These techniques include: multi-dimensional imaging of live cells, organs and intact organisms; optical tomography; spectroscopic and functional imaging (e.g. FRET, FLIM etc); development of novel methods such as adaptive optics, optical fibres, GRIN lenses; laser-based and solid-state excitation methods; use of multiphoton imaging, confocal and scanning technologies; digital image acquistion, image filtering and analysis; automated and high-throughput imaging systems. In addition to the overarching aims of the Society, the Section aims to advance optical imaging in the life sciences and physical sciences through education from high-school to advanced academic levels by holding courses, one-day workshops and 2-day specialist scientific meetings.
sources of help and advice
Get help with planning and setting up a microscopy facility.
The confocal listserver and microscopy listserver both provide a useful forum where you can contact other professional microscopists, who may well have the answer(s) that you are seeking. Hint: set up a separate email account for these listservers – they generate a lot of mail responses.
Local and national networks of imaging professionals can likewise provide help and support. For example, within the UK a list of interested and active microscopy facility managers is maintained at BioImagingUK.
Regular events include:
Light Microscopy Summer School
The LM summer school is an annual, residential course at York University which runs over 3 days and covers the principles of light microscopy as well as training participants in practical issues surrounding light microscopy. After introductory presentations, the course is taught predominantly through hands-on practical sessions. The course is suitable for both novices and more experienced users wanting to gain a greater understanding of the microscope.
Getting the most from your confocal
The course enables students to fully appreciate and utilise the confocal microscope and develop their understanding confocal microscopy background as well as try FRAP, FRET and spectral unmixing. The 2-days consist of short tutorials followed by hands-on practice.
Digital Imaging Processing Workshop
The aim of this one-day workshop is to cover the underlying principles of digital image processing and allow the advanced user of light microscopy to make the very best use of their imaging data. The types of image vary from those of high spatial resolution obtained using confocal microscopy to lower resolution video and multidimensional data obtained using advanced optical techniques (like FRET, FRAP, multiphoton).
We collaborate with the Life Sciences Section on the Cell Imaging Techniques Course.
Please note that our meetings are aimed at advancing new or under-represented areas of imaging science and technology - They are run "by the members, for the members". Contact us with suggestions for future meetings.
Committee Chair
Dr Peter O'Toole, University of York, UK
Peter heads the Imaging and Cytometry Labs within the Technology Facility, University of York, which includes an array of confocal microscopes, flow cytometers and EMs. He gained his PhD in the Cell Biophysics Lab., University of Essex. Research is currently focused on both technology and method development of novel probes and imaging modalities. He has ongoing collaborations with many leading microscopy and cytometry companies. Peter organises and teaches on the RMS LM Summer School and RMS Practical Flow Cytometry courses.
Honorary Secretary
Dr Simon Ameer-Beg, King's College London, UK
Members and Co-opted Members
Dr Kurt Anderson, The Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, UK
Mr David Bradley, Nikon
Dr Alessandro Esposito, Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, UK
Dr Fred Festy, King's College London, UK
Fred joined the Physics Department at King’s College London as a research associate in 2001 and moved to the Randal Institute from 2004-2007. He is since employed as a lecturer in the Biomaterials, Biomimetic & Biophotonics Research Group of the Dental Institute. Fred’s group is interested in the development of novel optical tools to further enhance the understanding of biological tissues, with an emphasis in live cell imaging and disease diagnosis.
Dr Mark Leake, University of Oxford, UK
Mark is a Principal Investigator in biological physics, with his group’s research activities specialising in single-molecule research on living biological cells. He has won several awards including a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship, a Royal Society University Research Fellowship and a Senior Fellowship in Systems Biology, as well as an “Illustrious Team Research Award” from the Daiwa Adrian Anglo-Japanese Foundation. In 2010 he was voted winner of the “Young Investigator Award” from the British Biophysical Society, an award made every 2 years to honour an early career research scientist in the UK and Ireland who has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to biophysics. He is a Fellow of the RMS.
Dr Gail McConnell, University of Strathclyde, UK
Dr Noah Russell, University of Nottingham, UK
Dr Spencer Shorte, Institut Pasteur, France
Spencer began his career at the University of Bristol, then left the UK for France where he gained further experience working in neurophysiology. In 1998 he joined the Dept. of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, USA, as Assistant Professor. He was appointed group leader at the Pasteur Institute in 2001 and created the “dynamic imaging” group. In 2006, he founded and is director of the Institut Pateur Imagopole, an infrastructure harbouring 4 groups with expertise in microscopic, ultrastructural and cytometry based imaging technologies; plus translational research in paradigms relating to infectious pathologies.
Dr Alex Sossick, University of Cambridge, UK
Mr Michael Zoelfell, Zeiss
meetings
The Annual General Meeting of the Light Microscopy Section was held on 14th July 2011 in York.
View the Minutes of the AGM.
