Visikol is excited to announce that it will be partnering with researchers to lead a ten-day course focused on presenting strategies and innovations in tissue clearing methodologies for use with invertebrate and vertebrate marine organisms. The course will run from April 20 – April 30, 2019 and will be located at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Lectures, hands-on training, and demonstrations include optical microscopy (e.g., bright-field, epi-fluorescence, confocal laser-scanning, multi-photon microscopy, and light-sheet microscopy), advances in optical microscopy that facilitate 3-D imaging of cleared tissues, organs of whole intact genetically tractable and genetically non-tractable invertebrate and vertebrate organisms, post-image acquisition analysis and techniques, imaging ethics, reagent validation and workflow development, and optimization neural-tract tracing, and trouble-shooting for multi-color labeling.
Lectures and hands-on laboratory activities will address the following:
1. Develop, optimize, and trouble-shoot multi-color labeling and clearing workflows for tissues and organs of whole intact genetically tractable and non-tractable invertebrate and vertebrate organisms – participants will learn and discuss optimal procedures for replicable experiments from sample preparation to imaging whole intact genetically tractable and non-tractable invertebrate and vertebrate organisms at high resolution by rendering them optically transparent and permeable to probes, stains, and antibodies. Strategies to maximize the preservation of proteins, antigens, and tissue morphology to yield efficient multi-color labeling using different fluorescent and chromogenic labels will be covered; neural-tract tracing, learn, discuss, and use controls that support specificity of labeling results; and discuss variances in labeling specificity, labeling penetration strategies, labeling probe size, conditions that may generate inconsistent labeling, validation of reagents, and numerous tissue clearing techniques from the past to the present.
2. Practical considerations of imaging cleared tissues and organs of whole genetically tractable and non-tractable invertebrate and vertebrate organisms – participants will learn about and discuss issues of tissue thickness and optical limitations of bright-field microscopy, epi-fluorescence microscopy, confocal laser-scanning microscopy, multi-photon microscopy, and light-sheet microscopy that affect imaging; deconvolution strategies, and gain insight into how to choose the correct microscope for 3-D imaging.
3. How to report image data and develop rigor and reproducibility sections in federal grant applications – participants will learn how to report experimental methods and results in compliance with rigor and reproducibility requirements for federal funding agencies. Discussion of results obtained in the course will emphasize the ethics of imaging and acceptable practice for image capture, image management, and the appropriate use of software for creating figure plates.
If you are interested in signing up and taking part check out below: