Biological Imaging

Course content

This course will introduce to all important modalities of advanced biological and biomedical imaging using photons, electrons, X-rays and neutrons, available in the Øresund region in core facilities and at synchrotron and linear accelerators (MAX IV and ESS). These modalities offer a wide zoom range and the resolution power to resolve the substructure of molecules, cells, tissues, organs and whole bodies. The couse is relevant for students of MSc. educations within biological, chemical, physical, medical, molecular and pharmaceutical sciences and will be coordinated with the PhD course "Biological Imaging". 

In particular the following topics will be treated: fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence life time imaging, super resolution microscopy, electron and cryo electron microscopy, X-ray imaging and imaging at synchrotron and linac beamlines. An important part will be the concomitant data analysis, -management and -statistics as well as image processing. 

Learning outcome

This course aims at giving the student an understanding of biomedical imaging including the physical and optical principles of cutting-edge microscopes and beamlines. The course includes show cases at the instruments and, thus, will be an important asset for students that want to integrate biological and soft-matter imaging in their Master projects. 

After the course the student should be able to:  
Knowledge
Describe properties of different light sources and their impact on biological specimens;
Understand the principles of specimen preparation;
Process raw data from different imaging modalities, including mulitvariate analysis of 4D image series;
Availability of biological imaging facilities in the Øresund region;
 

Skills:
Analyse and evaluate scientific papers which utilise biological imaging instruments and -beam lines;
Make a flow-chart of data management from raw image data to analysis;
Process  image series with simple software algorithms for contrast and brightness improvement, segmentation and automated analysis

Competences
Select appropriate imaging modalities to visualise molecular or cellular structures and processes;
Describe the limitations of the different imaging modalities used in the course;
Judge suitability of MAX IV or ESS to solve scientific questions of a project within Biology, Biology-Biotechnology, Computer Science, Medicine and Technology, Molecular Biomedicine, Nanoscience or Pharmaceutical Sciences while being aware of competing imaging instruments.

Lectures, Journal Clubs, flipped classroom, practical show cases, excursions.
Please note that your laptop should be able to run MatLab or a similar data analysis program (4GB RAM)!

Relevant background material and Journal articles will be electronically available at the start of the course. Practicals will be taught at the Center for Advanced Bioimaging (CAB - FBG and Nørre Campus), and at the Center for Integrated Microscopy (CFIM - at the Panum building). An excursion to Lund (Sweden) will be undertaken to visit the MAX IV synchrotron and the linear neutron accelerator European Spallation Source (ESS).

Students interested to take this course should have a basic understanding of theory and use of wide field light microscopes, such as achieved by following cell biology, histology or anatomy courses.

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.

Continuous feedback during the course
ECTS
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination, 3 hours under invigilation
Type of assessment details
The exam will consist of two parts, of which one is a multiple choice test on the fundamentals of biological imaging and the other one covers questions on the journal articles treated during the course. Part one counts 1/3, and part two 2/3.
The course has been selected for ITX exam.
See important information about ITX-exams at Study Information, menu point: Exams -> Exam types and rules -> Written on-site exams (ITX).
Aid
All aids allowed

As the exam is an ITX-exam, the University will make computers available to students at the exam. Students are therefore not permitted to bring their own computers, tablets, calculators, or mobile phones.

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Criteria for exam assessment

See "learning outcome"

Single subject courses (day)

  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 28
  • Preparation
  • 132,5
  • Theory exercises
  • 12
  • Practical exercises
  • 33
  • Exam
  • 0,5
  • English
  • 206,0

Kursusinformation

Language
English
Course number
NPLK17000U
ECTS
7,5 ECTS
Programme level
Full Degree Master
Duration

1 block

Placement
Block 4
Schedulegroup
C
Capacity
20
The number of seats may be reduced in the late registration period
Studyboard
Study Board for the Biological Area
Contracting department
  • Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences
  • Department of Computer Science
  • Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology
  • Department of Chemistry
  • The Niels Bohr Institute
Contracting faculty
  • Faculty of Science
Course Coordinator
  • Alexander Schulz   (3-6671784575716a7333707a336970)
Teacher

Klaus Qvortrup
Jon Sporring
Michael Gajhede
Robert Feidenhans'l

Saved on the 10-11-2022

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