Winter School 2027 – Practical course in advanced microscopy

This advanced microscopy course is intended for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers with prior experience in microscopy. The course combines lectures with intensive hands-on training and provides participants with both the conceptual background and practical skills. By the end of the course, participants should be able to apply the acquired knowledge in their current and future research projects.

The practical component consists of five specialized modules, each focusing on a specific topic (please see specific module descriptions below). During registration, applicants indicate their module preferences. Accepted participants will then participate in one module only, and will remain in this module for the full duration of the course. Within their selected module, they receive intensive hands-on training using state-of-the-art instrumentation.

Theoretical sessions complement the practical training and cover both fundamental principles and advanced aspects of the techniques represented.

While participants are encouraged to discuss their own research questions with the instructors, imaging of participants’ own samples is generally not part of the Winter School program due to time and capacity constraints. Options for follow-up support or consultation after the course may be explored.

The course is jointly organised by the external page Center for Microscopy and Image Analysis (ZMB, University of Zurich) and the Scientific Center for Optical and Electron Microscopy (ScopeM, ETHZ)

Date and Registration

The course is held 18–22 January 2027.

• Registration opens: July 2026
• Registration deadline: End of August 2026
• Notification of acceptance: End of September 2026

Registration for the Winter School 2027 is not yet open. The registration link will be published here once available.

Please note that places are limited. Applicants will be reviewed after the registration deadline. Applicants will be informed about the final decision latest by end of September. 

Course fees

For academia: 500 CHF
For industry: please contact us

Please note: The course fees do not cover lunch or other meals, except for the Monday evening Pizza event and the Thursday evening dinner. 

Credit points

The Winter School is valued with 2 ECTS credits.

Available Modules