Course Stereology

ECTS: 3.5

Course leader: Jens Randel Nyengaard

Language: English

Graduate school: Faculty of Health

Graduate program: ClinFO

Course fee: 4,200.00 DKK

Status: Course is finished

Semester: Fall 2021

Application deadline: 03/08/2021

Cancellation deadline: 10/08/2021

Course type: Classroom teaching

Start date: 24/08/2021

Administrator: Annette Poulsen

The course, C85/20 Stereology, is being offered by the Graduate School of Health, Aarhus University, autumn 2021.

Criteria for participation: University degree in medicine, dentistry, nursing, or Master’s degree in other fields and/or postgraduate research fellows (PhD students and research-year medical students).

Aim: To introduce stereological techniques which can be used for three-dimensional quantification by means of measurements on physical, optical or virtual section planes obtained by microscopy and other imaging techniques.

Learning outcome: After completion of the course, the student should be able to:

  1. Understand and be able to implement random sampling, systematic sampling and smooth systematic sampling
  2. Understand and be able to implement Cavalieri estimator and nucleator/rotator for volume estimation using section planes
  3. Understand and be able to implement disector and fractionator for number/connectivity estimation using section planes
  4. Understand and be able to implement length and surface estimation using isotropic or vertical section planes
  5. Understand the effect of tissue deformation, over- and under projection and ratios on final conclusions

Contents: Theory of general stereology including the determination of number, connectivity, length, surface, volume and shape by means of microscopy and other imaging techniques. A significant part of the course is informal workshops in the evening where the students' own projects can be discussed with all teachers. Special designed software will be demonstrated, and it can be used for participants’ own projects. Notes comprising theoretical background and practical stereological methods are provided for use during and after the course. The course will be finished with an exam.

Instructors: Jens Randel Nyengaard, Karl-Anton Dorph-Petersen, Karsten Nielsen, Stine Hasselholt Andersen and Abdel-Rahman Al-Absi

Venue: Kollokvierum Øst (1268-218), The Victor Albeck building, Vennelyst Boulevard 4, 8000 Aarhus C

Participation in the course is without cost for:

  • PhD students, Research Year students and Research Honours Programme students from Aarhus University
  • PhD students enrolled at member universities of the Nordoc network
  • PhD students from other institutions in the open market agreement for PhD courses

Course dates:

  • 24 August 2021 09:00 - 17:00
  • 25 August 2021 09:00 - 17:00
  • 26 August 2021 09:00 - 17:00