Course gave researchers from 18 countries an introduction to time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy

The 8th European short course on "Principles and Applications of Time-Resolved Fluorescence Spectroscopy" organised by PicoQuant GmbH took place from November 1 to 4, 2010, in Berlin. The course brought together individuals from 18 different countries and gave an in-depth introduction to the principles of (time-resolved) fluorescence spectroscopy and its applications to the Life Sciences. As in previous years the short course was organised in close collaboration with the Center for Fluorescence Spectroscopy (CFS) & Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the University of Maryland Medical School in Baltimore, USA.

Researchers from academia as well as from the industry came to Berlin to participate in the four-day-event. They greatly enjoyed lectures given by Joseph R. Lakowicz from CFS, Zygmunt (Karol) Gryczynski from Texas Christian University and scientists from PicoQuant. The lectures gave a deeper insight into a variety of topics, from the basics of steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, instrumentation and data analysis towards Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) and plasmon controlled fluorescence.

The theoretical concepts taught in the morning were experimentally verified during hands-on trainings on time-resolved spectrometers and steady-state spectrophotometers in the afternoon. Seven different instruments from the market leading companies Agilent Technologies, Inc., Horiba Jobin Yvon Inc. and PicoQuant GmbH gave the participants the possibility to conduct experiments and try out various methods in fluorescence spectroscopy. The social events in the evening provided excellent opportunities for further exchange of experience and ideas.

A special highlight was the presentation of the new FluoTime 300, a fully automated fluorescence lifetime spectrometer from PicoQuant. The system not only eases time-resolved measurements for beginners in this field by the aid of special software application wizards, as pointed out by Joseph R. Lakowicz. It also attracts experts due to a special operation mode with full instrument control and scripted data acquisition procedures.

Downloads

• 8th TRF Short Course (zip, 977.6 KB )