Electron Microscopy course
The Basics: from A to W

Extended application deadline: 30 August 2019!

Participants: 16 PhD students from AMC-UvA, EPS or WUR. AMC and EPS/WUR PhD students will get preferred access, but all PhD students and postdocs can attend when places are available.
Language: The course is given in English.
Study load: 44 hours, 1.6 ECTS points.
Course organizers: Jan van Lent (WUR), Marcel Giesbers (WUR), Nicole van der Wel (AMC) and Edwin Scholl (AMC).

Introduction

In recent years, Electron Microscopy (EM) has rapidly developed as a powerful research tool for high-resolution imaging, leading to high-ranking papers, a Nobel price and recently in The Netherlands to a big NWO award. New, more powerful electron microscopes and the possibility to work at very low temperatures (cryo-EM), have made it possible to achieve atomic resolutions. In addition, combined light and electron microscopy (CLEM; correlative microscopy) now allows precise detection of fluorescently labelled molecules in high resolution images of cells and tissues.

During this course, you will be introduced to all these novel developments. You will learn to use both transmission (TEM) as well as scanning electron microscopes (SEM) with different detectors. You will perform classical techniques for specimen preparation, like resin embedding of cells and tissues and negative staining of small structures like virus particles, as well as cryo-techniques for both TEM and SEM. The course will also include tips and tricks to perform CLEM.

Aim and scope

After this course, you will have insight into the possibilities of electron microscopy as a research tool and are able to decide whether you should use SEM, TEM or CLEM for your analysis.  You will be able to operate an EM at basic level, make images and perform basic techniques of sample preparation. To benefit optimally from this course you will need some understanding of microscopes in general, but it is not necessary to have experience with EM.

Deliverables

  1. Understanding the principles of electron optics and structure of TEM and SEM
  2. Basic operation of TEM and SEM
  3. Application of sample preparation techniques for TEM and SEM
  4. Imaging and data collection with the EM and critical interpretation of these data.

Format and program

4 Days practical training at WUR and AMC locations and a final day with presentations of participants, guest lectures on advanced microscopy and concluding reception at WUR.
8 participants will start the course at WUR and 8 participants at AMC. On Wednesday, the participants will change to the other course location. The final day for all participants will be hosted at WUR.

Registration for the course:

  • AMC-UvA PhD students and postdocs: Please contact Claudia Rhebergen, e-mail: c.rhebergen@amc.uva.nl, tel. +31 (0)20 566 4950.
  • EPS/WUR PhD students and postdocs: Please mail Susan Urbanus (susan.urbanus@wur.nl) and supply the following information: 1) first and last name, 2) which Graduate School you belong to, 3) if you have an approved TSP and 4) a short motivational letter (1/2 A4).

Participation fee is €250 for PhD students of the Graduate Schools EPS/PE&RC/WIMEK/VLAG with an approved TSP ór postdocs registered at one of these graduate schools; €500 for all other PhD candidates or postdocs. Lunch and concluding reception are included in the course fee. The selected participants will receive an invoice. Payment will be only possible by invoice (no credit cards and no cash payment on site).

Participation cannot be guaranteed beforehand because of the limited group size. The selection of participants will among others be based on the short motivation (1.2 A4) of how you intend to apply the knowledge from this EM course in your own research. Participation of selected registrants will be confirmed in the first week of September. The extended application deadline is 30 August 2019.

More information


Monday, September 23, 2019 through September 27
Times will follow
AMC Amsterdam & Wageningen Campus
Amsterdam, Wageningen