheimer Feld 672’. It is a 8km or a 20 minute taxi ride away from EMBL. In a medical emergency, the ambulance service generally transports patients to this hospital.
Please remember to bring your own medication, if needed, to the conference. Note that the next pharmacy is a 4-minute drive from the EMBL, but for many medications you will be required to see a doctor to get a prescription.
Ensure in advance that your medical insurance will cover you during your visit in the event that you do need to see a doctor while in Heidelberg.
The EMBL course and conference office team are able to advise you on where to turn for emergency or non-emergency medical treatment in Heidelberg and can assist you in making appointments and / or arranging transport to get to the pharmacy or a doctor of your choice if necessary. Please note, we are not however permitted to personally accompany you off campus.
A variety of activities in Heidelberg can be found on the website of Heidelberg Marketing.
(delete if no technical requirements for this course!)
Below you will find the software and technical requirements for this course. You will need admin rights to be able to install the software on your computer and we recommend you try this before the course. If you do not have admin rights, please contact your technical support team in advance to make sure the software can be installed.
Add a descritpion about your software here and any other important info
The EMBL eCampus learning platform will be used to collaborate, communicate and network with all of the course participants. All participants will receive information on how to join shortly before the course. We recommend using Chrome, Safari or Mozilla Firefox browsers for eCampus.
Zoom will be used for the live talks and Q&A sessions. More information will be provided closer to the start of the course.
While using the software during the course, please make sure you have nothing else using your bandwidth. We recommend using a wired connection.
DELETE THIS TAB IF COURSE IS NOT HYBRID!!
Additional information can be found in our Code of Conduct.
Questions during and after the talks can be asked in the live streaming platform. If time runs out or you think of a question later, you can use the EMBL eCampus forum or send a direct message to the speaker/trainer.
The programme is planned based on the Europe/Berlin time zone, unless otherwise stated. As many virtual participants are attending from around the world, we do our best to accommodate as many time zones as possible when creating the programme. Please take your time zone into consideration when planning your attendance.
Please find additional information including FAQs and terms and conditions on our Information for Participants page.
Media partners
Sponsorship opportunities
We offer a variety of event sponsoring possibilities, with the flexibility to select a set sponsorship package or combine individual sponsorship options to suit your event budget. Discounts are available for companies sponsoring multiple events at EMBL Heidelberg. View other events, or contact sponsorship@embl.de for further information.
If you are interested in becoming a media partner of this event, please visit our media partnerships webpage.
EMBL advises sponsors to beware of fraudulent schemes falsely offering sponsorship opportunities. All legitimate communication about sponsorship for EMBL conferences, symposia, and courses comes directly from EMBL via official EMBL email accounts. EMBL does not use third parties for sponsorship acquisition.
– EMBL does not sell attendee lists.
– EMBL will never ask for credit card details or direct payments.
– All payments are processed by invoice only.
If you receive a suspicious message claiming to be from or on behalf of EMBL, please report it to sponsorship@embl.org.
Want to let others know you’re attending this event? Take a look at our shareable media and feel free to use them in your social media channels or presentations.
Date: 23 - 28 Nov 2026
Location: EMBL Heidelberg
Venue: EMBL Advanced Training Centre and EMBL Imaging Centre
Organisers:
Contact: Adéla Graf