The Washington University Center for Cellular Imaging is engaged an active education program to support the effective training and subsequent development of its users advanced imaging and analysis skills. This comprises of a diversified portfolio of the following elements:

  • One-on-one and group training sessions on specific instrumentation and / or imaging modalities
  • Lunch & Learn Seminars to introduce new technologies
  • Short workshops comprised of both theoretical and practical elements
  • Monthly “JEDI” Journal Club
  • Twice-yearly Cellular Imaging Course

User Training

All users will receive formal training by WUCCI staff before being allowed to use any center instruments. The WUCCI training policy operates as follows:

  1. An initial meeting is held with the user to discuss experimental needs, determine the most appropriate imaging system for their project, to provide a short orientation to the WUCCI, its policies and procedures and to assist the user with creating a WUCCI user account.
  2. A training session is scheduled between the user and a WUCCI staff member. This training session typically lasts ~2 hours and provides the user with an orientation on the basic operation of the microscope in question. At the end of this training session, the user is granted Level I access where they are able to book time on the microscope during business hours (Monday – Friday, 8am – 6pm) when a staff member is present to assist if needed.
  3. After 10 sessions, when the user has demonstrated competency in the safe operation of the microscope, they are granted Level II access when they can use the microscope 24/7 unsupervised.
  4. If additional training is required, i.e. for other advanced imaging modalities, they can be scheduled with a staff member.

Workshops

The WUCCI periodically holds multi-day workshops focused on a specific area of cellular imaging. These typically have been a combination of theoretical lectures and hands-on instrument time. These have included:

  • Live-cell and super-resolution imaging
  • 3D/4D image processing
  • Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy
  • Two-Photon intra-vital microscopy

Lunch & Learn Seminars

The WUCCI periodically hosts “lunch & learn” seminars throughout the year  that focus on developing and / or emergent cellular imaging technologies.


“JEDI” Journal Club

The Journal club for Experimentation and Developments in Imaging (JEDI) aims to enhance understanding, spark discussions, and foster community across all areas of cellular and neuroscience imaging research at WashU.

The monthly gathering on the 4th Thursday will alternate between methodology tutorials covering imaging fundamentals and analysis techniques and a more traditional journal club format to discuss new developments in neuroscience imaging.  All levels of experience are welcome. Please join for one meeting or all!

NOTE: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, JEDI meetings are on a hiatus. We plan to restart them at the WUCCI-NF in 2023.

Location: Couch Research Building B117 (Medical Campus, WUCCI Conference Room)
Time: 4:00pm 2nd Thursday of each month
Organizers: Peter Bayguinov, Tim Holy, Ed Han


Cellular Imaging Course

The WUCCI Scientific Director is developing an 8-week focused course on a broad swath of cellular imaging techniques targeted to graduate students, post-docs and clinical fellow with a minimal background in imaging. Lectures will cover the following topics:

  • Lecture 1 – Fluorescent Probes: Dyes, fluorescent proteins and fluorescent biosensors
  • Lecture 2 – Fluorescence, Confocal and Two-photon Microscopy
  • Lecture 3 – Super-resolution and sub-diffraction limited Microscopy
  • Lecture 4 – Light-sheet and selective plane illumination Microscopy
  • Lecture 5 – Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy
  • Lecture 6 – 3DEM – in situ microtomy and focused ion beam methods
  • Lecture 7 – Cryo-Electron Microscopy
  • Lecture 8 – X-Ray Microscopy

NOTE: We plan to roll this out in 2023