on the Development and Application of Focused Ion Beams

 

 PRELIMINARY Program 

 

 

 FIB Experts 

Pia Sundermeyer

Expert for plunge-frozen biological samples

ER-C | FZJ (Germany)

Iris von der Hocht

Expert for high-pressure-frozen biological samples

ER-C | FZJ (Germany)

Julia Thives

Expert for slice-and-view imaging

ER-C | FZJ (Germany)

 

Evgeny Batalov

Expert for slice-and-view imaging

IET | FZJ (Germany)

Lidia Kibkalo

Expert for EBSD on PFIB

ER-C | FZJ (Germany)

 

 

René de Kloe

Expert for EBSD on PFIB

Gatan

 

Lea Risters

Expert for atom probe needle preparation

ER-C | FZJ (Germany)

 

 

Ivan Povstugar

Expert for atom probe needle preparation

ER-C | FZJ (Germany)

 Lecturers 

Lecture 1

Mahdi Ghorbani-Asl 
HZDR (Germany)

Lecture 2 

Gregor Hlawacek
HZDR (Germany)

Lecture 3

Florent Houdellier
CEMES-CNRS (France)

Lecture 4

Jack Donoghue
University of Manchester (UK)

Lecture 5

Gregor Weiss
University of Zürich (Switzerland)

Lecture 6

Evgenia Zagoriy
ER-C | FZJ (Germany)

 

Lecture 7

Tom Wirtz 
LIST (Luxembourg)

RIANA Session

Marta Lipinska-Chwalek
ER-C | FZJ (Germany)

 

RIANA Session

Ryan Yang
HZDR (Germany)

 

RIANA Session

Yan Lu
ER-C | FZJ (Germany)

 

 

 Information 

The joint RIANA and Eu-FIB.net Training School 2026 combines lectures by leading experts with intensive hands-on training on state-of-the-art focused ion beam instrumentation at the Ernst Ruska-Centre (ER-C), Forschungszentrum Jülich. The program is designed to provide participants with both a strong theoretical foundation and direct practical experience in modern FIB methodologies across life sciences and materials science applications.

Lectures

Over four full training days, participants will attend lectures covering ion–solid interactions, FIB instrumentation, analytical and simulation methods, cryo-FIB workflows, biological sample preparation, automation approaches, and emerging developments in the field, including cryo-FIB techniques and correlative workflows, reflecting their rapidly growing importance in structural biology and advanced microscopy.

Practical Sessions

Practical sessions will take place in small groups to ensure intensive individual training and close interaction with instructors. Hands-on activities include FIB lamella preparation, site-specific milling, slice-and-view workflows, plasma FIB operation, beam-induced deposition, correlative microscopy methods, and automation demonstrations on advanced FIB systems.

Networking

The program further includes networking opportunities, discussions with invited speakers and technology experts, as well as social activities designed to encourage exchange between participants from different scientific backgrounds and institutions.

Deadlines

Please note that submissions may close earlier if the maximum capacity is reached.

September 22nd, 2026 Abstract Submission Deadline
September 29th, 2026 Updated Feedback Deadline
October 6th, 2026 Updated Registration Deadline*

*Accommodation costs are included in the registration fee and provided by the organizer for registered participants. As hostel beds are booked in advance as a non-cancellable contingent, cancellations failure to attend the training school without prior cancellation may result in reimbursement of non-refundable costs incurred by the organizer up to an amount of 200 €. This does not apply if participants can demonstrate that no or substantially lower costs were incurred.