• Prospectus
• Low graphics
• Full graphics
• Accessibility help
• LOGIN

News and events:

• Latest news
• Sports results
• Calendar
• Key events
• Term dates
• Lower School newsletters
• In the press
• Out of school achievements
• Catering

<< back to news index

L6 trip to the John Innes Centre

4 October 2010

When we arrived at the John Innes centre we were shown into a room where we all sat down to watch a presentation about microscopy. First we were shown a diagram explaining magnification and resolving power, comparing electron and light microscopes. We were then shown diagrams showing the differences between Transmission and Scanning Electron microscopes. Finally we were shown some images that the scientists had taken at the John Innes labs.

After the presentation we were taken out to the microscopy exhibition, where there were all sorts of old microscopes, slides and images. We also had a chance to complete a microscopy quiz, in which we had to identify what was shown in a series of electron micrographs.

After some biscuits and squash we moved into the microscopy labs themselves. We were shown the scanning electron microscope (SEM), where the object being looked as is coated in a thin layer of gold and then has electrons fired at it. The electrons bouncing off are then recorded and an image is formed. The SEM is interesting because it produces an almost 3D image of a surface. I then saw the different stages in the preparation of samples for the transmission electron microscope (TEM), a process that can take over a week! We then saw the TEM in use; it works in a similar way to a light microscope except it uses electrons instead of light, giving it a much higher resolving power. Finally we saw the confocal microscope, which I hadn't heard of before, but was very interesting. It's a light microscope that can have small whole living subjects put in it. What makes it special is the fact that it only looks at thin slices of the specimen at a time, filtering out all the unfocussed light. These slices can then be built up into a 3D model. Furthermore, living specimens can be used, so if pictures are taken at regular intervals for a period of time we can monitor processes that occur on the cellular level.

Overall the trip was very interesting because it gave us a chance to see the theory we had learnt about the microscopes in context, while also allowing us to revise our knowledge of cell organelles.

Louis Saada L6S