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Once an Introductory or Advanced training session has been booked it will be entered on the Microscope Training Calendar. If there is already a training session scheduled you can join that session provided it isn’t already fully subscribed but please email the address above to let us know you will be attending. Once you have received introductory training on a microscope you will be given access to the Faces Scheduling System where you will be able to book any microscope you've been trained on. You will also be entered onto the lmcb-lm-users@ucl.ac.uk mailing list, which microscope users can use to communicate with one another.
What will I learn?
In the Introductory Training
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You will learn sessions you will be taught the basics of microscope operation, such as:
- How to turn on the microscope and associated devicesinstruments
- How to focus and align the microscope for phase contrast or DIC (depending on the microscope)How to view phase contrast, DIC and fluorescence images down the microscopeon your cells using fluorescence or transmitted light techniques*
- How to take single and multi-channel images with the camera and software
- How to apply colour look-up tables (LUTs) to greyscale images and merge fluorescent channels
- How to calibrate the dimensions of images
- How to save or export image data
- Cleaning lenses and basic cleanliness
- How to export data in standard TIFF format
Introductory Training (Confocal Microscopes)
You will learn:
- How to turn on the microscope system and associated devices
- How to view fluorescence images down the microscope
- The basic principles of confocal microscopy - What it is. Why do it
- How to set up the system for single and multi-channel fluorescence imaging
- How to do Z stacksswitch the devices off
*Note that the transmitted light technique Differential Interference Contrast (DIC or Nomarski Contrast) is available on the confocal microscopes but is taught in advanced sessions rather than introductory training
Additionally in the confocal sessions you will learn:
- The basics of optical sectioning using confocal microscopy
- How to do Z stacks
- How to set up laser, detector and scan configurations
- How to save and recall acquisition those settings and data
- The importance of cleaning the microscope and objective lenses
- How to switch off the system and leave it in a suitable condition for the next user
Introductory Training (Time-lapse Microscopes)
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In the time-lapse sessions you will learn:
- How to turn on the microscope system and associated devicesHow to calibrate the motorised stage when necessary
- How to set up a multi-well plate specimen for imaging at 37 degree C and 5% or 10% CO2degrees C in a CO2 atmosphere
- How to use the other available specimen inserts
- How to align the microscope for phase contrast
- How to set up the system for phase contrast and multi-channel imaging
- How to set up single and multi-point acquisitions with or without auto-focusHow to switch off the system and leave it in a suitable condition for the next user
Advanced Microscope Training
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