Microscope Training
All new confocal microscope users must attend a compulsory 2-hour basic training session before being given access to a microscope on the booking system. Up to three trainees can be accommodated per session.This basic training will be provided using a standard specimen provided by the light microscopy group. In addition, anyone who needs to use advanced microscopy techniques as part of their project must attend a compulsory supervised advanced training session in which their own specimens will be used to demonstrate the equipment and software tools necessary for their project. 'Advanced microscopy techniques' here means (but is not limited to) imaging of samples in non-standard or home-built specimen holders, live imaging of any kind, photo-bleaching, photo-activation and photo-conversion techniques (e.g. FRAP, FLIP, etc), Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) and techniques requiring the use of a motorised stage (e.g. multi-position time-lapse, tiling/stitching).
Introductory Training (Confocal Microscopes)
You will learn:
- How to switch on the machine and associated devices
- How to get a fluorescence image by eye down the microscope
- How to set up the system for single and multi-channel imaging
- How to do Z stacks
- How to save and recall acquisition settings and data
- The importance of cleaning the microscope and objective lenses
- How to switch off the system and leave it in a suitable state for the next user
Vox spinning disc and time-lapse training
Basic training sessions for the Vox and time-lapse microscopes will last two to three hours. The basic training session will be provided using a test specimen from the light microscopy facility. Further training sessions will be needed with users' own specimens because of the specific problems encountered with live imaging. You MUST discuss your specimen and experiment with the trainer at least a week in advance (or as long as it will take for you to prepare a specimen) since not all specimen imaging chambers can be accommodated, so it is very important that you find out what you should grow your specimen in.
Other training
The light microscopy facility can also offer training on wide field fluorescence microscopes and image processing software. Please contact the facility at the email below to arrange training.
How do I book training?
All training must be booked through the LMCB light microscopy email: lmcbimage@lmcb.mcbl.ucl.ac.uk
Once a training session has been booked it will be entered onto the Microscope Training Calendar. If there is already a training session scheduled for the microscope you want to use you may join that session provided it isn’t already fully subscribed.