Can we image the folding conformation of a single protein ?

NaMeS students are invited to IPC PAS Seminar within Dream Chemistry Lecture Series delivered by:

Dr. Thomas Juffmann

Max F. Perutz Laboratories - Research and Education in Molecular Biology,

University of Vienna, Austria

Thursday, 21^st February, 2019, 10.00

Assembly hall of the IPC PAS

Abstract

Optical phase contrast microscopy and cryo-electron microscopy are widely used in the study of cells and proteins, respectively. In both techniques, a specimen imparts a phase shift on the probe (photons or electrons), which can be measured using various interferometric techniques.

In this talk I will briefly discuss the physical basics and limits of phase microscopy, and will show ways how to improve on current techniques using wave-front shaping, cavity or quantum enhanced measurements. I will demonstrate how wave-front shaping can enable phase contrast imaging with optimized sensitivity all across the field of view, and how multi-passing the probe particles through a sample can be used for high sensitivity / low damage imaging. The latter could potentially allow for cryo-electron microscopy with unprecedented resolution.