Bi 177: Principles of Modern Microscopy
California Institute of Technology - Fall 2010
Prof. Scott E Fraser
TAs: Danielle Bower, dvbrown AT caltech.edu,
Jessica Ricci, jricci AT caltech.edu
 

 

Hours
 
 
Mon, Wed, Fri 1:00-2:15 pm
Broad 100 Lecture Hall
 

 

Lecture schedule (MAY BE UPDATED!)
 
Oct 06
Lecture 01: Basic optics
Homework 1, Due 10/8/10 (beginning of class)
Syllabus
 
Oct 08
Lecture 02: Design and layout of real microscopes
Homework 2, Due 10/11/10
 
Oct 11
 
Lecture 03: Wide Field Fluorescence Microscopy
 
Oct 13
 
Lecture 04: Lasers (physics, types, functions)
 
Oct 15
 
Lecture 05: Widefield vs laser scanning microscopy: adding the 3rd dimension
Homework 3, Due 10/20/10
 
Oct 18
 
Lecture 06: Practical considerations in a confocal microscope

** By 1pm email TAs the paper you will review for project 1
 
Oct 20
 
Lecture 07: Techniques for enhancing intrinsic contrast


** TAs will approve your paper selection or request a new one
 
Oct 22
 
Lecture 08: Resolution, contrast, and detection
 
Nov 01
 
Lecture 09: Multiple labeling and multi-spectral imaging

** Draft of project 1 paper due at the beginning of class! Exchange with peers to review.
 
Nov 03
 
Lecture 10: FRET


**Comments on your peer's paper due at beginning of class!
 
Nov 05
 
Lecture 11: Quantitative Fluorescence Microscopy
 
Nov 08
 
Lecture 12: Fast fluorescence and lightsheet microscopy


**Final revised project 1 paper due at beginning of class!
 
Nov 10
 
Lecture 13: Electron microscopy and tomography (Grant Jensen)


**By 1pm email us the paper you will review for project 2.
 
Nov 15
 
Eric Betzig's seminar on super-resolution microscopy
 
Nov 17
 
Lecture 14: MRI and MR microscopy (Russ Jacobs)
 
Nov 19
 
Lecture 15: Emerging imaging techniques I (NSOM, SIM, AFM, OPT, OCT)

** Draft of project 2 paper due at the beginning of class. Exchange for peer review.
 
Nov 22
 
Lecture 16: Emerging imaging techniques II (STED, 4pi, PALM/STORM)
 
Nov 24
 
**Complete peer review and exchange comments.

 
Dec 03
 
**Final, revised project 2 due by 1pm!
Please turn in to Danielle (Brown OR Bower)'s mailbox in the BI lobby:
1) your first draft of paper #2,
2) the peer comments you received, and
3) your final draft,
all paper-clipped together.

 

 

Reading Projects
 
 
Read and study a published paper in a mainstream journal. Write a short report concerning this paper. The report should be ~5 pages long. Get pre-approval of TA on paper/topic.

Peer Review Form
Grading Criteria

 

 

Coursework
 
 
Reading
6 Simple problem sets
Paper reading project (2 per term)
No midterm or final exam
 

 

Grading
 
 
Grades based on the Homework and the Projects.
Homework, Project 1, Project 2 are given equal weight.
Late homework assignments are not accepted.
Score can be dropped with medical or Dean's excuse.
 

 

Auditors and non-traditional students
 
 
Auditors are welcome to take the Course, but are required to do the homework problem sets and reading.
 

 

Links
 
 
Bi177 & Bi227 website
Microscope Primer
Microscopy from the Very Beginning (Zeiss)
Olympus Microscopy Primer