Light microscopy plays a central role in cell biology and new microscopy techniques continue to offer cutting-edge insights into biological systems. This course will teach both the practical as well as the theoretical underpinnings of light microscopy. Topics will include the physics of light, physiology of the eye, the physics of CCDs and PMTs, bright field, phase contrast, dark field, polarizing, DIC, optical trapping, fluorescence, TIRF, FRET, confocal, and super-resolution microscopy. Quantitative imaging and image processing will also be discussed. A lab, consisting of a practical course on how to build a microscope will also be offered to a limited number of students. Lab participants will break into small groups to build a specialized microscope to investigate a specific biological question using microscopy. Instructor will gauge student interest in the lab component the first week of class.

Instructor: Paul Wiggins

Textbook: None required.

References: "Optics" by Eugene Hecht, "Video Microscopy" by Shinya Inoue and Kenneth R Spring