Lund University Bioimaging Center (LBIC) is pleased to announce the opening of its new optical imaging platform, which hosts an advanced confocal microscope and a second super-resolution microscope utilising the STochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscope (STORM) technology. A third microscope dedicated to live cell imaging TIRF applications is planned to be added in December 2014 from Dr. Karin Stenkula’s lab as a collaboration between the LBIC and Excellence of Diabetes Research in Sweden (EXODIAB). The new optical imaging platform is available to all research groups at Lund University.
The confocal laser microscope system is Nikon's most powerful, fully-automated confocal imaging system (model A+) on a motorised inverted microscope. This system is capable of capturing high-quality confocal images of cells and molecular events at high speed and enhanced sensitivity, due to the addition of GaAsP multi-detector technology, which enables brighter and even higher resolution images compared to using standard PMTs.
The super-resolution microscope system combines the STORM technology (originally developed at Harvard University) with Nikon's inverted advance research microscope. This technique provides dramatically enhanced resolution (20 nm) that is 10 times that of conventional optical microscopes, by utilising high accuracy localisation information for thousands of individual fluorophores present in a field of view to create a super-resolution image.
The platform will not only provide access to these microscopes but also have an active engagement in training of users, application support as well as workshops and seminars.
The optical microscopy platform can be used by any interested researcher at Lund University. Users are trained by the facility manager and their booking time is billed on an hourly basis in line with LBIC policies. Interested users can contact the facility manager, Catherine Kitts, about using the microscopes, or Lina Gefors who is the platform leader.
Contact details:
Lina Gefors, LBIC microscopy platform leader, Research engineer, lina [dot] gefors [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (lina[dot]gefors[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)
Catherine Kitts, LBIC optical platform manager, Nikon Microscopy Manager, Catherine [dot] Kitts [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (catherine[dot]kitts[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se) or catherine [dot] kitts [at] bergmanlabora [dot] se (catherine[dot]kitts[at]bergmanlabora[dot]se)
On behalf of the LBIC steering group
Deniz Kirik, Co-Director of LBIC, Professor of Neuroscience
Freddy Ståhlberg, Director of LBIC, Professor of MR Physics