Advanced Microscopes and Equipment

This custom 4-camera TIRF is capable of simultaneously imaging up to four different molecules (labelled with different colours) with single-molecule sensitivity, permitting analysis of movement of individual molecules as they diffuse and interact in living cells with high spatiotemporal resolution. This provides quantitative information on complex populations of molecules, including their nanoscale arrangement, diffusion and interactions.

Microscope Details

• Sample size: single cell
• Main application: protein interactions/SMLM
• Modalities: SMLM, TIRF, dSTORM (2D and 3D), PALM (2D and 3D), FRAP, FRET
• Spatial Resolution: ~20 nm lateral, ~50 nm axial
• Temporal resolution: fast (~50 fps)
• Environmental control: Tempterature and humidity
• Excitation Lasers: 405, 445, 488, 514, 561 and 637 nm

SIM (Structured Illumination Microscopy) is a form of super resolution microscopy that allows living and fixed fluorescent samples to be observed at approximately twice the resolution of a standard fluorescence microscope. Imaging at this higher resolution can reveal structural sub-cellular organisation which would otherwise be masked on a standard microscope.

Microscope Details

• Sample size: single cells, organoids
• Main application: Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM)
• Modalities: 2D and 3D SIM, TIRF SIM
• Spatial resolution: ~115 nm lateral, ~270 nm axial
• Temporal resolution: medium (~15 fps)
• Environmental control: Temperature, humidity and CO2
• Excitation Lasers: 405, 488, 560, 640 nm

Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM) and Photoactivated Localization Microscopy (PALM) are based on recurrently determining the position of single fluorescence emitters in live or fixed samples. The repeated localizations of individual molecules is then used to reconstruct super-resolved images. Applications include studying the nanodomains organization of signalling complexes or small subcellular structures like mitochondria or the cytoskeleton.

Microscope Details

• Sample size: Single cells, tissue slices, organoids
• Main application: Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM)
• Modalities: dSTORM (2D and 3D), PALM, TIRF
• Spatial Resolution: ~20 nm lateral, ~50 nm axial
• Temporal resolution: medium (20 fps)
• Environmental control: Temperature, humidity and CO2
• Excitation Lasers: 405, 488, 560, 640 nm

This Ultrafast FRET/Calcium imaging microscope is equipped with a fast perfusion system for rapid stimulation and an image splitter for synchronous dual-channel imaging. Combined with a series of FRET sensors and indicators, this system allows monitoring of the kinetics of cell signaling events such as receptor activation or the production of second messengers such as calcium or cyclic AMP in living cells with unrivalled temporal resolution.

Microscope Details

• Sample size: single-cells, organoids, acute tissue slices
• Main application: FRET and ratiometric imaging
• Modalities: FRET, Ca2+, dual-channel ratiometric imaging
• Environmental control: Temperature, humidity and CO2
• Illumination: 8-channel LED illuminator
• Resolution: 200-300 nm, up to 300 ns.

The lattice light-sheet microscope is the leading fluorescence microscope for imaging dynamic cellular and sub-cellular processes in single cells. Using this microscope you will be able to gain precise information on protein and organelle dynamics, with the highest and most accurate time resolution currently available in a fluorescent imaging system.

Microscope Details

• Sample size: single cell
• Main application: fast subcellular dynamics in live cells, with low phototoxicity
• Modalities: 2D optical lattice with ultra thin sheet (<600 nm)
• Spatial Resolution: ~230 nm lateral, ~70 nm axial
• Temporal resolution: ~300 z-slices/sec
• Environmental control: Temperature only
• Excitation Lasers: Bessel beam light sheet illumination in 488, 561, 640 nm

Selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM) on the Marianas Light Sheet uses a thin sheet of light to illuminate only the plane of interest, reducing phototoxicity by drastically cutting total light dose and allowing for prolonged specimen imaging.

The system captures two alternating views of a sample which are then merged to generate an even 3D image without distortion, and is suitable for imaging cellular and subcellular structures in larger live samples (tissue sections, spheroids/organoids, small organisms).

Microscope Details

• Sample size: cells and small tissue, embryos, organoids, etc.
• Main application: rapid 3D imaging with isotropic resolution and low phototoxicity
• Modalities: Light sheet selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM)
• Spatial Resolution: isotropic 330 nm x, y, z
• Environmental control: Temperature, humidity and CO2
• Imaging media: Aqueous media only
• Excitation Lasers: 488, 561 and 640 nm

The UltramicroscopeII is a fluorescent microscope used for 3D imaging of optically-cleared samples such as whole mouse organs and small tissue samples (essentially 3-D histology).

It is best suited for visualizing whole biological systems with cellular resolution.

The system uses six light sheets in a dual-sided arrangement for homogeneous illumination, with the detection objective perpendicular to laser illumination.

Microscope Details

• Sample size: whole organs, large tissue, embryos, etc (< 1cm3)
• Main application: 3D imaging of whole biological systems
• Modalities: uni and bi-directional imaging with variable sheet width
• Spatial Resolution: cellular
• Environmental control: N/A
• Excitation Lasers: 488, 561, 640 and 780 nm

The Nanoimager is a multivalent microscope for super-resolution microscopy, covering dSTORM, PALM, single-particle tracking, TIRF, HILO and smFRET.

Like other super-resolution systems, it allows the study of high-level molecular organisation on fixed samples.

Microscope Details

• Single-molecule sensitivity
• Sample size: Single cell
• Main application: single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM)
• Modalities: dSTORM (2D and 3D), PALM, SPT, TIRF, FRET
• Spatial Resolution: ~20 nm lateral, ~50 nm axial
• Temporal resolution: medium (20 fps)
• Environmental control: Temperature, humidity and CO2
• Excitation Lasers: 405nm, 488nm, 561nm, 640nm