New TEM course and training opportunities
By Beth | Aug 5, 2026 |
We have new teaching and training opportunities for you, to make getting access to
equipment and education easier for everyone. Courses offered this fall through the
CAM:
- NSC 810, Laboratory: Biological Science Transmission Electron Microscopy, contact Dr. Alicia Withrow
-
NSC 815, Laboratory: Physical Science Transmission Electron Microscopy, contact Dr. Beth Hudak
NSC 810 and 815 will be combined for some class periods and meet separately other
times. Please keep in mind that seats in the courses are limited, so reach out early
if you would like to enroll. Email the instructors above for course enrollment and
syllabus info.
In addition, we are offering training pathways for people to get started on the TEMs
without enrolling in a formal course. These trainings can be started anytime a student/postdoc/researcher
has samples ready, depending on the availability of the Microscopists and equipment.
Reach out to Beth or Alicia for Physical sciences or Biosciences TEM training support,
or just ask anyone if you're not sure!
Meanwhile, the 1400 Flash and 2200FS are available to help support your research with
Alicia or Beth assisting. We are eagerly anticipating the new aberration-corrected
ThermoFisher Spectra on track to be installed next summer.
Biological TEM training options
Depending on the availability of the Staff and equipment, we can work with you to
develop a customized training plan that fits your research needs.
- Samples for TEM: tissues (plant, animal), samples in suspension. Differences between sample preparation for tissues and samples in suspension.
- Agarose embedding of cells
- Fixatives: glutaraldehyde, paraformaldehyde, osmium tetroxide. When to use them and why
- Different dehydrating agents
- Types of embedding medium
- Negative staining
- The ultramicrotome
- Glass knife maker
- Differences between glass and diamond knives
- Differences between thick and thin sections
- Stains for thick sections and thin sections
- Positive staining
- The 1400 Flash microscope
- Types of specimen holder
- Insertion and removal of the specimen holder
- The microscope column
- Controllers
- Apertures
- Astigmatism
Physical Sciences training options
In addition to training on the TEM, we can provide additional training for methods
such as SAED, STEM, STEM-EDS, HAADF-STEM, and energy-filtered TEM.
| Topic | Training | NSC 815 course |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $660 for instrument and staff time using our posted hourly rates, higher for advanced techniques | $400 in ‘pre-billed’ funds that can all be used for research during/ after course enrollment semester |
| Hrs of hands-on instruction | ~6 | ~20 |
| Lectures/ theory | Reference material and website references | ~40 hours of classroom instruction and activities |
| Scope | Basic instrument operation for trainee’s current samples. Additional advanced analytical modules optional, billed at the assisted rate. | Conceptual, theoretical, and practical fundamentals of TEM instrumentation, signal generation and detection, electron sources, resolution, qualitative and quantitative X-ray analysis, EDS hardware, STEM mode, energy-filtered TEM, selected area electron diffraction, analysis, metadata and data presentation |
| Availability | May be started anytime the trainee has research samples ready; subject to staff and instrument availability | Course runs every fall and spring semester. Typically fills up before the start of the semester so reach out early for a spot. |
| Peer interaction | None | Weekly interactions with students from many departments |
| Outcomes | Following successful checkout, independent basic operation of 2200FS; readiness for more optional advanced training. | Ready to independently use or check out on 2200FS TEM; ability to design and carry out TEM experiments on new types of samples; ability to optimize imaging and analysis with a toolbox of strategies; prepared for careers involving electron microscopy and microanalysis. |
