Conference Description
The Volume Electron Microscopy GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.
Just as the resolution revolution in cryoEM has fundamentally altered the field of structural biology, we are entering the era where large-scale and multimodal imaging centered on electron microscopy of cell and tissue ultrastructure in 3D is poised to transform cell biological research. Volume Electron Microscopy (vEM) is a term adopted by our community to describe a set of high-resolution imaging techniques that reveal the three-dimensional structure of cells, tissues and small model organisms at nano- to micrometre resolutions. vEM techniques include Serial Block Face SEM (SBF SEM), Focused Ion Beam SEM (FIB SEM), single-beam array tomography (sAT), multi-beam array tomography (mAT), plasma FIB (pFIB), serial section TEM, serial section Electron Tomography (ssET), and GridTape TEM (gtTEM). Emerging within the past two decades, largely in response to the desire to reconstruct a variety of synaptic features in massive volumes of neuronal tissue, vEM imaging is generally performed at room temperature on resin-embedded cells and tissue samples, with a focus on automation and throughput. Thus, in stark contrast to traditional EM imaging experiments, vEM ‘pipelines’ quickly generate vast amounts of data and depend on significant computational resources. Not only has this required a re-imagining of sample preparation and image acquisition protocols, but vEM has also spawned a whole sub-specialty in computational research devoted to processing, analysis and quantification of rich image datasets to extract meaningful biological insights. Though the volumes imaged in vEM are relatively large in the context of classical electron microscopy, the fundamental trade-off between field of view versus resolution versus speed remains. Further, the incompatibility of EM with live cell imaging has meant that a range of ancillary correlative techniques, including fluorescence microscopy (FM) and X-ray microscopy (XRM), play a critical role to target the event or feature of interest within a larger tissue volume, often a proverbial “needle in the haystack”. Again, in correlative vEM experiments, data-handling and analysis strategies form an integral part of the workflow. This very first GRC on Volume Electron Microscopy aims to bring together this fast-growing community to discuss the latest developments in the field, foster exchange of ideas, and stimulate new collaborations. The condensed and focused form of Gordon Research Conferences is the optimal way to drive this exciting emerging field of technology forward.
The topics, speakers, and discussion leaders for the conference sessions are displayed below. The conference chair is currently developing their detailed program, which will include the complete meeting schedule, as well as the talk titles for all speakers. The detailed program will be available by March 18, 2023. Please check back for updates.
Keynote Session: Key vEM Technologies
Discussion Leaders
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Yannick Schwab (European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Germany)
Speakers
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C. Shan Xu (Yale School of Medicine, United States)
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christel genoud (Université de Lausanne, Switzerland)
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Jeff Lichtman (Harvard University, United States)
Key Applications of vEM
Discussion Leaders
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Saskia Lippens (VIB, Belgium)
Speakers
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Jost Enninga (Institut Pasteur, France)
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Claudia Lopez (Oregon Health & Science University, United States)
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Moritz Helmstaedter (Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Germany)
Tackling Sample Preparation Challenges for vEM
Discussion Leaders
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Nicole L. Schieber (Lab Manager - Electron Microscopy for Life Sciences and Soft Matter at CMM, UQ, Australia)
Speakers
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Thomas Templier (Collectome, Switzerland)
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Emily Benson (Cleveland Clinic, United States)
Molecular Labelling Strategies for vEM
Discussion Leaders
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Ben Giepmans (UMC Groningen, The Netherlands)
Speakers
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Kristina Micheva (Stanford University, United States)
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Maria Paez Segala (HHMI-Janelia Research Campus, United States)
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Kara Fulton (Harvard Medical School, United States)
High-Speed, High-Volume vEM Imaging
Discussion Leaders
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Nalan Liv (University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands)
Speakers
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Alex de Marco (Monash University, Australia)
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Meike Sievers (Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Germany)
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Martina Schifferer (DZNE, SyNergy, Germany)
Tools for Acquiring, Processing and Analysing vEM Data
Discussion Leaders
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Erin Tranfield (Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal)
Speakers
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John Bogovic (HHMI Janelia, United States)
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Anna Kreshuk (European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Germany)
Visualising and Sharing Big vEM Data
Discussion Leaders
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Aubrey Weigel (Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, United States)
Speakers
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Gerard Kleywegt (EMBL-EBI, United Kingdom)
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Josh Moore (Open Microscopy Environment (OME), Germany)
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Christian Tischer (EMBL, Germany)
Volume Correlative Microscopy
Discussion Leaders
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Kedar Narayan (NIH, United States)
Speakers
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Eija Jokitalo (University of Helsinki, Finland)
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Kimberly Meechan (European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Germany)
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Jurgen Kriel (Stellenbosch University, South Africa)
Latest Developments in the vEM Field
Discussion Leaders
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Song Pang (Yale School of Medicine, United States)
Speakers
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Jacob Hoogenboom (Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands)
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Alexandra Pacureanu (ESRF - the European Synchrotron, France)
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Rob Parton (University of Queensland, Australia)
The GRC Power Hour™
Organizers
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Nalan Liv (University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands)
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Erin Tranfield (Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal)
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Song Pang (Yale School of Medicine, United States)