VINSE will offer the Electron Microscopy and Microfluidic Device Fabrication short courses in the fall 2022 semester. Both courses will be held December 19-20. Courses will be capped at 16, so don’t wait too long to register. Details and pricing can be found below!
Electron Microscopy Short Course
Electron microscopy is a critical component for the characterization of material and biological specimens at the nanoscale. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) both use electron beams to reveal structure, but in very different ways. Although these instruments have been made very accessible with the help of software, users must understand the mechanisms behind image formation to properly interpret their images. This two-day short course will blend accessible lectures with hands-on experience operating both the Zeiss Merlin SEM and the Tecnai Osiris advanced analytical TEM/STEM. After completing this course, users will know how best to operate both instruments to get the most information and achieve the best possible images. Specific techniques include secondary electron vs. backscattered electron imaging, bright field/dark field TEM, STEM and analytical SEM and STEM using energy dispersive spectroscopy.
Cost- $75 Vanderbilt Users; $75 External Academic and Non-Profit Users; $200 Industry and For-Profit Users
REGISTER FOR ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
Microfluidic Device Fabrication
Microfluidic devices can enable “labs on chips” that consume less reagents and have faster analysis times than similar experiments performed in a traditional lab environment. Applications of microfluidic devices include portable sensors for point-of-care analysis, molecular and cell biology studies, and high-throughput, multiplexed assays. This short course will introduce the techniques behind the fabrication of microfluidic devices. It will be structured to assume no prior knowledge of the technologies by the participants. It will include an overview of microfabrication and microfluidics, photolithography, soft lithography, polymers, microfluidic device design, and microfluidic device applications. Students will fabricate a PDMS-glass microfluidic device inside the VINSE cleanroom with sessions broken down into SU-8 mold fabrication, PDMS mixing and pouring, and device cutting, bonding and testing.
Cost – $150 Vanderbilt Users; $150 External Academic and Non-Profit Users; $600 Industry and For-Profit Users
REGISTER FOR MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE FABRICATION