Fluorescence microscopy training course on the Internet

The educational website for fluorescence microscopy www.zeiss.com/campus has been supplemented with sections on Spectral Imaging and Fluorescent Proteins and now also provides comprehensive information on these topics.

By visiting the website, interested scientists can learn more about the concepts of spectral imaging and FRET microscopy. The new fluorescent protein section explains how these proteins function and how they are best used in fluorescence microscopy. Furthermore, detailed articles cover topics such as spectral properties, brightness, phototoxicity and photostability of the various fluorescent proteins and offer practical advice on their applications in live cell imaging.

The website also comprises interactive tutorials on both topics, e.g. explaining chromophore formation and reactions of fluorescent proteins such as PA-GFP, Kaede and Dronpa or showing how linear unmixing works and FRET biosensors function.

At www.zeiss.com/campus, users can also find application image galleries. They are invited to share their own results in an application library and they can visit the reference library to find articles on the most important topics in fluorescence microscopy, including spectral imaging, FRET and fluorescence proteins.

The Online Campus from Carl Zeiss MicroImaging is available as a source of information to scientists and students. Summary reports and interactive Flash animations make it easy for users to quickly learn the various techniques. Theory, technology and applications in fluorescence microscopy are skillfully combined in animations. The website was developed by Mike Davidson, a renowned microscopy expert and online teaching pioneer from Florida State University. Other renowned scientists in the field of fluorescence microscopy already announced that they will make a contribution to the Online Campus.

Carl Zeiss AG

Carl Zeiss AG is a leading group of companies operating worldwide in the optical and opto-electronic industries. The five independently operating business groups are active in the future-oriented markets of Medical and Research Solutions, Industrial Solutions and Lifestyle Products. Founded in 1846 in Jena, the company is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. Carl Zeiss AG is fully owned by the Carl Zeiss Stiftung (Carl Zeiss Foundation). During fiscal year 2007/08 (ended Sept. 30), the company generated revenues of EUR 2,731 million. Carl Zeiss has around 13,000 employees in more than 30 countries, including over 8,000 in Germany.

Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH

Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH is a 100% subsidiary of Carl Zeiss AG. The leading manufacturer of microscope systems offers total solutions for biomedical research, the healthcare sector and high-tech industries. The product line spans a broad spectrum from light microscopes and systems for laser scanning microscopy and spectrometry to hardware and software for image processing and documentation.

Microscopes from Carl Zeiss allow scientists to gain important knowledge about diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s and tuberculosis. This results in new diagnostic techniques and better drugs for therapy. ZEISS microscopes support the development of new materials and enable more efficient quality inspection in industry.

Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH is headquartered in Jena. Other manufacturing and development sites are located in Göttingen and Munich. During fiscal year 2007/08, the Microscopy Group at Carl Zeiss generated revenues of approximately EUR 340 million with a global workforce of about 1,700.