An introduction to transmission electron microscopy techniques and applications in biology. Learn important concepts of the physics of image formation and analysis, which require a basic level of mathematics. Learn about sample handling, contrast enhancement, alignment, and image processing. Read and analyze relevant scientific papers and discuss jointly during student presentations. Practical demonstrations and hands-on exercises provide an opportunity to comprehend the concepts by experimenting with commonly-used image processing software. An emphasis will be given to highlighting common properties between diffraction and image data and how to take advantage of tools from both techniques during the final image processing projects.
- History of the TEM / Design of a TEM - Lecture
- Design of a TEM (cont’d) - Lecture
- Design of a TEM (cont’d) - Lecture
- Demonstration of a TEM - Demo
- Math refresher / Electron waves - Lecture
- Fourier transforms - Lecture
- Intro to image processing software in SBGRID - Practical
- Image alignment - Practical
- Contrast formation and transfer - Lecture
- Image recording and sampling - Student presentation
- Applications in biology - Lecture
- Preparation of biological samples - Demo
- Low-dose cryo-EM - Student presentation
- 2D crystallography - Student presentation
- Overview of the single particle technique - Lecture
- Review of theory - Lecture
- Electron tomography (guest lecture) - Lecture
- Physical limits to cryo-EM - Student presentation
- Particle picking - Practical
- Classification techniques - Student presentation
- 3D reconstruction - Student presentation
- Image processing project 1 - Practical
- Resolution-limiting factors - Student presentation
- Refinement and sources of artifacts - Student presentation
- Image processing project 2 - Practical
- A sampling of original literature - Discussion
- Three-Dimensional Electron Microscopy of Macromolecular Assemblies, 2 edn, by J Frank (2006) Oxford University Press
- Transmission Electron Microscopy: A Textbook for Materials Science (4-vol set), by Williams and Carter (2009) Springer
- Introduction to Fourier Optics, 3 edn, by J Goodman (2004) Roberts & Co.
- Transmission Electron Microscopy: Physics of Image Formation and Microanalysis, 4th edn, by L. Reimer (1997) Springer