Heidi Kreckel is a Ph.D. candidate at Colorado State University, specializing in plant cryopreservation research within the Levinger Lab. She holds degrees in Biochemistry and Mathematics from the State University of New York at Potsdam (SUNY Potsdam) and has pioneered the use of non-linear microscopy to study cryoprotectant interactions with plant shoot tips. Recognized for her contributions, she was selected as a Colorado State University Vice President for Research Fellow for her 3-minute thesis presentation.​

In this webinar, she will present key findings from her Ph.D. research on tracking cryoprotectant permeation into living peppermint (Mentha x piperita) shoot tips. She will also discuss the use of a vibrating microtome to prepare plant shoot tip sections for live-tissue microscopy experiments, highlighting how the Compresstome vibratome facilitates precise sectioning for high-resolution imaging.​

Learning Objectives​

  • Understand the significance of plant cryopreservation for preserving exceptional species.​
  • Explore the challenges of preparing plant shoot tips for microscopy experiments.​
  • Learn how two-photon endogenous fluorescence and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy enable non-invasive imaging.​
  • Gain insights into the deep permeation of cryoprotectants into living peppermint shoot tips.​
  • Discover how a vibrating microtome enables high-quality plant tissue sectioning for microscopy research.​

Join us to learn cutting-edge techniques in plant cryopreservation, live-tissue microscopy, and precision sectioning with the Compresstome vibratome!​