Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/M006638/1
Fluorescence Microscopy for Environmental Research
Training Grant Award
- Lead Supervisor:
- Dr PP Laissue, University of Essex, Biological Sciences
- Grant held at:
- University of Essex, Biological Sciences
- Science Area:
- Freshwater
- Marine
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Marine
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Global Change
- Natural Resource Management
- Pollution and Waste
- Science Topics:
- Organelles & components
- Systematics & Taxonomy
- Bioinformatics
- Development (Biosciences)
- Quantitative 'omics: imaging
- Tools for the biosciences
- Fluorescence microscopy
- Abstract:
- Bioimaging is about looking at biological samples magnified with microscopes. Fluorescence microscopy, the most important bioimaging method, has advanced tremendously in the last two decades, and remains a rapidly developing field. At its core is light, which allows to observe tiny organisms, even down to the level of single molecules, in their natural state, and free of harm. The importance of fluorescence microscopy as a powerful tool to understand what is happening inside and between cells has been acknowledged with a Noble Prize, and many high-profile research centres throughout the world have it as a research priority. Ever more scientific projects are based on bioimaging, or contain a strong component of it. Europe-wide, and prominently so in the UK, sites are being developed for next-generation cutting-edge techniques. Bioimaging is a blooming field of research, and often a desired, or even essential, skill for a large number of University and commercial research positions. Yet microscopy techniques used in modern cell biology are not widely applied or easily available to environmental biologists. Practical courses and written guides promoting these techniques are few and far between. The power of bioimaging has been amply proven in the biomedical field and in plant sciences, but it is underexploited in environmental research. We believe that these techniques can be highly beneficial to this community, and offer a microscopy training course for environmental scientists. The course will take place at the University of Essex, where we have a long tradition in environmental imaging. The course is led by an experienced microscopy instructor who has worked with a large variety of samples and advanced techniques, and examples of environmental applications will be used throughout. He will teach practical aspects of computer-controlled microscopes, along with methods, considerations and possible pitfalls. The students will learn how to use such microscopes and take images and movies of their own samples. Since many organisms studied in environmental research are photosynthetic, a second imaging expert at the University of Essex will show students how to measure its efficiency using chlorophyll fluorescence. She will use different specialised microscopes for this. Once students have their images, image analysis allows to extract precise measurements. It has become highly sophisticated, so a third expert in processing and analysing biological images is part of the teaching team. The course will end with an outlook on advanced techniques and how they are used at Essex. The three-day course is aimed at the busy NERC PhD and Postdoc with little prior knowledge of bioimaging, but in need of fluorescence microscopy techniques, or eager to explore it. The aim is to enable them to make efficient use of the hours spent in- and outside of the darkroom. Numerous review articles, text books, web resources and free, open-source software are referenced for further reading and own use. Practical aspects are emphasized, with theoretical background only brought up where essential. A course book with all the content is handed out. At the end of the course, students will know how to prepare samples, acquire images, use the right microscopes and parameters, and process, analyse and present their data. In order to provide additional instruments, we are working together with Nikon, who will bring high-end microscopes, staff and research expertise to the course. This makes it possible to invite 16 students who will be working in groups. Accomodation is in a very comfortable hotel on campus, and there is social time set aside for networking and discussing specific problems. We believe that by running this course, we can inspire many young environmental scientists in the UK to use the incredible power of fluorescence microscopy for their own research, explore new ideas, and collaborate across disciplines.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/M006638/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Doctoral Training
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Advanced Training
This training grant award has a total value of £15,904
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Other Costs |
|---|
| £15,904 |
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