Synchrotron Radiation for Bio-Imaging at PETRA III
DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Bldg. 28c, seminar room
Single isolated neural receptor cell in X-ray light: Distribution of K (red) and Cl (blue) [Dučić et al, 2009].
This meeting aims to bring scientists from biological and medical backgrounds together with synchrotron experts to establish a new interdisciplinary user community around the new high resolution beamlines P11 and P06 at PETRA III. Both beamlines are currently under construction and will enter the commissioning phase shortly after the workshop. The workshop is a unique opportunity for a hands-on introduction into the new possibilities for bio-imaging on the micro- and nano-scale at this facility. It will also be an excellent occasion to propose new experiments and collaborations, as well as to discuss future developments or requirements from the users. We are looking forward to addressing novel, groundbreaking biological and medical questions using synchrotron radiation.
We propose to offer opportunities such as:→ Measurements in situ: non-invasive preparation of biological samples, without embedding and cutting, while probing the sample volume.
→ Measurement under cryo-conditions.
→ High brilliance nano-beams with high resolution (down to~10nm!)
→ Available X-ray techniques (2D mapping and 3D tomography):
• X-ray fluorescence: Mapping the (trace-) elemental distributions from sodium to uranium.
• X-ray absorption & phase contrast: imaging the topography of (usually transparent) biological objects.
• X-ray absorption spectroscopy: distinguishing the oxidation state of elements.
• X-ray diffraction: including crystallography.
The workshop will feature rapidly emerging fields in different branches of biology, medicine, physiology, bio-chemistry, etc. Leading scientists in the fields of cellular and molecular biology, medicine, ecology as well as X-ray microscopy, electron microscopy and imaging will address future developments in bio-imaging with synchrotron radiation. A strong emphasis will be placed on methods to analyse and image complex interactions in biological systems at molecular, cellular and organism levels. We are aiming to examine structures and dynamics of biological interactions, to reveal cellular functions, such as signalling cascades or metabolic pathways, and pathological changes on the cellular level. We look forward to discussing with you how your research could benefit from new instruments at PETRA III, a new high-brilliance synchrotron radiation source at the DESY site in Hamburg. You are very welcome to contribute with a short talk or poster, and especially with discussion. Please feel free to inform your colleagues who are interested in new bio-imaging methods.
Sincerely,
Bio-imaging teams at PETRA III:
Tanja Dučić and Alke Meents (Beamline P11)
Gerald Falkenberg and Gerd Wellenreuther (Beamline P06)
