DZIF Super Resolution Microscopy Workshop
Theory and Practice
Center for Integrative Infectious Disease Research (CIID), Heidelberg
9.4.2025 - 11.4.2025
We are pleased to announce a Super Resolution Microscopy workshop, scheduled for April 9th to 11th, 2025, at the Center for Integrative Infectious Disease Research, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, Heidelberg University. This workshop is tailored for PhD students and postdocs keen on learning fundamentals of super resolution microscopy and its applications in life sciences as well as those who are ready to apply super resolution techniques to their ongoing scientific projects.
 
Key Workshop Highlights:
-
Theoretical lectures covering super resolution microscopy techniques, sample preparation, labeling, imaging, and image processing.
-
Hands-on sessions providing participants with practical experience using cutting-edge equipment and software for image acquisition and analysis.
-
Opportunity to discuss individual scientific project with super-resolution microscopy experts
Workshop Details:
Duration: 2.5days
​
Participation: The workshop consists of two parts - theory and practical. Practical component of the workshop is limited to 6 participants while the theory lectures are open to 50 participants.
Registration: individuals interested in attending both the theory and the practical parts are required to submit a concise (max. 1 page) motivation letter to vibor.laketa@uni-heidelberg.de, outlining how they plan to integrate microscopy into their research. Individuals interested only in the theory part don’t need to send a motivation letter but an email with the basic contact information (name, position, group, institute). Early application is encouraged due to limited slots. The application deadline is March 25, 2025.
​
Costs: The workshop is free of charge.
​
Contact: For any inquiries or additional information, please feel free to reach out to vibor.laketa@uni-heidelberg.de
 
We look forward to seeing you at the workshop, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange in the dynamic field of super resolution microscopy.
Speakers/Trainers
Elisa studied Biotechnology at the University of Trieste (Italy), where she obtained her Ph.D. working on applications of optical tweezers in neuroscience. After graduation, she joined the department of Stefan Hell at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen as a postdoctoral fellow. During these years, she specialized in the use of nanoscopy techniques to study neuronal structures, in particular the organization of the neuronal cytoskeleton. Since 2017, Elisa is PI of the collaborative research center SFB1286 (Quantitative Synaptology). In 2018 she joined the MPI for Medical Research in Heidelberg, where she conducts independent research and heads the optical microscopy facility specialized in nanoscopy techniques.
Elisa D'Este
Ulrike is a cell- and developmental biologist educated in Basel, Frankurt and Darmstadt. During a post-doc at Harvard Medical School, Boston, she found her interest in imaging polarized cells on the move. There she started using high spatial and temporal imaging to detect how signaling to the cytoskeleton drives cell protrusions. 2005 she came to Heidelberg University at COS to built and lead the Nikon Imaging Center at Heidelberg University. This light microscope facility offers a wide range of techniques from nano to mm-scale, to support researchers across Campus in their research. Ulrike’s expertise in microscopy is wide spread, with a focus on live imaging and subcellular structures. While TIRF has been one of her favorites, a recent addition to the facility is a STORM setup, complementing the super-resolution portfolio on Campus. Ulrike has been teaching courses in light microscopy and handling of digital images the last 15 years.
Ulrike Engel
Viktorija obtained her PhD at McGill University in Canada in the field of single molecule fluorescence imaging where she studied photophysics of fluorophores. In 2018 she joined Tinnefeld group at LMU Munich where she was first a Humboldt and Marie Curie Research Fellow and, then later, Junior Group Leader. Starting 2025 Viktorija is leading the Single Molecule Sensing Group at Max Planck Institute of Medical Research. The group is combining single molecule and superresolution imaging with DNA nanotechnology to build nanoscale tools to study molecular processes.
Viktorija Glembockyte
Moritz Hacke
Charlotte finished her biology diploma in Heidelberg and Toulouse (France) investigating quantitatively the cell’s chromatin structure by fluorescence microscopy. She continued afterwards with her PhD education at ETH Zurich (Switzerland) and postdoctoral research in David Drubin’s lab at UC Berkeley (USA) applying in both laboratories single-molecule localization microscopy (dSTORM) to study the role of cytoskeletal organizations in cell function. Charlotte became an application specialist of advance fluorescence light microscopy techniques over these years, with the focus on single-molecule localization microscopy and quantitative data and image analysis. In September 2022 Charlotte has started her position as a super-resolution microscopy specialist at the Cellnetworks Core Technology Platform at Heidelberg University with the current focus of implementing MINFLUX nanoscopy and supervising future super-resolution microscopy projects
Charlotte Kaplan
Severina spent the last 11 years in Heidelberg as a student, obtaining her PhD in parasitology in 2022. Since then she is splitting her time working as a research scientist in virology and working as a microscopy application specialist in the Infectious Diseases Imaging Platform (IDIP) at the Center for Integrative Infectious Disease Research (CIID) in Heidelberg. Her work covers basic aspects of cell biology and infectiology and centers around advanced microscopy approaches with a focus on live-cell imaging, super-resolution microscopy and image analysis
Severina Klaus
Maja studied Biology at the University of Cologne and completed an external Diploma thesis at Harvard University, applying computer simulations to predict peptide folding and aggregation. She obtained her PhD at Heidelberg University in Prof. Ulrike C. Müller's lab, where her research on Alzheimer's disease sparked her interest in imaging techniques. In 2015, she joined the lab of Prof. Thomas Kuner to study neuronal nanoarchitecture. Her work focuses on creating nanoscale molecular maps of glutamatergic synapses using multiplex-capable dSTORM and lectin-based glycan-labeling techniques.
Maja Klevanski
Vibor obtained his PhD at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany where he worked on automated microscopy setups for high-content screening and their application in investigating diverse cellular processes. After the PhD he continued his research as a staff scientist at the EMBL where he operated at the interface between advanced light microscopy, robotics, chemical biology and cell biology. In 2013. he joined University Hospital Heidelberg and German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) to establish the microscopy infrastructure under enhanced biosafety containment (BSL2/BSL3) for infectious disease research. As head of Infectious Diseases Imaging Platform (IDIP) he is interested in all aspects of advanced microscopy applications in infectious disease research as well as development of microscopy-based assays in medical diagnostics. He has long experience in teaching various aspects of light microscopy technologies and digital image handling.
Vibor Laketa
Marko studied biochemistry at the University of Hannover and moved to Heidelberg for his PhD, where he studied HIV-1 entry into human cells using advanced light microscopy. He then moved to the Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) in Cambridge, where he used TIRF microscopy to study clathrin-mediated endocytosis. After two years in industry, working as Application Manager for SMLM at Leica Microsystems, Marko joined the Advanced Light Microscopy Facility (ALMF) at EMBL to train and support scientists in advanced microscopy techniques. He had a special focus and passion for SMLM and STED super-resolution microscopy. Since October 2024, he is working as an Imaging Scientist at the DKFZ Light Microscopy Core Facility.
Marko Lampe
Holger Lorenz
Holger is a cell and molecular biologist educated at the Universities of Göttingen and Munich (LMU), Germany. He did his postdoc research at the National Institutes of Health, NIH, USA, in Dr. Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz’s lab with a focus on advanced light microscopy of subcellular processes. After having spent a couple of years in the optical industry, he joined in 2008 the Center of Molecular Biology (ZMBH) at the University of Heidelberg to set up a core facility for advanced imaging. He serves as head of the core facility to support researchers with light microscopy - ranging from basic to superresolution/nanoscopy - and image analysis/processing applications. Holger has been active in developing microscopy applications to determine protein topologies and sub-locations, and he has a long track record of teaching digital image analysis to under- and postgraduates. His courses cover all aspects of image processing including the ethically- and quantitatively-correct use of existing analysis tools and goal-oriented software programming.
Sylvia studied Biochemistry in Berlin and obtained her PhD in cell biology at the Pasteur Institute in Paris working on host pathogen interactions. Already during her PhD she was fascinated by microscopy and worked as an associated scientist at the imaging platform of the Pasteur Institute. Following, she joined the lab of Freddy Frischknecht at the University Hospital in Heidelberg to investigate cell motility of malaria parasites using live cell imaging as well as TIRF and traction force microscopy. During this postdoc she decided to stay in the microscopy community and joined Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH to work as widefield and super resolution specialist in the European demo center of Carl Zeiss in Munich. She decided to come back to the academic setting and after briefly working in the imaging facility in Freiburg, she joined Infectious Diseases Imaging Platform (IDIP) at the University Hospital Heidelberg as the imaging specialist.
Sylvia Olberg
Programme
Wednesday (9.4.)
​
8:45 – 9:00 “grab your coffee you will need it” time
9:00 - 9:15 Welcome, course introduction - Vibor Laketa, CIID, Heidelberg
9:15 - 10:00 Introduction to super resolution microscopy (what is resolution, why is it limited and why does it matter) - Holger Lorenz, ZMBH, Heidelberg
​​
10:00 - 10:30 Airyscan microscopy: Basic principles - Sylvia Olberg, CIID, Heidelberg
​​
10:30 - 10:45 coffee break
​​
10:45 - 11:15 Expansion microscopy - Severina Klaus, CIID, Heidelberg
​​
11:15 - 12:00 Introduction to STED – Marko Lampe, DKFZ, Heidelberg
​​
12:00 - 13:30 Lunch break
​​
13:30 - 18:00 Practical - two groups (Airyscan and STED microscopy, Severina Klaus / Sylvia Olberg, CIID, Heidelberg)
​​
18:00 - 18:15 debrief
Thursday (10.4.2025)
​​
8:45 – 9:00 “grab your coffee you will need it” time
9:00 – 9:45 Introduction to MINFLUX and STORM nanoscopy: how to choose the right application for my experiment? - Charlotte Kaplan, Bioquant, Heidelberg
​​
9:45 - 10:30 Sample preparation considerations in super resolution microscopy - Elisa D'Este, MPI, Heidelberg
​​
10:30 - 10:45 coffee break
​​
10:45 - 11:30 Fluorescent probes for super resolution microscopy and DNA-PAINT, Viktorija Glembockyte, MPI, Heidelberg
11:30 - 12:00 Multicolor Minflux microscopy in HIV research - Moritz Hacke, CIID, Heidelberg
​​
12:00 - 12:30 Multiplexed dSTORM imaging of synaptic and cellular nanoarchitecture - Maja Klevanski, UKHD, Heidelberg
​​
12:30 - 14:00 Lunch break
​​
14:00 - 18:00 Practical - two groups (MINFLUX and STORM microscopy, Charlotte Kaplan / Ulrike Engel, Bioquant, Heidelberg)
​​
18:00 - 18:15 debrief
Friday (11.4.2025)
Image visualisation and analysis practicals (only for those 6 participants signed up for the practical)
​​
9:00 - 13:00
-
Visualization and analysis of Airyscan data
-
Visualization and analysis of STED data
-
Visualization and analysis of STORM data
-
Visualization and analysis of Minflux data
-
AI-based image segmentation
-
Qualitative comparison of data obtained with different techniques
-
Discussion on pros and cons
​
Registration
Theory + Practicals
Practical part of the workshop is limited to 6 participants. To register, the applicants need to send a short (max. 1page) motivation letter to vibor.laketa@uni-heidelberg.de indicating how they plan to use microscopy in their research. Due to a limited number of participants, the applicants are encouraged to apply well in advance of the deadline as the application process will stop once all positions are filled. Application deadline is 25.3.2025.
The workshop is free of charge.
Theory
Participation in the theory lectures is limited to 50 participants. To register send an email to vibor.laketa@uni-heidelberg.de with the subject line "SR workshop registration" and a short text indicating your name, position and affiliation.
The workshop is free of charge.
Location
Center for Integrative Infectious Disease Research (CIID)
Im Neuenheimer Feld 344
Seminar Room, Ground Floor
69120 Heidelberg