Program Overview

Introduction to the Professional Science Masters in Natural Sciences – Microscope Imaging Technology Specialization

The Professional Science Master’s program in the College of Natural Sciences with specialization in Microscope Imaging Technology (PSM-NS-MIT) is designed to fill a growing need of technically trained individuals with the capability of operating, maintaining and managing microscope core facilities in private companies, or academic/governmental facilities.

Program Overview

Within the past decade a large number of advances have been made in high resolution optical microscopy methods with applications in life sciences, physical sciences and engineering, requiring a workforce trained in this imaging technology. Furthermore, the advances in live cell imaging through light and fluorescence microscopy results in extremely large data sets that most microscopists are not trained to analyze and archive.

Program Details

Students in this program will obtain training in aspects of:

• Microscope design
• Operation
• Maintenance
• Data acquisition
• Automation
• Data storage
• Image analysis
• Communication
• Aspects of business management that will allow them to manage a core facility

Affiliation

This program has been approved for affiliation as a PSM degree by the Commission on Affiliation of PSM Programs.

College of Natural Sciences

The College of Natural Sciences is comprised of the following departments:

• Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Psychology
• Statistics

Program Images

Left: Second-harmonic generation (SHG) images collected in the transmitted (green) and back-scattered (red) directions from fixed canine intestine. Center: Multi-photon photoluminescence (red) and SHG (gray) images from CdTe solar cells. Right: Two-photon excited fluorescence images of RNA-bound fluorescent proteins (green) and endogenous fluorophores (purple) measured in fixed murine cortical tissue. All images were collected with multi-photon microscopes that were designed and built at Colorado State University. (Images courtesy of Dr. Jeff Field).