What is the The Maine Microscopy Foundations and Fundamentals course ?
The Maine Microscopy: Foundations and Fundamentals course is designed for Maine scientists at all levels, including graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, research assistants, and junior faculty who want to fully understand current imaging technology and how technical decisions impact final image products.
What can you expect from it ?
The course runs for 10 days and covers everything from the basic optics principles necessary to understand the origin of an image to the advanced technology that equipped high-end microscopes. The course will consist of lectures from a slate of expert faculty, mixed with practical exercises and journal club discussions.
A major focus of the course will be on data collection and image processing, with an emphasis on best practices for writing methods sections in a way that promotes rigor and reproducibility. On the last day of the course, students will have the opportunity to choose a-la-carte a microscope or a technique that they want to practice. Participants in the course will receive readings in advance to jumpstart discussions and identify specific topics that may benefit from additional instructor time. The course will have a limited number of students to facilitate hands-on microscopy work.
Overall, the Maine Microscopy: Foundations and Fundamentals course provides a comprehensive and hands-on introduction to microscopy, with a focus on best practices for data collection and processing, as well as rigorous and reproducible methods sections.
How much the course cost ?
There is no tuition or registration fee for this course, which includes housing and meals. However, students must fund their own travel to and from MDIBL.
This research training opportunity is supported by an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under grant number P20GM103423.
The IDeA program builds research capacities in states that historically have had low levels of NIH funding by supporting basic, clinical and translational research; faculty development; and infrastructure improvements.
Who are the course directors ?
Karissa Tilbury: Assistant Professor @Umaine Orono
Frederic Bonnet: Light Microscopy Facility manager @MDIBL
Who are the course faculty ?
Marko Pende: post doc, MURAWALA Lab @MDIBL
Where to apply ?
On the MDIBL website
Contact fbonnet@mdibl.org today to learn more about our services and how we can help you achieve your research goals. We look forward to working with you and unlocking the mysteries of the microscopic world together!