Introduction to Image Analysis

Bioimage analysis is an increasingly important field in life science research, enabling the efficient handling of digital images to extract quantitative measurements which report on relevant biological phenomena. This course is aimed at life science researchers who are initiating any research projects involving the acquisition or handling of any type of microscopy data, or to researchers who already work with images on their day-to-day but who wish to get a more formal understanding of the most common bioimage analysis methods, concepts and tools.

The course will use the resources available on the Fiji/ImageJ software to guide participants through the basics of image analysis and processing. The program combines interactive plenary lectures with representative exercises performed in small groups, giving each participant the opportunity to test hands-on the most relevant concepts in bioimage analysis and clarify any doubts in close interaction with the trainers.

Participants will be requested to bring their own laptops and mouse (optional but recommended) with Fiji installed.

Note: Although the course is open to all the institutes from Lisbon, priority is given to participants that come from the organizer institutes (ITQB NOVA, GIMM, NMS, Champalimaud Foundation and FCUL).

Programme

 17 November

 9.30-11.00 [Trainer: Carolina Feliciano]

Working with ImageJ: Fiji and ImageJ, ImageJ interface, Basic concepts and common tasks and Opening, visualizing and saving an image

11.00-11.15 Coffee break

11.15-12.30 [Trainer: Carolina Feliciano]

Multi-dimensional images: 4D images: x, y, z, channels, Basic operations

12.30-14.00 Lunch

14.00-15.30 [Trainer: Diogo Coutinho]

Multi-dimensional images: 5D images: x, y, z, channels and time

15.30-15.45 Coffee break

15.45-17.00 [Trainer: Diogo Coutinho]

Quantitative bioimage analysis: images as a source of data, regions of interest, line profile and ROI Manager

18 November

 9.30-11.00 [Trainer: Hugo Botelho]

Spatial measurements in ImageJ: pixel spatial calibration, setting a scale bar, measurement types

11.00-11.15 Coffee break

11.15-12.30 [Trainer: Luis Marques]

Image pre-processing and segmentation: basics of linear filtering, thresholding, basics of Binary filtering, object counting

12.30-14.00 Lunch

14.00-15.30  [Trainer: James Lillis]

Advanced Segmentation: labkit and stardist

15.30-15.45 Coffee break

14.00-15.30  [Trainer: James Lillis]

Introduction to automation: using the macro recorder, introduction to batch processing and best practices in reporting bioimage quantification

Applications

1st Phase: 25/09/2026-30/10/2026

School Year: 2026

Vacancies: 25

Duration: 17-18 November 2026

Coordinators

Aida Lima santos@gimm.pt

Beatriz Barbosa barbosa@gimm.pt

Carolina Feliciano cfeliciano@itqb.unl.pt

Diogo Coutinho coutinho@gimm.pt

Hugo Botelho hmbotelho@ciencias.ulisboa.pt

James Lillis lillis@nms.unl.pt

Luis Marques lfmarques@ciencias.ulisboa.pt