This class covers the fundamental principles underlying cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) starting with the basic anatomy of electron microscopes, an introduction to Fourier transforms, and the principles of image formation. Building upon that foundation, the class then covers the sample preparation issues, data collection strategies, and basic image processing workflows for all 3 basic modalities of modern cryo-EM: tomography, single particle analysis, and 2-D crystallography.
Philosophy:
The course emphasizes concepts rather than mathematical details, taught through numerous drawings and example images. It is meant for anyone interested in the burgeoning fields of cryo-EM and 3-D EM, including cell biologists or molecular biologists without extensive training in mathematics or imaging physics and practicing electron microscopists who want to broaden their understanding of the field. The class is perfect as a primer for anyone who is about to be trained as a cryo-electron microscopist, or for anyone who needs an introduction to the field to be able to understand the literature or the talks and conversations they will hear at cryo-EM meetings.
Pre-requisites:
The recommended prerequisites are college-freshman-level math, physics, and biochemistry.
Pace:
There are 14.5 hours of lecture videos total separated into 40 individual “modules” lasting on average 20 minutes each. Each module has at the end a list of “concept check” questions you can use to test your knowledge of what was presented. As the modules are grouped into seven major subjects, one reasonable plan would be to go through one major subject each day. That would mean watching a couple hours of lecture and spending another hour or so thinking through the concept check questions each day for a week. Another reasonable plan would be to go through one module each day for a little over a month, or even three modules a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) for a 3-month term.
It is likely that as you then move on to actually begin using a cryo-EM or otherwise engage in the field, you will want to repeat certain modules.
Status: Medical Imaging
Medical Imaging
Status: Image Analysis
Image Analysis
Course·21 hours
Featured reviews
5.0
·Reviewed Dec 13, 2016
Thank you for this valuable course, specially for the Fourrier image explanation.
5.0
·Reviewed Dec 14, 2019
Amazing course. The explanations are detailed, but very accessible. The course is very good at giving an intuition for the subject
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 16, 2021
Very informative. Got to learn a lot. Would be better, if provided as a certification course!
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 19, 2016
An excellent introduction to the topic, explaining from the basics to the detail of things. Useful and recommended to anyone in structural biology.
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 14, 2020
It is great a course for all the information one need to have on Electron Microscopy from the basic knowledge to Cryo-Electron.
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 25, 2017
I have worked a bit in cryo-em before and I find this course absolutely amazing! Very detailed and easy to understand.
4.0
·Reviewed Jan 1, 2016
Great introduction to Cryo-EM for biologists that covers all the basics in a clear and concise manner.
5.0
·Reviewed Mar 27, 2018
There is a few free courses, this one of the best that I've taken. It would be better if one finishes the course, one could receive any certification
4.0
·Reviewed Jan 31, 2016
Great information, great teacher, greater visual presentation. Disclaimer: I only took the first week.
5.0
·Reviewed May 15, 2016
Very well detailed on a easy to learn pase. Will help you learn all to EM that is necessary before using them.
5.0
·Reviewed Nov 25, 2015
best course for lab workers ,physics is deal in a great detail
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 10, 2016
Excellent class and Presentation with all clarity concepts
All reviews
Showing: 20 of 53
All Learners
All Stars
Most Helpful
A
Andrew
4.0
·Reviewed Aug 19, 2015
Just needs a certificate and some practice concept questsions added and would be perfect. Right now just really interesting videos for the intermediate mind...not much math...mostly concepts so good for the beginner who wants to know more. :)
P
pavan
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 14, 2015
I highly recommend this course to my Post Graduating Friends and Research Scholars. This course helped me so much in understanding EM operation which is not available any where else. It is helping me in current Thesis work. Professor of this Course is explaining in a lucid manner. Thank you very much Professor Grant Jensen. Thank you Coursera.
G
Gerardo
5.0
·Reviewed Mar 27, 2018
There is a few free courses, this one of the best that I've taken. It would be better if one finishes the course, one could receive any certification
A
Aleix
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 20, 2016
An excellent introduction to the topic, explaining from the basics to the detail of things. Useful and recommended to anyone in structural biology.
D
Diego
5.0
·Reviewed Dec 15, 2019
Amazing course. The explanations are detailed, but very accessible. The course is very good at giving an intuition for the subject
N
Nitisha
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 15, 2020
It is great a course for all the information one need to have on Electron Microscopy from the basic knowledge to Cryo-Electron.
N
Nada
5.0
·Reviewed Mar 22, 2019
Great course. Pity is that you don't give the certificate. Anyway, I'd like to thank to prof. Jensen for it.
S
Saswat
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 17, 2021
Very informative. Got to learn a lot. Would be better, if provided as a certification course!
N
Nikos
5.0
·Reviewed Oct 30, 2017
CryoEM made crystal clear! ;P
G
Gary
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 19, 2016
An excellent course to get to understand the field of cryogenic Electron Microscopy. The mathematics are presented at a high level, often geometrically, without getting into details. The physics of the electron microscope is presented again at a high level but with enough detail to understand the operation. The teaching style is well paced and inviting.
C
Chen
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 16, 2015
It is amazing. I found it extremely helpful since I have just have an internship in a Cryo-EM lab. I found it difficult to understand these procedures without the knowledge of theory.So your course is just like a gift that exactly meets my need. I have told every friend of mine to see it. Thank you a lot for offering this magic course.
W
William
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 31, 2018
Loved it. Although it's not heavy on math it helps to have a basic understanding of waves, how they propagate, how they are mathematically represented by sin/cos functions and how interference between two waves works.
P
Philip
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 27, 2015
This course was outstanding. Every aspect of cyro-EM was covered in detail. The professor's delivery was excellent.
I would recommend this course to anyone who has a desire to expand their knowledge of the nano world
R
Robert
5.0
·Reviewed Apr 4, 2017
Great course with clear explanations and very entertaining topics! Didn't expect to cover so many aspects of cryo-EM, would recommend it to everyone interested/working in structural biology or science in general.
M
Matteo
5.0
·Reviewed Apr 14, 2022
I am about to start a PhD in Structural Biology and this course gave me really good ropes on how a a microscope is composed and how an image is formed. One of the best courses I have evere taken!
S
Shijian
5.0
·Reviewed Nov 1, 2015
its really very helpful for me as a beginner. After learning the video, I kind of know what's going on when I got the training of TEM. Thanks a lot for the free video.
L
Lance
5.0
·Reviewed Feb 19, 2018
Great course. I thought it was presented in a very informative way and i learned a lot about cryo-EM. In fact, it made me want to learn more about it. Thank you.
S
Serhiy
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 26, 2017
I have worked a bit in cryo-em before and I find this course absolutely amazing! Very detailed and easy to understand.
B
Bryant
5.0
·Reviewed May 16, 2016
Very well detailed on a easy to learn pase. Will help you learn all to EM that is necessary before using them.
Y
Yulia
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 28, 2015
Very clear, very easy to understand, a lot of useful information. Excellent course.