IFSU and IVMSU are hosting a 3-day intensive course in light microscopy, combining lectures and hands-on training. The course covers the complete imaging workflow—from theory and sample preparation, through image acquisition, to image analysis—with a strong focus on 3D imaging, live-cell applications, and challenging or thick samples. The course is aimed at PhD students, but is also open to MSc and BSc students.
Date: 16-18 March 2026 Location: MBW and IFSU, Stockholm University Deadline for registration: 8 March 2026
This course combines fundamental theory with hands-on demonstrations to provide a solid understanding of the Electron Microscopy in the biological sciences. The contents include principles of electron microscopy, specimen preparation, cryo-electron microscopy, correlative light-electron microscopy and 3D EM methods.
A practical course on biological sample preparation for TEM that includes: ultra-microtome sectioning, chemical fixation, plastic embedding, TEM imaging, high-pressure freezing & freeze substitution, immunolabeling techniques (Immunogold, CLEM), volume EM (FIB-SEM & Tomography), segmentation and sampling.
This course covers lectures and practical demonstrations in SEM and TEM techniques. The contents include principles of electron microscopy, specimen preparation, cryo-electron microscopy and correlative light-electron microscopy. The main focus will be on imaging biological samples, but the course may also be suitable for material scientists interested in high-resolution electron microscopy.
This course covers lectures and practical demonstrations in SEM and TEM techniques. The contents include principles of electron microscopy, specimen preparation, cryo-electron microscopy and correlative light-electron microscopy. The main focus will be on imaging biological samples, but the course may also be suitable for material scientists interested in high-resolution electron microscopy.
Lectures at the KBC Building and laboratory demonstrations at UCEM, Umeå University, Umeå
Short description: Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) is a powerful structural technique. Its power comes from its versatility to study biological systems in vitro or in situ, i.e. within cells or tissue. It has the ability to reach uncharted regions in biological systems at high resolution. Advancements in microscopes, cameras, and computation make it now possible to determine sub-10 Å 3-dimensional structures of molecules directly within cells.
This four-and-a-half-day workshop will cover cryo-ET workflows from sample preparation on EM grids to data processing and analysis. The workshop will be a mixture of lectures and practical sessions. Participants will get hands-on experience in sample preparation on EM grids (micropatterning), sample freezing (plunge freezing and high-pressure freezing), cryo-correlative light and electron microscopy (cryo-CLEM), cryo-focused ion beam milling (cryo-FIB), cryo-TEM tiltseries data collection, and data processing and analysis (MotionCor2, IMOD, Dynamo).
It is compulsory that applicants have previous cryo-EM experience either with single-particle or already with cryo-tomography.
This workshop is supported by SciLifeLab, CryoNET and Umeå University and organized by the Umeå Centre for Electron Microscopy (UCEM).
