Helena Coker

I am Advanced Microscopy Manager of the KIR and IDRM microscopy facilities and Oxford-ZEISS Centre of Excellence in Biomedical Imaging 

My background is quite broad as I studied Natural Sciences (mostly chemistry and pharmacology) for my MSci. then completed a DPhil in Physical and Theoretical Chemistry. During my DPhil., I built and optimised an interferometric scattering (iSCAT) microscope for very fast tracking of diffusing particles - this is where my love for optics began to drive my career. In 2018 I joined the University of Warwick as an Imaging Specialist in lattice lightsheet microscopy (LLSM). I moved back to Oxford in 2021 to manage the TIRF-SIM microscope and in 2023 I joined the facilities full time.

With my experience of the 3i LLSM system and now the ZEISS LLS7, I can call myself a lattice expert. As this technology was still being developed and explored by researchers and technical staff, I was a founder of the Lightsheet Community Wildsheet, aiming to bring together users of light sheet instruments to share knowledge and best practice. Other than LLSM, my real passion is ensuring a positive and accessible facility culture where researchers and technical staff can collaborate to achieve robust and impactful microscopy.

Things that I can help with include:

• organising training on the microscopes
• access to microscopes and analysis PC calendars on PPMS
• point of contact for reporting damage/problems
• expert help and guidance in planning microscopy experiments
• expert help on the lattice