New Frontiers Theme

Organised by Prof. Chris Hawes (Oxford Brookes) & Kim Findlay (John Innes Centre)

This session is dedicated to new technologies for extracting 3 dimensional information from biological specimens. Lead speakers will consider the use of focussed ion beam etching for building up serial images by SEM for 3-D reconstruction and the use of soft X-ray microscopy combined with tomography for imaging individual cells.

Speakers

• Prof. Carolyn Larabell (UC-San Francisco) Imaging cells using correlated fluorescence and x-ray tomography
• Dr. Bruno Humbel (University of Utrecht) Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy in Cell Biology

Organised by Prof. Angus Kirkland (University of Oxford)

In recent years the advent of accessible high performance computing and digital image acquisition has lead to considerable interest in the processing and analysis of high resolution TEM images with a view to the recovery of quantitative structural and spectroscopic information from the TEM. This session will focus on key developments in digital imaging technologies (including novel detectors) and on image processing / analysis aimed at improving the quantification of TEM data.

Speaker

• Dr. Dirk van Dyck (RUCA) Data mining the object wave

Organised by Prof. Pratibha L. Gai (University of York) and Prof. Eva Olsson (Chalmers, Sweden

Dynamic experimentsusing in situ dynamic electron microscopy methodsare playing a key role in understanding and creating nanomaterials and processes for advanced technologies. This timely session will focus on the pivotal role of innovative in situ microscopy methods with new capabilities resulting from aberration-correction, reaction environmental conditions, advanced microanalysis and novel sample holders, in the development of chemical, electronics and biological (nano) technologies. These include, energy, environmental remediation, catalysis, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, high strength nanostructured materials and nanoelectronics. Both platform and poster contributions are welcome from participants to supplement invited talks; combining opportunities and challenges of dynamic experiments.

Speakers

Organised by Dr. Michelle Peckham (Leeds University) and Dr. David Stephens (University of Bristol)

A variety of super-resolution microscopy approaches have been developing rapidly over the past few years, including photo-activation localisation microscopy (PALM), the related techniques stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) and FPALM (fluorescence PALM), as well as the illumination based techniques of stimulated illumination emission depletion (STED). This session will focus on the latest developments of these approaches, including FRET-based techniques to monitor molecular interactions and the development of the methodology.

Speakers

• Prof. Sam Hess (University of Maine) Super-Resolution Fluorescence Imaging of Intracellular Structure and Dynamics
• Dr. Richard Berry (University of Oxford) Imaging turnover, co-operativity and mechanochemistry in a macromolecular complex

N3.1 Other Microscopies – nanosims, atom probes, helium ions

Organised by Prof. Chris Grovenor (Oxford University) & Dr. John Hutchison (Oxford University)

During the past decade a variety of new microscopy techniques have emerged to complement the more traditional techniques using light and electron microscopes. Atom probe microscopy, helium-ion microscopy and NanoSIMS are among the techniques now being used to gain new and valuable information on materials: surface structure, chemical composition, magnetic structure, and mechanical properties can now be characterised on scales hitherto thought unattainable.

This session will highlight some of the new microscopy techniques which go beyond “pretty pictures” and are now finding an important role in modern science, providing key information that could not be obtained otherwise.

Speakers

• Dr. Claude Lechene (Harvard Medical School) Seeing and Measuring Stable Isotope Tags in Subcellular Domains with Ion Microscopy
• Dr. W Thomas Pike (Imperial College London) Microscopy of Mars

N3.2 Advances in Fluorescent Probes

Organised by Prof. Dorus Gadella (University of Amsterdam) and Dr. Steve Briddon (University of Nottingham)

Recent years have seen huge expansion in the number of fluorescent probes available for use in biological microscopy. Many new fluorescent protein variants have been characterised to extend coverage to both ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths, as well as photoswitchable variants for use in super-resolution techniques such as PALM and STORM. In addition, there have been new organic fluorophores with improved photophysical properties as well as an increase in the number of nanoprobes (such as quantum dots) which are available.

Speakers

• Dr. Konstantin Lukyanov (University of Moscow) Fluorescent proteins: inert labels or photochemical partners
• Dr. Martin Oheim (INSERM, Paris) Sensing proton and calcium microdomains with FRET-based nanobiosensors

S1.2 What microscopy with synchrotron radiation can do for you

Organised by Dr. Christoph Rau (Diamond Light Source) and Dr. Gavin Bell (University of Warwick)

Over the last decade synchrotron-based imaging has made huge progress. Developments in instrumentation, particularly in X-ray optics, allow the high brightness, tunable energy and high coherence of synchrotron light to be exploited in a wide variety of imaging modes, at resolutions thought impossible even a few years ago. This session will cover the latest advances in the field of imaging science with synchrotron radiation and in particular emphasize the interaction with other microscopies across both physical and biological fields. Speakers will be encouraged to discuss how their synchrotron work expands on standard imaging methods.