Instrument introduction guidelines in Biovis

BioVis provides the following introductory education for new users:

1) Basic education on imaging techniques

2) Specific training on the instruments and techniques.

After the basic and specific training, users are allowed to book the instrument they have trained on. Assistance can be given also by the instrument, which will result in a service fee.

The basic education is mandatory for all untrained BioVis users. The specific instrument training is mandatory for all users. In this guideline our introduction procedure is described, therefore we ask all newcomers to read and understand our procedure before applying for any introduction.

Basic education

To provide essential knowledge to new users, BioVis provides a mandatory basic education on the imaging techniques and related topics for all untrained customers (with exceptions only for very experienced users who can certify their previous training as decided by BioVis staff). This half-day training will cover fluorescence, microscopy, and related techniques on a basic level to give a general understanding for microscopy and flow cytometry. For the introduction no credit points are given.

The following lectures are given in the basic education:

1.  Basic knowledge on fluorescence, (45 min - 1 h). Covers the theory and application of fluorescence in microscopic and flow cytometry techniques. Keywords: properties of light; excitation-emission; Stokes-shift; bleaching; filters and optical elements; multicolor imaging.

2.  Short introduction to the different techniques and instruments we have at the facility, (10-15 min)

3.  Light and fluorescence microscopy, (45 min - 1 h). Covers the basics of microscopy. The lecture starts with the different microscopic techniques (bright field, DIC, fluorescence); explains the optical pathway and parts of the microscope; discusses resolution and magnification; and shows some practical tips on using the microscope.

4.  Confocal microscopy, (1 h).

Lecture covers the basic understanding of confocal microscopy. Keywords: Widefield vs confocal; optical sectioning; illumination of the specimen; resolution; parts of the microscope; imaging and sampling; 3D imaging; spectral imaging.

Specific training on instruments and techniques

This specific education aims to teach users on how to run and operate the instruments available at BioVis. All introduction starts with a lecture (around 30 min – 1 h, depending on instrument), where the theory and principles of the specific imaging technique are described. After the lecture we give 1-2 hour training on how to use the specific instrument and related software. In the afternoon we finish the training with 2 h hands on session where users can try the instrument on their own in groups, ending with a practical exam.

1.  Fluorescence microscope - Zeiss Axioimager M2 (Jeremy Adler)

2.  Confocal microscope - Zeiss LSM 700 (Jeremy Adler)

3.  SIM-superresolution microscope - Zeiss LSM 710 SIM Introduction only for the superresolution part, participants should have basic knowledge of confocal microscopy and should be able to run the confocal part of the machine (Matyas Molnar)

4.  Multiphoton microscope - Zeiss LSM 710 NLO (Matyas Molnar)

5.  Single Plane Illumination Microscope - Zeiss Lightsheet Z.1 (Matyas Molnar)

6.  Flow cytometry – Beckman Coulter Cytoflex (Sara Petersson)

7.  Imaging flow cytometer - Amnis FlowSight (Sara Petersson)

Coming dates

Basic education - mandatory / 17th Jan / 14th Feb / 21th March / 18th April / 16th May
9.00 – 10.00 Basic knowledge on fluorescence
10.00 – 11.15 Light and fluorescence microscopy
11.15 – 12.30 Confocal microscopy
Specific training: Light and fluorescence microscope - Zeiss Axioimager M2 / 18th Jan / 15th Feb / 22th March / 19th April / 17th May
10.00-12.00 Introduction to the instrument
13.00-15.00 User hands on session
Specific training: Confocal microscope - Zeiss LSM 700 / 20th Jan / 17th Feb / 24th March /21th April /19th May
10.00-12.00 Introduction to the instrument
13.00-15.00 User hands on session
Specific training: SIM-superresolution microscope - Zeiss LSM 710 SIM / 19th Jan / 16th Feb / 23th March / 20th April / 18th May
9.30-10.00 Basics and theory, lecture
10.00-12.00 Introduction to the instrument
13.00-15.00 User hands on session
Specific training: Multiphoton microscope - Zeiss LSM 710 NLO / 24th Jan / 21th Feb / 28th March / 25th April / 30th May
9.30-10.00 Basics and theory, lecture
10.00-12.00 Introduction to the instrument
13.00-15.00 User hands on session
Specific training: Single Plane Illumination Microscope - Zeiss Lightsheet Z.1 / 26th Jan / 23th Feb / 30th March / 27th April / 23th May
9.30-10.00 Basics and theory, lecture
10.00-12.00 Introduction to the instrument
13.00-15.00 User hands on session
Specific training: Flow cytometry – Beckman Coulter Cytoflex / 25th Jan / 28th Feb / 31th March / 2th May / 1st June
9.00-10.00 Basics and theory, lecture
10.00-12.00 Introduction to the instrument
13.00-15.00 User hands on session
Specific training: Imaging flow cytometer - Amnis FlowSight / 26th Jan / 1th March / 4th April / 3th May/ 2nd June
9.00-10.00 Basics and theory, lecture
10.00-12.00 Introduction to the instrument
13.00-15.00 User hands on session

Location: For the Basic education and Specific trainings we always meet at Biovis; Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B (MTC building), 3d floor.

Please come in time, as we start the lectures and trainings SHARP!

Cost for introduction

The fee for the basic education (half day lecture) is 300 SEK. A specific training (training on how to use the instrument) is 500 SEK. A full introduction with the basic and specific education is then 800 SEK for one instrument. Each additional specific training is 500 SEK.

How to apply

All new customers requesting introduction training to a specific instrument must check the available introduction dates for the specific instrument (together with the mandatory basic education) and contact the responsible person with the following information:

1.  Name of the group leader/PI

2.  Group Reference Code(s) for the billing, or if you are from outside academia all the necessary info for billing. The reference code contains three numbers and three letters (e.g. 123XYZ)

3.  A project title

4.  Funding source for this project

5.  Instrument name and small description why you want to work with this imaging technique

Please send the request to the following responsible person:

Matyas Molnar (Fluorescence, Confocal, SIM-superresolution, Multiphoton or Lightsheet microscopy)

Sara Petersson (Flow cytometry, Imaging flow cytometry)