6/12/2023 0 Comments Never a dull moment![]() ![]() The bacteria have a lot of receptors grouped closely together. (image courtesy of Joost Willemse)Īt the moment, Joost is doing image analysis for a project on receptor proteins that bacteria use to find food in their environment. ![]() On top, the shapes the filter was tested on, and on the bottom, the the calculated symmetry values showing the symmetry hotspots. “It was definitely worth the effort, but it was one of the most challenging things I've ever done, because it took so long to get from the idea to the endpoint.” An example of how the symmetry filter detects symmetry. “It took me almost seven years, but eventually we did it,” he says. Joost has specialized in quantitative microscopy during his PhD and has continued to add to his microscopy knowledge during his postdoc, when he made videos of protein affecting localization of cell division in Streptomyces bacteria. “Because I know more about the details of the techniques, I know more about what’s possible,” he says. Some of the most challenging requests have been the ones he has given himself. Together they make the most of the state-of-the-art equipment. He loves to work in an inspiring environment with his colleagues. He likes it when someone comes to him with a challenge, forcing him to come up with a creative solution that will work for them. We need to understand what they want to use it for to determine what the best approach is for their specific research question,” explains Joost. “When people come to us and say they want to use a certain microscope, the first thing we ask is why. But most days, he is busy helping researchers get acquainted with the high-end machines, set up their experiments, or troubleshoot. On quiet days, Joost spends his time writing software for image analysis or conducting research. In the Microscopy Unit there are about 26 different microscopes, from fluorescence microscopes to confocal laser scanning and electron microscopes, which Joost and his colleague Gerda Lamers are responsible for. These facilities are staffed by expert scientists like Joost who ensure that researchers have access to the latest technology and all the support they need. The Microscopy Unit is one of IBL’s core facilities. His goal? To help scientists understand what a microscope can do, what microscope would best suit their needs, and how to analyze their microscopy data. Joost works in the Microscopy Unit and helps researchers at IBL and the numerous other research institutes in the Faculty of Science with their imaging. “When I come in in the morning, I know where I'm going to start, but I never know where I'm going to end up,” says Joost Willemse, one of the facility managers at the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL) at Leiden University. ![]()
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