This seminar will provide an overview of our recent adventures into bio-imaging and analysis with particular focus toward understanding structure and interaction at the scale of a single cell and/or in multiple dimensions. This will extend from 3-dimensional structural imaging (e.g. FIB-SEM, X-ray microscopy) to probing functional activities of individual cells and microorganisms through element analysis and isotope dynamics (e.g. SEM-EDS, Nano-SIMS). Examples will extend from single cells to complex holobionts, from marine to terrestrial environments, and include nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus-based analyses.

Bio: Peta Clode completed her PhD on microscopy and X-ray microanalysis of calcification processes in reef corals at La Trobe University, in 2002. From this she developed interests in structure-function relationships (particularly in symbiotic / parasitic systems) and in ion and nutrient transport strategies. Since 2003 Peta has been an academic in the Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis at The University of Western Australia. She was Deputy Director 2014-15 and is currently the Director of Teaching. She is also responsible for leading applications and research in the imaging and characterisation of biological systems. Her recent interdisciplinary research extends from C and N dynamics in soil and marine systems, to understanding Ca and P toxicity mechanisms in plants, to investigating Australian wildlife pathogens. With this her microscopy expertise extends across optical, ion, electron, and X-ray based systems and ancillary analytical and sample preparation methods.