Histology workshops

Five-day hands-on workshop, supported by the Center for Neuroethology & Physiological Plasticity, on applying iDISCO tissue clearing and 3D imaging to non-standard vertebrate models, where standard protocols and analysis pipelines need adapting. Developers of the methods teach the full workflow: clearing and immunolabelling at the bench, light-sheet sample preparation, acquisition and optimisation, and computational processing, visualisation, registration and quantitative analysis of cleared tissue. Free and limited to 30 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, with priority for those working on non-standard vertebrate models; participants cover their own travel and lodging.

This practical course introduces spatial-omics methods, particularly multiplex immunofluorescence and spatial transcriptomics, and helps researchers choose suitable approaches for their questions. Hands-on sessions teach open-source imaging methods designed for cost-effective experiments. Training follows the full workflow from custom reagents and sample preparation to microscopy data acquisition, image processing and basic analysis. The intended participants are PhD students, postdocs and staff in tissue biology or biomedicine with experience in tissue handling, immunofluorescence and basic microscopy.

The course teaches volume imaging through serial block-face SEM, focused-ion-beam SEM and array tomography. Theory and practical work help participants compare techniques, optimize acquisition and develop approaches to processing, analysing and managing three-dimensional cellular and tissue data.