Richard D. Leapman
Encyclopedia
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
, and current scientific director of National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering is the newest of the National Institutes of Health research institutes and centers and was formed in the United States when President Bill Clinton signed it into law on December 29, 2000.The Institute is committed to integrating the...
(NIBIB), since October 2006 and a chief of the laboratory of bioengineering and physical science. Dr. Leapman's research interests are in the development and application of quantitative [electron microscopy] and the application of novel nanoscale imaging methods to solve problems in structural and cellular biology.
Dr. Leapman has been particularly active in developing the techniques of electron energy loss spectroscopy
Electron energy loss spectroscopy
In electron energy loss spectroscopy a material is exposed to a beam of electrons with a known, narrow range of kinetic energies. Some of the electrons will undergo inelastic scattering, which means that they lose energy and have their paths slightly and randomly deflected...
(EELS) and scanning transmission electron microscopy
Scanning transmission electron microscopy
A scanning transmission electron microscope is a type of transmission electron microscope . As with any transmission illumination scheme, the electrons pass through a sufficiently thin specimen...
(STEM) to provide an unprecedented high spatial resolution for nanoanalysis of biological structures. Dr. Leapman has devised new methods for quantifying both elemental and chemical information obtained from inelastic electron scattering, a research area in which he has over one hundred publications. Recently, Dr. Leapman has extended the techniques of energy filtered transmission electron microscopy
Energy filtered transmission electron microscopy
Energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy is a technique used in Transmission electron microscopy, in which only electrons of particular kinetic energies are used to form the image or diffraction pattern...
(EFTEM) and STEM and combined them with a known technique of tomography
Tomography
Tomography refers to imaging by sections or sectioning, through the use of any kind of penetrating wave. A device used in tomography is called a tomograph, while the image produced is a tomogram. The method is used in radiology, archaeology, biology, geophysics, oceanography, materials science,...
to obtain three-dimensional structural and compositional information of cellular components.
Dr. Leapman obtained his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, England. He serves on the editorial boards of the journal of microscopy and nanotechnology and on peer review panels.
See also
- National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and BioengineeringNational Institute of Biomedical Imaging and BioengineeringThe National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering is the newest of the National Institutes of Health research institutes and centers and was formed in the United States when President Bill Clinton signed it into law on December 29, 2000.The Institute is committed to integrating the...
- National Institutes of HealthNational Institutes of HealthThe National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...