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Super-Resolution Microscopy: Time-Resolved STED Nanoscopy – Course and Conference Office

EMBL Course

Super-Resolution Microscopy: Time-Resolved STED Nanoscopy

Overview

EMBL is committed to sharing research advances and sustaining scientific interaction throughout the coronavirus pandemic. We are delighted to announce that the course is going virtual and invite you to join us online.

Course Overview

This five-day comprehensive online microscopy course focuses on stimulated emission depletion microscopy (STED) and its application to biological questions.

Through lectures, tutorials, demonstrations and practical workshops, the course provides in-depth knowledge on all aspects of STED Nanoscopy.

It covers the fundamentals of STED microscopy, different technical implementations and has a strong emphasis on sample preparation – including choice of fluorophores and refractive index matching, as well as image acquisition strategies for fixed samples and living cells. Students will have the opportunity for exercises on state-of-the-art STED microscopes in which they will acquire high quality nanoscopy data.

The faculty consists of Invited guest researchers, experts from the EMBL and Leica Microsystems.

In order to adapt to different time zones, the practical sessions will be run in 2 individual corridors:

  • 2 groups in the morning (10:00 – 12:00 CEST)
  • 2 groups in the late afternoon (16:30 – 18:30 CEST)

Presentations, tutorials and other activities for all participants will take place in a shared slot in-between the practicals: 13:00 – 16:00 (CEST).

Audience

This course is designed for researchers at the early stages of their career in the life sciences (e.g. pre or postdoctoral level), ideally with access to a STED microscope. The participants should have an immediate need to apply the trained skills for their biological questions. The course is strongly centered on practical aspects of STED microscopy and is therefore especially suited for people who rely on STED nanoscopy for their research.

Modules/Resources

The course will cover the entire range of skills needed to apply STED nanoscopy in biology. The following topics will be covered in lectures, tutorials as well as in practical workshops:

  • Sample preparation for STED microscopy, including choice of fluorophores and refractive index matching
  • Technical implementations – CW-STED, pulsed-STED, gated-STED, time-resolved STED (tauSTED)
  • Multi-Color 2D and 3D STED microscopy
  • Image acquisition strategies for live-cell STED
  • STED Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (STED-FCS)

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, the participants will be able to design experiments using STED microscopy, prepare high-quality microscopy samples and acquire state-of-the-art nanoscopy images.

What Past Participants Say About the Course

“The course was well organised, extremely motivating and valuable. The course gave me the right tools and understanding to optimise super-resolution microscopy for my project.” – Ida Jentoft, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Germany

“A very well designed course for both beginners as well as for people who have prior experience working on STED/STORM imaging. It has a good balance of theory and practical sessions, and offers a unique chance to image your own samples after the course. Overall a great experience!” – Rukmini Mukherjee, Goethe University, Germany

“My research focus is on understanding Centrioles and Centrosomes in Drosophila. I actively employ SRM techniques in my research and was just learning about STED microscopy so the course supplemented and helped in my understanding and learning of this new microscopy technique.” – Pallavi Panda, University of Cambridge, UK

Speakers and Trainers

Speakers

Kai Johnsson

Max Planck Institute for Medical Research

Germany

Trainers

Scientific Organisers

Course Organisers

Raili Pall

Course and Conference Officer

EMBL Heidelberg

Germany

Programme

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  • The virtual course will start on Monday 28 June with an onboarding session. The course will continue on Monday 12 July with the regular programme. Full-time attendance is required for the course duration.
  • Participants will be required to view the pre-recorded talks prior to the main start of the course on Monday 12 July.
  • The course will include live and pre-recorded talks, interactive discussion sessions, online practicals, hands-on exercises and networking.
  • Information on the live stream and access to the course platform will be provided shortly before the start of the event.
  • In order to accommodate different time zones, Workshop Groups 1+2 will always be scheduled in the afternoon (CEST) and Groups 3+4 always in the morning (CEST).
  • All times in the programme below are shown as the time in Europe (Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris).

To find out the equivalent time zone in your location, enter Berlin, the CEST programme time and your city into the Time Zone Converter.

Day 0 – Monday 28 June 2021
Time (CEST)Session
15:00-16:00Onboarding and technical troubleshooting

Day 1 – Monday 12 July 2021
Time (CEST)Session
12:30-12:45Check-in
12:45-13:00Welcome and course overview
Marko Lampe – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
Ulf Schwarz – Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Germany
13:00-14:30Flash talk presentations by participants
14:30-14:45Break
14:45-15:45Studying the structure of chromosomes in single human cell by super-resolution microscopy
Jan Ellenberg – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
15:45-16:00Introduction to Workshops
Marko Lampe – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
Ulf Schwarz – Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Germany
16:00-16:30 Break
16:30-18:30
Group 1: WS STED-imaging of fixed cells
Jana Döhner – University of Zurich, Switzerland
Marko Lampe – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
Group 2: WS STED-imaging of thick samples and tissues
Luis Alvarez – Leica Microsystems, Germany
Ulf Schwarz – Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Germany
David Unnersjö-Jess – University of Cologne, Germany

Day 2 – Tuesday 13 July 2021

Time (CEST)Session
10:00-12:00Group 3: WS STED-imaging of fixed cells
Jana Döhner – University of Zurich, Switzerland
Marko Lampe – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
Group 4: WS STED-imaging of thick samples and tissues
Luis Alvarez – Leica Microsystems, Germany
Ulf Schwarz – Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Germany
David Unnersjö-Jess – University of Cologne, Germany
12:00-12:45 Break
12:45-13:05Check-in and overview of the day
13:05-13:50Time-Resolved STED Microscopy for better imaging: from time-gating detection to phasor analysis
Giuseppe Vicidomini – Italian Institute of Technology, Italy
13:50-14:00Break
14:00-14:45Investigating cellular logistics with live-cell STED
Francesca Bottanelli – Freie Universität Berlin,
Germany
14:45-15:00Live Q&A Session based on pre-recorded talk: super-resolution STED microscopy
Christian Eggeling – University of Oxford, UK
15:00-15:15Break
15:15-16:00Tutorial: Sample Preparation 1 – Refractive Index Matching and Optics
Marko Lampe – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
Ulf Schwarz – Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Germany
16:00-16:30Break
16:30-18:30Group 1: WS STED-imaging of thick samples
and tissues

Luis Alvarez – Leica Microsystems, Germany
Ulf Schwarz – Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Germany
David Unnersjö-Jess – University of Cologne, Germany
Group 2: WS STED-imaging of fixed cells
Jana Döhner – University of Zurich, Switzerland
Marko Lampe – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
Day 3 – Wednesday 14 July 2021
Time (CEST)Session
10:00-12:00 Group 3: WS STED-imaging of thick samples and tissues
Luis Alvarez – Leica Microsystems, Germany
Ulf Schwarz – Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Germany
David Unnersjö-Jess – University of Cologne, Germany
Group 4: WS STED-imaging of fixed cells
Jana Döhner – University of Zurich, Switzerland
Marko Lampe – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
12:00-12:45Break
12:45-13:05Check-in and overview of the day
13:05-13:50Multi-color, 3D and live-cell STED microscopy with exchangeable fluorophore labels
Mike Heilemann – Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany
13:50-14:00Break
14:00-14:45New fluorescent probes for live-cell imaging
Kai Johnsson – Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Germany
14:45-15:15Virtual Social Programme: Quiz
15:15-16:00Tutorial: Sample Preparation 2 – Fluorophores and staining
Marko Lampe – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
Ulf Schwarz – Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Germany
16:00-16:30Break
16:30-18:30 Group 1: WS Live cell STED imaging
Luis Alvarez – Leica Microsystems, Germany
Jana Döhner – University of Zurich, Switzerland
Ulf Schwarz – Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Germany
David Unnersjö-Jess – University of Cologne, Germany
Group 2: WS STED-FCS
Silvia Galiani – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK
Jana Koth – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK
Christoffer Lagerholm – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK
Falk Schneider – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK

Day 4 – Thursday 15 July 2021

Time (CEST)Session
10:00-12:00 Group 3: WS Live cell STED imaging
Luis Alvarez – Leica Microsystems, Germany
Jana Döhner – University of Zurich, Switzerland
Ulf Schwarz – Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Germany
David Unnersjö-Jess – University of Cologne, Germany
Group 4: WS STED-FCS
Silvia Galiani – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK
Jana Koth – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK
Christoffer Lagerholm – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK
Falk Schneider – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK
12:00-12:45Break
12:45-13:05Check-in and overview of the day
13:05-13:30Contextual super-resolution imaging – Fine structure preservation for light and electron microscopy
Jana Döhner – University of Zurich, Switzerland
13:30-13:55Studying the nanoscale architecture of the kidney filter using high- and super-resolved microscopy
David Unnersjö-Jess – University of Cologne, Germany
13:55-14:00Break
14:00-14:45TauSTED: pushing STED beyond its limits with a lifetime
Julia Roberti – Leica Microsystems, Germany
14:45-15:15Virtual Social Programme: Speed networking
15:15-16:00Tutorial: Discussion of selected participants projects and experimental planning
Marko Lampe – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
Ulf Schwarz – Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Germany
16:00-16:30Break
16:30-18:30 Group 1: WS STED-FCS
Silvia Galiani – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK
Jana Koth – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK
Christoffer Lagerholm – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK
Falk Schneider – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK
Group 2: WS Live-cell STED imaging

Luis Alvarez – Leica Microsystems, Germany
Jana Döhner – University of Zurich, Switzerland
Ulf Schwarz – Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Germany
David Unnersjö-Jess – University of Cologne, Germany

Day 5 – Friday 16 July 2021

Time (CEST)Session
10:00-12:00Group 3: WS STED-FCS
Silvia Galiani – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK
Jana Koth – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK
Christoffer Lagerholm – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK
Falk Schneider – Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, UK
Group 4: WS Live cell STED imaging

Luis Alvarez – Leica Microsystems, Germany
Jana Döhner – University of Zurich, Switzerland
Ulf Schwarz – Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Germany
David Unnersjö-Jess – University of Cologne, Germany
12:00-12:45Break
12:45-13:05Check-in and overview of the day
13:05-13:50 in-vivo 3D STED nanoscopy and adding structural context by pan-Expansion Microscopy
Joerg Bewersdorf – Yale school of medicine, USA
Marko Lampe – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
13:50-14:00Break
14:00-15:00Virtual Social Programme: Bar Mixer
15:00-15:15 Break
15:15-16:00Live Q&A Session based on pre-recorded talk and panel discussion with trainers
Sophie Allart – INSERM, France
Marko Lampe – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
Ulf Schwarz – Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Germany
16:00-16:20Closing remarks, comments, farewell and group photo

Practical information

Registration Fees and Motivation Letter

The course is limited to 20 participants. For selection purposes, please note that your application will not be considered without a letter of motivation.

Registration

Registration Fees (include admission and all course materials):

Academia125 Euro
PhD Student125 Euro
Industry520 Euro

Confirmation and Payment

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.

Motivation Letter Submission

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

  1. Include your relevant skills, experience and qualifications showing why you would be suitable for the course.
  2. Explain why you would like to attend, including what you can contribute and how you think you will benefit from the course.

Please note:

Motivation letter length: 
The maximum limit of 2000 characters (ca. 200 words) refers to manually typed text (spaces included).

Free field text length: The maximum characters for your answers in the free field text boxes is 255 (spaces included). Text only: If you copy-paste the text, hidden formatting might still be included and you will be informed that your text exceeds the character limit. We recommend either:

  1. saving your text as text only in your editor or Email programme, OR
  2. copy-pasting it into Notepad and then onto the website.

Symbols: If you have special symbols in your text make sure you are using Unicode characters, otherwise these will not be recognised by the tool.

Further Details

For further information about registration and motivation letter submission please refer to the FAQ page.

Financial Assistance

Financial Assistance

Registration Fee Waivers

All academic and student registrants are invited to apply for a registration fee waiver, provided by the EMBL Advanced Training Centre Corporate Partnership Programme and EMBO. The registration fee waiver covers the registration sum that you have paid to attend the meeting. Conference participants are not required to pre-pay the registration fee to be selected for a fee waiver for a virtual meeting. If you have already paid the registration fee and are awarded a fee waiver, it will be reimbursed after the meeting. Course participants are required to pay the course fee in advance, which will then be reimbursed after the recipient has attended the course.

Childcare Grants

For participants and speakers with childcare responsibilities there is the possibility to apply for a grant, provided by the EMBL Advanced Training Centre Corporate Partnership Programme and EMBO, to offset childcare costs incurred when participating at a virtual event. Eligible costs include fees for a babysitter or childcare facility or travel costs for a care giver. Please note that priority will be given to early stage researchers. Costs will be reimbursed after the meeting only once a reimbursement form and original receipts have been received. In order to apply for this grant, you must be registered by the abstract submission deadline.

Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds Travel Grant

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

Application

Applications for financial assistance can be submitted via the submission portal* (for the submission of abstracts for conferences or the submission of motivation letters for courses) by completing the Financial Assistance Application Section (underneath the section for entering abstract/motivation letter information). The link to the portal can be found in the registration confirmation email that you will receive after registering for the conference or course.

*For some events, applications for Childcare Grants will still be done by email. Information about the grant will be sent out shortly after the abstract/motivation letter deadline. Please contact the event Conference Officer if you have any questions.

Selection

The scientific organisers will select the recipients of registration fee waivers during the abstract selection process for conferences and the participant selection process for courses. Results will be announced approximately 3 – 4 weeks before the event start date. Selection results do not impact your admission to the meeting. Registration fee waiver selection is based on your current work or study location, your motivation for applying, the reasons for needing financial support and the impact this event will have on your career. Childcare grants are allocated based on career stage, with priority given to early stage researchers.

Further details

Check our list of external funding opportunities, and information on attending a conference as an event reporter.

For further information about financial assistance please refer to the FAQ page.

Technical Requirements

General

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 during the course for the live discussion and feedback sessions and the course practicals and networking. More information will be provided closer to the start of the course.

Internet requirements

  • Client computer with fast and stable internet access for the live virtual sessions:
  • Minimum: 50 mbit download and 10 mbit upload
  • Preferred: 100 mbit download and upload (at your host institute)
  • Please note that it is recommended to use two computer screens.
  • Headsets is highly recommended for improved voice clarity and better audio
Virtual Participation Guidelines

Guidelines

Please do:

  • Use the event-specific hashtag as communicated during the event for any related tweets
  • Tweet unless the speaker specifically says otherwise
  • Be mindful of unpublished data
  • Be respectful in tone and content

Please don’t:

  • Broadcast the course to unregistered participants
  • Capture, transmit or redistribute data presented at the meeting unless presenter gives explicit consent
  • Use offensive language in your posts
  • Engage in rudeness or personal attacks

Additional information can be found in our Code of Conduct.

Health and well-being

It is important to stay healthy and move around, especially when you are attending an event virtually. We have put together a few coffee break stretches and yoga videos on the event platform for you to enjoy during the event.

How to ask questions

Questions during and after the talks can be asked in live streaming platform. The chair moderates the questions and shares them with the speaker. If time runs out or you think of a question later, you can use the EMBL eCampus forum to ask your questions in the dedicated session channels or via direct message.

Time zone

The programme is planned based on Central European Time (Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris) 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.

Sponsors

This course is organised in cooperation with Leica Microsystems.

Logo of Leica Microsystems
Logo of Leica Microsystems

Date: 12 - 16 Jul 2021

Location: Virtual


Deadline(s):

Application: Closed


Organisers:


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