EMBO Practical Course

Cryo-Electron Microscopy and 3D Image Processing

EMBL Heidelberg, Germany Sunday 26 August - Sunday 2 September 2012

Summary
The course provides a thorough theoretical and practical background in a wide variety of aspects of molecular cryo-electron microscopy including sample preparation and data collection as well as the many different aspects of image processing. This wide variety of aspects fosters the integration of knowledge and methods, which is the key for achieving top results in molecular electron microscopy. Practical sessions during the course are focussed on the major topics in image processing for cryo-electron microscopy including subtomogram averaging, single particle processing, 2D-crystal processing, and reconstruction of helical particles.

Aims of event
The course is aimed at PhD-students and PostDocs, who have already some experience in electron microscopy and want to use electron cryo microscopy and learn advanced image processing techniques. We ask that the students have the possibility to use at least one of the techniques taught in the course in their projects. However, there is no prior knowledge of cryo techniques and/or image processing required.

Topics
- Lectures - to provide general background and in depth knowledge required for electron cryo microscopy and image processing.
- Practicals – Each student will carry out one main practical during the course. The main practicals cover the most common fields of 3-D image analysis 1) cryo-tomography with subtomogram averaging, 2) single particle processing, 3) 2D-crystal processing, and 4) reconstruction of symmetrical particles (focusing on helical reconstruction together with details of high-resolution resolution structure solving). Students will also do a second shorter practical. Here the students have a choice of 1) electron cryo microscopy (sample preparation, sample transfer, data acquisition) 2) an introduction to one of the other image processing techniques or 3) working on their own projects, getting detailed supervision and input from the teachers.