How do we read, write and block activity in neurons? Is it possible to design specific neural tissues with particular 3D and ion channel make-up? These are only two of the questions that live among the group of close to thirty neuroscience enthusiasts who signed up for the first meeting on Delft Neuroscience and Engineering.

The coordination role of the Delphi consortium, headed by Dr. Eric Verschuur, has been officially transferred on November 15th from TNO (the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research) to TU Delft. In addition to this transition, a supervisory board has been established consisting of the Deans of Applied Sciences (TNW) and Civil Engineering and Geosciences (CiTG) and one representative of TNO.

Leon van der Graaff and Sjoerd Stallinga have recently published a paper in Biomedical Optics Express on “Multi-line fluorescence scanning microscope for multi-focal imaging with unlimited field of view”. The paper proposes a new optical design for laser illumination of large area fluorescent tissue slides, in which Point Spread Function engineering using diffractive optics is used to create a set of parallel scan lines that focus at different depths inside the sample.

The master student (m/f) will work together in a small team of scientists to select the one or two most promising approaches to retrieve the aberrations of a SEM. Some theory needs to be worked out and translated into an experimental plan. For instance, to define the conditions to record distorted SEM images from which the aberrations can be retrieved. And, of course, (s)he will get trained how to operate a state-of-the-art SEM independently.

Two of our most recent projects 4TU ‘High Tech for a Sustainable Future' and the NWA-ORC ProtonBubble project: ‘Optoacoustic sensor and ultrasonic microbubbles for dosimetry in proton therapy’, have now started officially. If you are interested to join this project as a PostDoc or Promovendus, please contact Prof Nico de Jong or David Maresca.

Teun Huijben is in the last year of his double master degree Nanobiology and Biomedical Engineering. For the next 10 months, he will be working in the group of Bernd Rieger on multi-state classification in single-particle averaging for his Master thesis.

The Face2Phase event is co-organized with the AOIM XII and took place in Delft on 23-25 October 2019. It addresses imaging with phase information and covers topics such as lensless imaging, aberration retrieval, adaptive and active optics, ptychography, holography, tomography, phase retrieval and applications.

Per September 1st, 2019 Maria Sovago joined ImPhys as a Design Lecturer. She will be setting up a revolutionary new Physics Design Programme. As a scientist, Maria is driven by applying fundamental scientific knowledge to real life applications. Bridging the gap between Science and Society is not always easy, but what a fantastic challenge!

Tessa Vergroesen has joined the lab of Elizabeth Carroll for her Nanobiology MEP. She will combine calcium and voltage imaging in pancreatic cells and neurons cells of the zebrafish embryo to elucidate the development of signalling involved in cell secretion.

Kevin de Vos has joined the lab as an intern from the Hogeschool Leiden. Kevin is studying Biology and Medical Laboratory research and will complete a thesis project on zebrafish genotyping for biomedical imaging.