MRSEC summer course in Optical Microscopy (June 20-24, 2011)

Optical microscopy has become a powerful experimental tool capable of simultaneously visualizing large scale structures such as entire cells, and fluorescently labeled single molecules within these complex structures. It has found important applications in diverse scientific fields.  The Brandeis Materials Science Research and Enginering Center will offer a one-week intense summer course in optical microscopy from June 20 – June 24, 2011, “Introduction to Optical Microscopy.“  The primary goal of the course is to train students in the fundamentals of microscopy and optics. The students will start by constructing a bright field and fluorescence microscope from simple optical components before learning how to use research grade optical microscopes. After completing the course, students will acquire knowledge necessary for using optical microscopes at limits of their capabilities and critically evaluating their performance.

This summer course is a condensed version of a popular graduate level course in  Quantitative Biology (Quantitative Biology Instrumentation Laboratory QB 120 b).  Our goal is to make this course accessible to students with all scientific backgrounds.  The course will be taught by Zvonimir Dogic, who is a faculty member in the Physics Department at Brandeis University.

More information and application procedures are available at the following website: http://www.brandeis.edu/mrsec/summercourses.html.

Quantitative Biology Bootcamp 2011

The 5th Annual Quantitative Biology Bootcamp will be held on January 16 & 17, 2011.  Paul Miller will preside over the 2nd annual QB Computational Challenge:  When space trumps time: modeling dynamic spatial patterns with Matlab. This year’s panel discussion topic is “Writing interdisciplinary papers. What to do. What not to do.”  We’re delighted to announce the HHMI Interfaces Scholar award went to Adelajda Zorba (Kern lab).  Adelajda was selected from among several exceptional submissions this year.  The topic is HIV-1 assembly.

Members of the Brandeis community are invited to attend. If you are interested, please contact Trisha Murray no later than Jan. 4, 2011.

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Quantitative Biology Retreat 2010

Grad students, postdocs and faculty from the Graduate Program in Biochemistry & Biophysics and from the interdisciplinary program in Quantitative Biology gathered for their Annual Retreat October 21-22, 2010 at Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. See the program here.

Spring 2011 course announcement: QBIO 120b — Quantitative Biology Instrumentation Laboratory

Ph.D. students from any science Ph.D. program at Brandeis have the opportunity to enroll in QBIO 120b, the Quantitative Biology Instrumentation Laboratory.  This unique laboratory course, now in its fifth year, was established with funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.  The course aims to provide an understanding of modern instruments used in biological research with special emphasis on bright-field and fluorescence light microscopes, spectrophotometers, and fluorimeters.  The approach is a practical one geared to students who are or will be using these instruments in research.  QBIO 120b consists of six two-week long lab projects.  In the initial projects, students assemble optical instruments from their component parts and quantitatively characterize the performance of the instruments.  In the later projects, students apply the understanding gained in the initial projects to getting the optimal performance out of commercial microscopes and fluorimeters and avoiding pitfalls in their use.  The course also covers basic aspects of biological and biochemical sample preparation.

The course is limited by available laboratory space to twelve students.  If you possibly or definitely want to take the QBIO 120 in Spring 2011, please email the instructor, Jeff Gelles (gelles@brandeis.edu) as soon as possible.

The course syllabus can be read online.  Please feel free to contact Prof. Gelles if you have questions.

HHMI Interfaces Scholar Award: call for applications

The Quantitative Biology Program at Brandeis University, supported by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, is now soliciting applications for an award for preparing an outstanding set of three pedagogical lectures on a subject at the interface of the physical and biomedical sciences. These lectures will be given at the Quantitative Biology Bootcamp, Sunday, Jan 16, through Monday, Jan 17, 2011.  The award consists of a cash prize of $2,000.

Any graduate student or postdoctoral research associate currently at Brandeis is eligible to apply. The application packet should consist of short curriculum vitae and a one page outline of the three lectures. QB faculty will work with the successful applicant in preparing the lectures.  Applications should be submitted before Friday, November 5, to Trisha Murray, either by campus mail (MS009), or e-mail (pmurray@brandeis.edu).

*An information session for potential applicants will be held on Friday October 8, Kosow Conference Room 207, 2:30-3:30 pm.

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