Course description:

This two-day introductory course, co-organized by three Czech-BioImaging Core Facilities – the Microscopy Service Centre IEM CAS, Core Facility Magnetic Resonance ISI CAS, and IPHYS Bioimaging Facility – focuses on how preclinical imaging facilities can actively support and enhance animal-based research, from study planning to data acquisition. Aimed at researchers and technical staff new to preclinical models or imaging workflows, the course introduces essential principles of proper and ethical animal handling in the specific context of facility-based imaging experiments.

Participants will learn how imaging facilities contribute to animal welfare, regulatory compliance, and experimental quality by providing expertise in animal preparation, handling during imaging procedures, and protocol optimization. The course emphasizes the value of early collaboration with facility staff to reduce experimental variability, improve reproducibility, and ensure efficient use of animal models.

The course will introduce several methods used in multimodal preclinical imaging, including in vivo two-photon microscopy, in vivo multiphoton-based label-free techniques (SHG, THG, CARS), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of small rodents, illustrated through real-world examples and case studies.

Intended audience

The course is designed for researchers (PhD candidates, Postdocs, Principal Investigators, etc.) with a serious interest in integrating in vivo imaging into their projects.

Methods

two-photon fluorescent microscopy (functional calcium/voltage imaging, structural imaging), second harmonic generation (SHG), third harmonic generation (THG), coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS), high field magnetic resonance perfusion imaging (MRI), fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM)

Registration and admission

Course fee: 40 EUR
Registration deadline: 14. 8. 2026
Payment deadline: 15. 8. 2026

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