The next Facility Managers Meeting aimed at people running or working in light microscopy facilities will be held at the University of Birmingham.
From very humble beginnings, we have grown to a much more significant and influential community of facility managers. Numbers of attendees have grown 10 fold since the first meeting in 2006 as more and more facilities have opened. We now represent one of the best organised facility groupings in the UK if not indeed the world.
Following on from previous years, you can expect to find out more on the latest developments in UK Bioimaging and how we can feed in to wider international groups that are starting up. We will also discuss some of the basic elements (funding, impact measures) of running a core facility as well as the latest technological and application developments that effect ourselves and our users.
Registration for this event has closed.
Organisers and Speakers
Scientific Organisers: Alessandro Di Maio and Robert Shaw, University of Birmingham
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Dr Alessandro Di Maio
University of Birmingham
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Dr Robert Shaw
University of Birmingham
Invited Speakers
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Dr Alex Laude
University of Newcastle
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Dr Andrea Mitchell
University of Birmingham
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Dr Ann Wheeler
University of Edinburgh
Ann is a cell biologist and our University of Edinburgh ESRIC facility manager with expertise in advanced light microscopy in particular in Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) and Single Molecule Localisation Super-resolution microscopy (SMLM) as well as quantitative image analysis. Ann works with collaborators in the generation of new methods and methodologies for visualising structures by super-resolution. -
Dr Anton Page
University of Southampton
Anton is a Clinical Scientist, senior clinical lecturer, and Director of the Biomedical Imaging Unit, a joint University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust core facility. He started off as a parasitologist at Imperial College and then moved into electron microscopy at Royal Holloway, University of London. He now heads a team providing a research and diagnostic service using light, X-ray and electron microscopes capable of 2-, 3- and 4D imaging. -
Dr Daniela Hensen
BBSRC
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Dr Dean Kavanagh
University of Birmingham
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Dr Dominic Waithe
Vice Chair
MRC Centre for Computational Biology and the Wolfson Imaging Centre at the MRC Weatheral Institute of Molecular Medicine
Dominic is a UKRI Innovation Fellow with the MRC Centre for Computational Biology and the Wolfson Imaging Centre at the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford. In his current position he applies biophysics, machine learning and computer vision techniques to develop novel microscopy based dynamic acquisition pipelines. His background includes degrees from University College London in biotechnology, molecular neuroscience and computer science. He has performed post-doctorate research in the field of molecular neuroscience as well as in applied microscopy and image analysis. -
Ms Ellie Lech
BBSRC Swindon
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Dr Fredrik Wallberg DipRMS
Institute of Cancer Research
Fredrik runs the flow Cytometry Facility at the Chelsea campus of Institute of Cancer Research. He has been the manager since 2006. He is also involved in time lapse microscopy, confocal microscopy and high content microscopy. Before he joined the Institute of cancer research he worked both in Sweden and the Netherlands with flow Cytometry. He has succesfully completed the RMS Diploma in which his project focussed on cell death and time lapse microscopy. -
Dr Glyn Nelson
University of Newcastle
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Prof Jason Swedlow
University of Dundee
Jason Swedlow earned a BA in Chemistry from Brandeis University in 1982 and PhD in Biophysics from UCSF in 1994. After a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr T.J. Mitchison at UCSF and then Harvard Medical School, Dr Swedlow established his own laboratory in 1998 at the Wellcome Trust Biocentre, University of Dundee, as a Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellow. He was awarded a Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellowship in 2002 and named Professor of Quantitative Cell Biology in 2007. His lab focuses on studies of mitotic chromosome structure and dynamics and has published numerous leading papers in the field. He is co-founder of the Open Microscopy Environment (OME), a community-led open source software project that develops specifications and tools for biological imaging. In 2005, he founded Glencoe
Software, Inc., a commercial start-up that provides commercial licenses and customization for OME software. In 2011, Prof Swedlow and the OME Consortium were named BBSRC's Social Innovator of the Year and Overall Innovator of the Year. In 2012, he was named Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Prof Swedlow has organized or directed several courses in quantitative microscopy at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, USA, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, USA and the National Centre for Biological Science, Bangalore. India. -
Dr Jessica Valli
Heriot-Watt University
Jessica is the facility manager for the Edinburgh Super-Resolution Imaging Consortium (ESRIC) and is based at the Heriot-Watt University site. Jessica completed her PhD at the University of Oxford in 2017 where she used a wide range of advanced imaging techniques to study parasite-host interactions. Jessica now works in an interdisciplinary environment, running the imaging facility at the Institute of Biological Chemistry, Bioengineering and Biophysics at Heriot-Watt University. -
Dr Kerry Thompson
Chair of Outreach & Education Committee, Honorary Secretary Education
National University of Ireland, Galway
Kerry is a Lecturer in Anatomy at the National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway since 2017. She is the Programme Director for the newly established MSc in Microscopy & Imaging at NUI Galway. In 2010 she was awarded her PhD for a microscopy heavy research project which focused on structure function relations in the human endometrium. In 2011 she began work as a Postdoctoral Microscopy Facility Scientist in the Centre for Microscopy and Imaging (CMI) in NUI Galway and was a key member in its establishment.In the 2014/2015 academic year Kerry acted as a project lead in the “Under the Microscope” Programme, which brought the Microscope Activity Kits from the RMS into Irish Primary Schools for the first time. Following this Kerry was elected on the Outreach & Education Committee of the RMS. With the support of both the RMS and the Microscopy Society of Ireland, the team continue to visit schools all over Ireland and partake in outreach events. In 2018 she succeed Prof Susan Anderson as the Honorary Secretary of Outreach and Education of the RMS. Her current research is focused on the development of correlative light and advanced electron microscopy techniques and technologies. She is keenly involved in the acquisition of microscopy related research infrastructure, and the development of adequate training and career progression pathways for Imaging Scientists and Core Facility Staff.
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Dr Kurt Anderson
The Francis Crick Institute
Kurt is a cell biologist who uses advanced imaging methods to study cell migration. He completed his PhD at the University of Salzburg in 1997 on the actin-based mechanism of fish keratocyte migration. He then spent 2 years as a post-doc at the Marie Curie Cancer Research Institute (UK) before moving to Dresden in 2001 to set up the light microscopy facility at the new MPI-CBG. In 2005 he moved to the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research in Glasgow, where he runs the Beatson Advanced Imaging Resource (BAIR) and a research group investigating tumor cell migration. His work at the Beatson used imaging methods such as FRAP and FRET to study the molecular dynamics of cell adhesion and migration in vitro and in vivo. In 2016 Kurt moved to the Francis Crick Institute, where he is now Head of the Crick Advanced Light Microscopy Facility (CALM) -
Dr Mark Jepson
University of Loughborough
After obtaining a PhD from Loughborough University on the topic of oxidation of stainless steels, Mark moved to the University of Sheffield as a research associate studying secondary electron dopand contrast for semiconductor analysis. He then returned to the Department of Materials at Loughborough as a research associate investigating microstructural evolution in materials for power plant applications. Mark is currently a lecturer in metallurgy and microscopy and has interest in steels and superalloys for power plant applications, oxidation and SEM imaging techniques. -
Dr Neena Kalia
University of Birmingham
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Dr Peter O'Toole
RMS Vice President
University of York
Peter heads the Imaging and Cytometry Labs within the Technology Facility at the University of York which includes an array of confocal microscopes, flow cytometers and electron microscopes. Peter gained his PhD in the Cell Biophysics Laboratory at the University of Essex and has been involved in many aspects of fluorescence imaging. Research is currently focused on both technology and method development of novel probes and imaging modalities.Peter has ongoing collaborations with many leading microscopy and cytometry companies and his group also provides research support to many academics and commercial organisations. Peter is also heavily involved with teaching microscopy and flow cytometry which includes organising and teaching on both the RMS Light Microscopy Summer School and the RMS Practical Flow Cytometry courses.
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Dr Rebecca Saleeb
Light Microscopy Early Career Representative
University of Edinburgh
Rebecca is a postdoc in the Edinburgh Single-Molecule Biophysics group at the University of Edinburgh. She completed an interdisciplinary PhD with Dr Paul Dalgarno and Prof Rory Duncan, developing and using FLIM-FRET and super-resolution technologies to understand late-stage autophagy. She subsequently spent a number of years as a bio-imaging specialist/facility manager for the Edinburgh Super-Resolution Imaging Consortium, Lisbon’s Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown and Queen Mary University of London, where she helped researchers apply optical microscopy to diverse questions of biology, spanning neuroscience, cancer, immunology and cardiovascular biology. She returned to dedicated research in 2021, working in the lab of Mathew Horrocks to explore the structure and pathogenic capacity of α-synuclein aggregates, a hallmark of Parkinson’s Disease. -
Dr Robert Benson
University of Glasgow
Delegate Information
Registration
Registration for this event will open on Monday 23rd September 2019.
The registration costs are as follows:
- This meeting is free for academic registrants to attend
- Academic Rate including accommodation = £87.50 + VAT
- Commercial Rate = £295 + VAT
- Commercial Rate including accommodation = £382.50 + VAT
Please note, the booking price online is inclusive of VAT.
Venue
The UK Light Microscopy Facility Meeting will take place at the Edgbaston Park Hotel and Conference Centre.
The full address for the venue is as follows:
Edgbaston Park Hotel and Conference Centre
53 Edgbaston Park Road
Birmingham
B15 2RS
United Kingdom
Please note, there is another hotel in Birmingham called ‘The Edgbaston’ so please ensure you use the full name or postcode for any sat nav/taxi directions.
Accommodation
We have secured a number of bedrooms at the venue. The hotel is convenient to travel to, being a 15 minute walk from the University train station. Additionally, the conference is taking place in the same venue.
If you wish to book accommodation for the night of 6 January, please select the registration option, ‘Academic Rate incl. accommodation’ on the registration page.
We recommend that you book your accommodation as soon as possible as we have a limited allocation available to us.
Sponsors
All techno bite opportunities for this event have now been sold.
To be added to a waiting list, please email Kat Driscoll.
Confirmed Sponsors
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3i-Intelligent Imaging Innovations
3i designs and manufactures technologies for living cell, live cell, and intravital fluorescence microscopy including digital holography, spinning disk confocal, multi-photon and lightsheet. Over 1000 customers worldwide use 3i's SlideBook microscopy software to manage everything from instrument control to image capture, processing and data analysis. Established in 1994, 3i is headquartered in Denver, Colorado (USA) with offices in London, United Kingdom, and Göttingen, Germany.
Find out more about 3i (Intelligent Imaging Innovations)
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Andor Technology, an Oxford Instruments Company
Andor Technology plc is a global leader in the pioneering and manufacturing high performance scientific imaging cameras, spectroscopy solutions and microscopy systems for research and OEM markets. Andor has been innovating the photonics industry for over 20 years and aims to continue to set the standard for high performance light measuring solutions that allow consumers to perform light measurements previously considered impossible. Through continuous dialogue with customers and strong teamwork, Andor continues to innovate ground-breaking products that improve the world in which we live.
Find out more about Andor Technology
www.andor.com -
Bruker
For almost 50 years Bruker has been driven by a single goal: to provide the best technological solution for each analytical task. Today, worldwide, more than 4,000 employees in over 90 locations on all continents work towards this enduring vision.
Bruker’s drive to develop state-of-the-art technologies and innovative solutions for today’s analytical questions remains constant, evidenced by the many product lines that lead their respective markets. With one of the world’s most comprehensive ranges of scientific instrumentation available under one brand, the Bruker name is synonymous with excellence, innovation and quality.Find out more about Bruker
www.bruker.com -
Cairn Research
Cairn is an Independent research-orientated company specialising in microscopy solutions for the life sciences. From our origins as a provider of turnkey optical systems for fast intracellular ion measurements we have maintained close links with our academic customer base enabling us to develop a broad range of products and solutions to meet their expanding needs. Our strength lies in our understanding of both the requirements of the research microscopy community and of the advances in technology from which they can benefit. We have a “can do”, informal, and friendly attitude and are always willing to give advice. The company has evolved organically to encompass four distinct, but interrelated areas.
We are instrument designers, manufacturers and vendors of both Illumination and Detection products. Our illumination products encompass a wide range of light sources, adapters and specialist launch systems; typically used in conjunction with a third-party, or Cairn-built, microscope or macrosope. On the detection side our primary focus is on multi-channel imaging using one or more third-party cameras. These products are largely based around optical techniques, most importantly, fluorescence, optogenetics, photolysis and transmitted light imaging. Although fully independent we are closely allied with Chroma Technology and a large number of our illumination and detection products make use of their high performance interference filters.
Find out more about Cairn Research
www.cairn-research.co.uk -
CoolLED
CoolLED designs and manufactures cutting edge LED illumination systems for researchers and clinicians using the latest LED technology. The company has specialised in fluorescence microscopy since it introduced the first commercially available LED illumination system in 2004. LEDs are now the system of choice because they are more stable, longer lasting, and energy efficient than traditional mercury based illuminators as well as offering superior safety and environmental features.
CoolLED offers a comprehensive range of LED illumination systems for bioscience and clinical microscopy including:
• pE-100 range of compact, simple-to-use, single wavelength illumination systems for screening fluorescence.
• pE-300white range that offers intense, broad spectrum illumination covering the excitation bands of common fluorescent stains for regular fluorescence work.
• pE- 4000 – the universal LED illumination system for research fluorescence, with the broadest spectrum of illumination available from 16 selectable wavelengths, and extensive functionality that sets a new standard for the industry.
CoolLED technology is also available in OEM and tailor made configurations. We can meet the needs of manufacturers who wish to integrate stable, controllable LED illumination into their products.
Find out more about CoolLED
www.coolled.com -
Exprodo Software
Exprodo Software produces Calpendo which is an intelligent booking system designed to manage bookings and projects for shared equipment. It can be configured with rules which allow you to control who can book what and when. Highly flexible reporting reduces administrative time spent managing projects, budgets and invoicing.
Find out more about Exprodo Software
www.exprodo.com -
Hamamatsu Photonics
Hamamatsu Photonics is a world-leading manufacturer of opto-electronic components and systems and employs over 3000 staff worldwide. The corporate headquarters are based in Hamamatsu City, Japan along with various manufacturing plants and central research laboratories. Since its inception in 1953, Hamamatsu Photonics has expanded to now enjoy a global presence throughout Asia, Europe and North America.
Hamamatsu Photonics’ corporate philosophy stresses the advancement of Photonics through extensive research and development. Hundreds of new opto-electronic products are introduced to the market each year and many Hamamatsu products are regarded as state-of-the-art. Hamamatsu sources, detectors and imaging products are designed to cover the entire optical spectrum, from nuclear radiation, x-ray, Ultraviolet (UV), Visible and Infrared radiation. Hamamatsu devices provide solutions for a wide variety of applications including analytical, industrial and medical instrumentation.
Find out more about Hamamatsu
www.hamamatsu.com -
Leica Microsystems
Leica Microsystems develops and manufactures microscopes and scientific instruments for the analysis of microstructures and nanostructures. Ever since the company started as a family business in the nineteenth century, its instruments have been widely recognized for their optical precision and innovative technology. It is one of the market leaders in compound and stereo microscopy, digital microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy with related imaging systems, electron microscopy sample preparation, and surgical microscopes.
Leica Microsystems has seven major plants and product development sites around the world. The company is represented in over 100 countries, has sales and service organizations in 20 countries, and an international network of distribution partners. Its headquarters are located in Wetzlar, Germany.
Find out more about Leica Microsystems
www.leica-microsystems.com -
Miltenyi Biotec Ltd
Miltenyi Biotec is a global provider of products and services that advance biomedical research and cellular therapy. Our innovative tools support research at every level, from basic research to translational research to clinical application. This integrated portfolio enables scientists and clinicians to obtain, analyse, and utilize the cell. Our technologies cover techniques of sample preparation, cell isolation, cell sorting, flow cytometry, cell culture, molecular analysis, and preclinical imaging. Our 30 years of expertise spans research areas including immunology, stem cell biology, neuroscience, and cancer, and clinical research areas like haematology, graft engineering, and apheresis. In our commitment to the scientific community, we also offer comprehensive scientific support, consultation, and expert training. Today, Miltenyi Biotec has 2,500 employees in 28 countries – all dedicated to helping researchers and clinicians around the world make a greater impact on science and health.
Find out more about Miltenyi Biotec Ltd
www.miltenyibiotec.com -
Nikon UK Ltd
Nikon Instruments is a leading manufacturer in light microscopy and metrology solutions. With over 100 years’ experience in optical design and a strong core technology group, Nikon has become a truly iconic brand for all types of imaging.
Nikon’s philosophy is to meet needs and exceed expectations. We specialise in the development of optical products, building an unbeatable reputation for lens technology and precision optics. We pride ourselves on providing high contrast, high definition, and aberration free images.
Find out more about Nikon UK Ltd
www.nikon.co.uk and www.microscope.healthcare.nikon.com -
Olympus
Olympus supplies a complete range of microscopy instrumentation and related software including upright, inverted and stereo microscopes. From teaching laboratories to national research establishments, all types of users are catered for - with everything from lens tissues to specialised imaging systems and advanced microscopy techniques.
Olympus microscopes are recognised for their world leading optics, ensuring unbeatable image quality from standard techniques to laser confocal microscopy, TIRF and live cell imaging. While some Olympus products focus on configurability to specific applications, others aim to maximise simplicity and relisability in multi-user environments.
The product range also covers digital microscope cameras and virtual slide systems, together with imaging equipment and software for general and specialist applications across Life Science and Industry.
Find out more about Olympus
www.olympus.co.uk -
Oxford Nanoimaging Limited
Oxford Nanoimaging Limited is a company originating in the Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics at the University of Oxford. Professor Achillefs Kapanidis and PhD student, Bo Jing, lead a collaborative, inter-disciplinary team that has pioneered innovative technologies to produce an elegant benchtop super-resolution microscope. The Nanoimager has a footprint of just 21 cm x 21 cm yet packs the capability of a much larger, conventional microscopy platform delivering super-resolution and single-molecule performance. With a significantly lower cost of entry, researchers will now be able to obtain benchtop nanoscale imaging at a fraction of the price of earlier systems without the need for a large laboratory and skilled operators. As Professor Kapanidis says, “I wish I had this when I was a graduate student.”
Find out more about Oxford Nanoimaging Limited
oni.bio -
Phasefocus
Phasefocus is changing what is possible to measure using live cell assays; uncover the subtle differences in cell behaviour that were previously hidden.
Livecyte, our flagship product, delivers an unprecedented level of single-cell data from live cells. High-contrast label-free videos, correlative fluorescence and powerful image analysis algorithms result in high-content timelapse outputs from standard 96-well plate assays.
Phasefocus' products are based on patented and award-winning computational imaging technology, called ptychography. From automated characterisation of live cell behaviour, to world-record-setting electron microscopy, Phasefocus is enabling advances in many diverse areas of scientific research.
Find out more about Phase Focus
www.phasefocus.com -
Photon Lines
Photon Lines supplies a range of scientific cameras (including CCD cameras, CMOS and sCMOS), lasers and laser components which are optimised for Lightsheet microscopy. We also supply advanced scientific imaging solutions primarily into the area of biophotonics, such as Label-Free Live Cell Imaging Systems and fluorescence microscopy equipment including the products of PhaseView, who have engineered unique 3D imaging technologies for life science microscopy applications. Based on a novel remote focusing principle, PhaseView imaging products allow for high speed 3D imaging which is only limited by camera frame rate, while keeping bio-specimens in a stable position without moving the objective or stage. Using this acquisition principle, PhaseView’s Alpha3 light sheet fluorescence microscope addresses the issue of high temporal resolution along with spatial high-resolution, to achieve 3D imaging of dynamic biological processes.
Find out more about Photon Lines
photonlines.co.uk -
Prior Scientific
From our UK headquarters, Prior designs and manufactures a wide range of scientfic instrumentation, specialising in microscope automation and optical microscopy. This has been the core of our business since 1919. Our experience is unrivalled and our commitment to engineering excellemve is reflected in the performance and quality of our broad product portfolio. Although we offer a range of standard products. Prior also offers OEM and customised solutions tailored to your individual requirements. Many of the world's leading scientific instrumentation companies already benefit from Prior's expertise.
Find out more about Prior Scientific Instruments
www.prior.com -
Quorum Technologies
Quorum Technologies are global leaders in electron microscopy (EM) coating and cryogenic preparation providing high performance sample preparation equipment worldwide.
Driven by the demands of the market Quorum specialises in innovating new technology to develop instruments and techniques which have a positive impact on its customers’ lives. Key products in Quorum’s portfolio include the market leading Q Series of vacuum coaters and PP3010T cryo preparation system for SEM and FIB/SEM – market-led genuine ground-up designs that have earned Quorum the respect of the industry and truly set the standard within the specimen preparation field.
Find out more about Quorum Technologies
www.quorumtech.com -
Teledyne Photometrics
Founded as Photometrics in 1978, Teledyne Photometrics is part of the Teledyne Imaging Group. Teledyne Photometrics is the world’s premier designer and manufacturer of high-performance CMOS, EMCCD and CCD cameras for life science research. The original architect of the world’s first scientific-grade microscopy EMCCD camera and developer of the popular CoolSNAP CCD cameras, Teledyne Photometrics maintains its leadership role with the release of Prime, the first sCMOS camera with built-in computational intelligence for image restoration, and Prime 95B, the first sCMOS camera with 95% quantum efficiency. Teledyne Photometrics also offers comprehensive OEM support, including fully characterized, cost-efficient imaging systems and components. Teledyne Photometrics is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona.
Find out more about Teledyne Photometrics
www.photometrics.com -
Thermo Fisher Scientific
At Thermo Fisher Scientific, we are committed to accelerating your science by providing a comprehensive suite of solutions for the analysis of cells and their function. Behind this commitment is an incredible team of scientists developing and supporting our innovative instrumentation and products such as the Invitrogen™ Attune™ NxT Flow Cytometer, Invitrogen™ eBioscience™ flow cytometry antibodies, and Invitrogen™ functional reagents. Our flagship products are designed to deliver high-performance results and save you time in the lab. From our extensive flow cytometry cell health reagent portfolio and everyday standards and controls to our Invitrogen™ eBioscience™ Super Bright antibody conjugates, let us help you find unique ways to support discovery of new biological insights.
Find out more about Thermo Fisher Scientific
www.thermofisher.com -
ZEISS
Carl Zeiss is an innovative technology leader in the fields of optics, precision engineering and electronic visualisation. Time and time again, we set new, pioneering standards in sophisticated technology for recognising, experiencing, measuring, analysing, structuring and processing a wide spectrum of objects. With professional optics we meet the expectations of even our most critical customers - not only in the fields of research, medicine, industry, but also for use in leisure activities.
Find out more about ZEISS
www.zeiss.com
