Topic of doctoral theses

Cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) for study of hydrated samples

Supervisor: Ing. Vladislav Krzyžánek, Ph.D.
Specialist: Ing. Pavel Urban, Ph.D.
Description:
The aim of the dissertation thesis is instrumental and methodological development in cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM). Significantly hydrated samples can be physically fixed (very quickly frozen) into amorphous ice just under certain conditions, where during the freezing process the crystallization does not have time to occur (typical limiting factors may be the temperature of cryogen, speed of freezing, the sample thickness, etc.). For these purposes, number of techniques were developed such as plunging into liquid ethane, propane-jet. So far the most sophisticated freezing technique is the use of the liquid nitrogen under high pressure (high-pressure-freezing; HPF). Thus, part of this work is development of a system based on freezing of small volumes using microfluidic chips that can extend cryo-EM techniques to in-situ experiments and could be the bridge between classical freezing techniques and HPF. Newly developed cryo-techniques will be further adapted to cryo-SEM method of freeze-fracture and consequently applied to biomedical samples.
Year Programme Branch Specialisation Mode Language Status
2019/20 D4F-P D-FMI F F cs Approved by branch committee