Stereology and Neuron Morphology Quantitative Analysis

Stereology Courses

Fundamentals in Neuroscience: Morphological and Behavioral Approaches
Organized by João Carlos Sousa, Ph.D. and José Miguel Pêgo, MD, Ph.D.
March 9-13, 2010
Braga, Portugal

Short Description
The first edition of the course aims at covering key aspects of behavior and morphology in the study of neurosciences. This is intended to be a basic-level course on neuroscience research. We are targeting persons who are currently members of research teams and who are likely to be relatively new to Neuroscience.

The course has a comprehensive one-day theoretical content supported by a strong practical component (4 days). At the end of the course attendants should be able to correlate morphological aspects with behavioral performance and choose and manipulate the appropriate laboratory tools.

Program
Planned lectures include:

Workshops include:

Course Directors
Dr. João Carlos Sousa is an auxiliary professor at the School of Health Sciences, University of Minho enrolled in the teaching of biochemistry. His research activities have been centered in the behavioral characterization of null-mutant mouse strains. Presently he is mainly focused on how changes in the pattern of gene expression in the choroid plexus influence the subventricular zone cell population dynamics. He is experienced in both laser microdissection and macrodissection of brain areas, and rodent behavior analysis.

Dr. José Miguel Pêgo is an auxiliary professor at the School of Health Sciences, University of Minho enrolled in the teaching of pharmacology. His research activities have been centered in the behavioral and morphological characterization of animal models of anxiety. Presently he is mainly focused on the molecular mechanisms underlying neuroplasticity in stress models of anxiety. He is experienced in rodent behavior analysis, stereology and 3D reconstruction of neurons.

Space is limited to the first 30 registrants. For more information or to register, please visit the conference website.

Note: MBF has a policy of not promoting courses that are taught by commercially affiliated instructors. There are other stereology courses that are offered by organizations that use instructors with direct commercial interests in the products that are demonstrated during these courses. If you have a doubt, ask the instructor directly if they have a commercial affiliation with the products demonstrated at their course. Contact MBF if you have any questions about courses not listed here or about our policy.

Stereology Seminar – Applying the Principles of Unbiased Stereology to Scientific Studies
Seminar Presented by Dr. Julie Simpson
March 18, 2010
University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, San Francisco, CA USA

Regional Course and Workshop in Fluorescence Microscopy
Organized by Dr. Rafael Cantera, Dra. María Castelló, Lic. Marcela Díaz, Dra. Anabel Fernández, Dra. Alejandra Kun, Dr. José R. Sotelo
March 20 – 25 (Course) and March 26 – 28 (Workshop)
Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable
Avenida Italia 3318, Montevideo, URUGUAY

Short Description
This course deals with theoretical aspects and hands-on training in basic concepts of fluorescence microscopy, in particular laser confocal microscopy, and some important applications to science students in South America.

A limited number of participants will be selected for the course and workshop.

Applications:
A brief CV, a Letter of Intention, and a Letter of Reference from the Supervisor should be sent to Marcela Díaz (marcelad@iibce.edu.uy).
Deadline for applications: February 5
Date for the announcement of selected participants: February 15

Fellowships: The course is admission free. Fellowships are available to cover the full or partial cost of travel, housing, and meals. Students should apply for fellowships by sending a letter to Marcela Díaz.

Preliminary list of issues to be covered:

For a Preliminary Program and additional information (in Spanish): www.iibce.edu.uy

Invited Instructors:
Dr. Felipe Barros – Chile
Ing. Martín de los Heros – Uruguay
Roberto Fernández- Argentina
Dr. Steffen Härtel- Chile
Carlos Mas – Argentina
Hernán Mendoza – Argentina
Dr. Daniel Peterson – USA
Dr. Igor Stagljar – Canadá
Dr. Horst Wallrabe – USA

2nd Annual Course on Design Based Stereology
Instructor: Dr. José Maldonado, MBF Bioscience
March 21 – 22, 2010
Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico

The purpose of this workshop is to strengthen the theoretical background and practical skills of the academic community interested in modern techniques of design based stereology currently used in the field of neuroscience.

The workshop is designed for graduate students, post-docs, and investigators interested in introducing advanced microscopy and stereology techniques in their research studies and labs. Dr. José Maldonado, staff scientist at MBF Bioscience, will lead the course.

International Symposium: Recent Advances in Imaging for Neuroscience
Presentations by Dr. Edmund Glaser and Dr. José Maldonado, MBF Bioscience
March 24, 2010
Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico

NeuroStereology Workshop
Organized by Dr. Mark West
April 17-22, 2010
Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA

Short Description
The NeuroStereology Workshop is a special topics course at the Marine Biology Laboratory, Woods Hole. The goal of the workshop is to teach a small group of research scientists how to design, supervise, and critically evaluate stereological studies of the nervous system. Stereology is a methodology that provides meaningful quantitative descriptions of the geometry of three-dimensional structures from measurements that are made on two-dimensional images sampled from a structure of interest. The workshop will emphasize modern ”design based” stereology, which is characterized by the preparation and probing of tissue in such a manner that no assumptions about the size, shape, and orientation of the structures being quantified are necessary.

Unlike previously available methods, these newer methods produce accurate and robust estimates of total quantities, such as number, length, area and volume. Because of the enhanced power of the data obtained with these methods, they have recently made important contributions to our understanding of the changes in the structure of the brain related to aging and disease and are rapidly becoming the standards required by journals and granting agencies.

The mathematical basis and practical application of these methods will be presented through a series of lectures, practical exercises, demonstrations, and critical evaluations of individual projects. Particular emphasis will be placed on design based, stereological methods that have particular relevance to the study of the nervous system, such as estimates of: 1) the numbers of neurons and synapses, the length of axons and capillaries, and the volumes of brain regions, layers; 2) the volumes and spatial arrangement of individual cells and pathological entities.

Who Should Attend
The target audience includes neuroscience research scientists working at the graduate student, post-doctoral, and senior scientists who are interested in the practical application of design based stereological methods. The number of participants will be limited to 30, to ensure robust faculty-student interaction.

Course Director
Mark. J. West, Ph.D., Dr. Med. Sci
University of Aarhus
Denmark

NeuroStereology Workshop
Organized by Dr. Mark West
June 30 – July 2, 2010
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Short Description
The NeuroStereology Workshop is a special topics course at the Park Plaza Victoria Hotel, Amsterdam. The goal of the workshop is to teach a small group of research scientists how to design, supervise, and critically evaluate stereological studies of the nervous system. Stereology is a methodology that provides meaningful quantitative descriptions of the geometry of three-dimensional structures from measurements that are made on two-dimensional images sampled from a structure of interest. The workshop will emphasize modern ”design based” stereology, which is characterized by the preparation and probing of tissue in such a manner that no assumptions about the size, shape, and orientation of the structures being quantified are necessary.

Unlike previously available methods, these newer methods produce accurate and robust estimates of total quantities, such as number, length, area and volume. Because of the enhanced power of the data obtained with these methods, they have recently made important contributions to our understanding of the changes in the structure of the brain related to aging and disease and are rapidly becoming the standards required by journals and granting agencies.

The mathematical basis and practical application of these methods will be presented through a series of lectures, practical exercises, demonstrations, and critical evaluations of individual projects. Particular emphasis will be placed on design based, stereological methods that have particular relevance to the study of the nervous system, such as estimates of: 1) the numbers of neurons and synapses, the length of axons and capillaries, and the volumes of brain regions, layers; 2) the volumes and spatial arrangement of individual cells and pathological entities.

Who Should Attend
The target audience includes neuroscience research scientists working at the graduate student, post-doctoral, and senior scientists who are interested in the practical application of design based stereological methods. The number of participants will be limited to 30, to ensure robust faculty-student interaction.

Course Director
Mark. J. West, Ph.D., Dr. Medical Science
University of Aarhus
Denmark

Instructors
Mark J. West – Institute of Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of Aarhus, Denmark
Lutz Slomianka – Department of Anatomy, Zurich University, Switzerland

Coordinator
Maryam Golchin

Stereology Course at the University of Vermont
July 21-23, 2010
Burlington, Vermont, USA

The Microscopy Imaging Center at the University of Vermont is offering a hands-on course in practical stereology July 21-23, 2010, in Burlington, VT taught by internationally respected experts.

This 3 day practical course is designed for advanced students, post-doctoral fellows, technicians, and principal investigators seeking to understand the principles of stereology as applied to microscopy and other imaging modalities.

Faculty:

Practical Training Course in Confocal Microscopy and Stereology
Organized by Dr. Daniel Peterson
August 16-20, 2010
Chicago, Illinois, USA

Short Description
The purpose of this course is to provide a comprehensive background in the theory and practice of modern histological preparation and microscopic analysis for researchers in biomedical science. The course provides a practical tutorial in all aspects of microscopic analysis including experimental design, specimen preparation, use of fluorescence and confocal microscopes, design-based stereology, and image preparation for scientific publication. At least four confocal microscopes equipped for stereology and several brightfield microscopes are available for use. Participants should bring examples of their material and problems for discussion. In addition to lectures, substantial time every afternoon is devoted to “hands-on” practical sessions. Finally, attendees participate in group discussion, where they can discuss their research applications and consult with the instructors.

Who Should Attend
Anyone who needs to utilize the cutting edge technologies of confocal microscopy and stereology to achieve an adequate level of analysis for their studies. This course is designed to provide systematic instruction in microscopy and stereology for scientists who are actively engaged in qualitative and quantitative microscopy or for those who need to introduce these technologies into their work. The course is taught on a graduate level and is suitable for experienced technicians and graduate students through to principal investigators.

Lecturer
Daniel A. Peterson, Ph.D., is a stem cell biologist and neuroscientist who maintains an active, NIH-funded academic lab focusing on brain repair and neurogenesis. Dr. Peterson also directs a Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine. He has been teaching international microscopy and stereology courses since 1995.

Space is limited to the first 20 registrants for each session. Two graduate student scholarships are available. For more information, to download the course program, or to register, please visit: www.neurorenew.com

Sixth Course “Morphometry and Stereology in Neurosciences”
Organized by Harry B.M. Uylings, MD, PhD
October 18-22, 2010
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

To be held in the colloquium room, MF-H-161, of the Dept. Anatomy & Neurosciences/Pathology, VU University Medical Center (VUmc), Van der Boechorststraat 7, Amsterdam

Short Description
The aim of this ONWA Stereology course is to teach how to design, to perform and critically evaluate stereological studies of the nervous system. Stereology is a methodology to achieve quantitative descriptions of the geometry and number of three-dimensional structures from measurements that are made on (nearly) two-dimensional images.
The ONWA Stereology course covers the following topics:
1) The measurement of volumes, surfaces(area), lengths, and number in 3-dimensional space using ‘2’-dimensional images.
2) The measurement of these structural parameters in homogeneous and non-homogeneous tissues.
3) The design of efficient, unbiased sampling strategies, i.e., ”design based” stereology
4) Differential histological shrinkage, how to account for.
5) Confocal microscopy and stereology
6) Morphometry
7) Statistics and stereology
These topics will be dealt with in lectures, practical exercises and demonstrations. Maximum number of participants: 15

Teaching Staff Invited

Harry B.M. Uylings, MD, PhD Coordinator	(1) Dept. of Anatomy & Neuroscience, VUmc, A’dam (2) School Mental Health & Neurosci., Div. Brain & Cognition, Univ. Maastricht Email: hbm.uylings@vumc.nl
Wilma D.J. van de Berg, PhD Coordinator	Dept. of Anatomy & Neuroscience, VUmc, Amsterdam
Floris G. Wouterlood, PhD	Dept. of Anatomy & Neuroscience, VUmc, Amsterdam
Angela Engel, Msc	Dept. of Anatomy & Neuroscience, VUmc, Amsterdam
Pieter Voorn, PhD	Dept. of Anatomy & Neuroscience, VUmc, Amsterdam
Cathrin Canto, Msc	Dept. of Anatomy & Neuroscience, VUmc, Amsterdam
Reinhard Braul, PhD	MicroBrightField Europe, Magdeburg, Germany
Arjan van Ooyen	CNCR, Fac. Earth/Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam
Jaap van Pelt	CNCR, Fac. Earth/Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam
Ger Ramakers	Netherlands Institute for Brain Research, KNAW, Amsterdam

NeuroStereology Workshop – An Introduction to Stereology for Neuroscientists
Organized by Dr. Mark West
November 11-12, 2010
San Diego, California USA

Short Description

A two day course to be held immediately prior to the meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego at the Horton Grand Hotel.

The goal of the workshop is to teach a small group of research scientists how to design, supervise, and critically evaluate stereological studies of the nervous system. Stereology is a methodology that provides meaningful quantitative descriptions of the geometry of three-dimensional structures from measurements that are made on two-dimensional images sampled from a structure of interest. The workshop will emphasize modern ”design based” stereology, which is characterized by the preparation and probing of tissue in such a manner that no assumptions about the size, shape, and orientation of the structures being quantified are necessary.

Organizer: Mark West

Professor of Medical Neurobiology, author of the most cited scientific papers on the application of modern stereological methods to the nervous system.

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