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.