Hello Readers. Welcome to my blog.

What is this blog about, and Who is it for?

I am writing this blog for a couple different types of readers.

First, I will have a State of the Art series of posts. These posts will be ideal for experienced microscopists looking for new techniques, software, and equipment to take their research to the next level. They will be brief summaries, focused on capabilities and applications so that you can determine if it is worth using in your own work.

Second, I will have an Introductory series of posts. These posts will be ideal for novice microscopists looking to develop a basic understanding of established, as well as the state-of-the-art, techniques. I will focus on the essence of each technique so that you can get up to speed quickly and get to using the technique now.

Finally, I will have an In-depth series of posts. These posts will be aimed for more experienced microscopists looking to gain a fundamental understanding of techniques in light and electron microscopy. I will focus on fundamental principles and technical details of the techniques so that we can evaluate and troubleshoot applications to biological systems and questions.

My Background

I have been developing and using microscopy techniques to investigate biological systems and questions for over 10 years. I have a master’s degree in physics, a PhD in biophysics, and 2.5 years of postdoctoral experience. During my masters, I focused on the development of confocal and multiphoton fluorescence techniques. For my PhD, I used fluorescence, electron, and atomic force microscopy to investigate the structure and function of extracellular matrix in cardiovascular diseases. For my postdoctoral studies, I used light and electron microscopy to investigate muscle growth and muscle degenerative diseases.

Now, I am a senior research associate at the Campus Microscopy & Imaging Facility (CMIF) here at OSU. I am interested in quantitative image analysis as well as in developing new techniques and devising new applications of established techniques. My fundamental goal is to support and empower the research community so that they can make the discoveries that create a positive impact on our society.