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  3. Microscopy
  1. Home
  2. Core Facilities
  3. Microscopy

Providing expertise, training and instrumentation for a range of advanced light microscopy techniques across scales and for a variety of samples.  

We provide training and support to scientists in a wide range of image acquisition and analysis techniques. Instruments in our facility range from wide-field imaging systems to non-linear multi-photon and lifetime imaging systems for cell and intra-vital tissue studies. We are specialised in the following areas of expertise: 

  • Advanced live-cell imaging using wide-field and spinning disc imaging systems 
  • Laser scanning confocal microscopy 
  • Quantitative high content image acquisition and analysis 
  • Light sheet microscopy of living and cleared samples 
  • STED super-resolution microscopy 
  • Non-linear imaging techniques such as multi-photon and second harmonic imaging 
  • Qualitative fluorescence life-time imaging (TauSense) 

 

Dr Andreas Bruckbauer

Core Facility Manager

Equipment

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Leica Stellaris 8 – MP

Confocal microscope for high resolution and flexible 3D imaging of live and fixed samples.  

  • Extended white light laser (440 nm – 790 nm) and 405 nm laser 
  • New sensitive Hybrid detectors including one with far-red sensitivity, photon counting mode (3x HyDS, 1x HyDX, 1x HyDR) 
  • Lightning deconvolution 
  • TauSense qualitative lifetime imaging  
  • Two-Photon imaging for collagen and deep tissue fluorescence imaging with 680 to 1080 nm excitation 
  • 8000 Hz resonance scanner 
  • AOBS (acoustical optical beam splitter)  
  • Navigator and Dye Assistant 
  • Spectral detection (excitation and emission scans) 
  • High resolution and glycerol objectives
  • Transmitted light DIC (40x, 63x, 100x) 
  • Stage incubator for live cell imaging 
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Leica SP8 – STED

Confocal microscope for high resolution and flexible 3D imaging of live and fixed samples with super-resolution capabilities. 

  • White light laser 470 nm – 670 nm
  • 405 and 442 nm lasers 
  • 5 detectors, 2 PMTs and 3 sensitive HyD detectors, gated 
  • 8000 Hz resonance scanner 
  • AOBS (acoustical optical beam splitter)  
  • Deconvolution with Huygens software 
  • STED super-resolution imaging with 594. 660, and pulsed 775 nm depletion lasers 
  • Spectral detection (excitation and emission scans) 
  • Transmitted light DIC 
  • Navigator and Dye assistant 
  • Incubation for live cell imaging with CO2 control 
  • Cooling stage 
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Leica SP5

Confocal microscope for high resolution and flexible 3D imaging of fixed samples. 

  • Argon laser (458, 476, 488, 496, 514 nm) 
  • 543 nm and 633 nm laser 
  • 5 detectors (3x PMT, 2x HyD) 
  • 8000 Hz resonance scanner 
  • AOBS (acoustical optical beam splitter) 
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Dragonfly Spinning Disk

Laser-based Spinning Disk Confocal microscope for fast 3D imaging of fixed and live samples.  

  • Lasers: 405, 445, 488, 561, 637 and 730 nm
  • two EMCCD cameras Andor iXon 888 
  • Stage top incubator with CO2 and humidity control. 
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Opera Phenix Plus

Laser-based spinning disc confocal system for high content cell screening and profiling, volumetric imaging of organoids, spheroids and live cell timelapse imaging.  

  • Five laser lines at 375 nm, 425 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm and 640 nm.   
  • Four cameras offering fast acquisition times.   
  • Synchrony optics with enhanced separation of multiple fluorescence channels.  
  • Full environmental control including temperature, CO2 and humidity for long term imaging..  
  • Automated plate handling robotics and incubator for high throughput imaging of plates or slides and long-time interval imaging of organoids and live cells. 
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Operetta CLS

LED-based Widefield and Spinning Disc Confocal system for high content cell screening and profiling, volumetric imaging of organoids, spheroids, and live cell timelapse imaging.

  • Eight LEDs at 365 nm, 405 nm, 440 nm, 475 nm. 510 nm, 550 nm, 630 nm and 660 nm.
  • Ideal for highly multiplexed immunofluorescence imaging up to 6 colours.
  • Environmental control including temperature and  CO2  for long term imaging.​
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Zeiss Light Sheet Z1

​​​Fast, gentle multiview imaging of large specimens using Light Sheet Microscopy.

  • Lasers: 405, 488, 561 and 638 nm
  • 2 cameras pco.edge 4.2 for simultaneous imaging.
  • incubation chamber with CO2 control for live imaging.
  • Cleared tissue with refractive index of 1.45
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Zeiss Widefield 1&2

Widefield imaging with transmitted light brightfield, DIC and reflected light fluorescence with LED excitation.  

  • Fully motorized Axio-Observer Z.1 
  • Definite Focus 
  • Incubation chamber with CO2 control. 

System 1: Fluorescent proteins, fast dynamics 

  • Camera: Hamamatsu Orca Falsh 4 
  • Light source: Lumencore Spectra X 
  • Filter cubes: CFP, YFP, multi-band: DAPI, FITC, Rhod, DIC 

System 2: Standard dyes + ​​​​​​​NIR fluorescence 

  • Camera: AxioCam 506 
  • Light sources: CoolLED pE 4000 and pE-2 
  • Filter cubes: DAPI, GFP, DsRed, RFP, Cy5, Cy7, and DIC  
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Software

We provide access to the following commercial image analysis software on our high-performance workstations or remote access servers.  

  • Harmony (Revvity, formerly PerkinElmer): High-Content imaging analysis software for Opera Phenix and Operetta CLS microscopes 
  • Vision 4D (Zeiss, formerly Arivis): Image analysis for 2D, 3D and 4D data sets, ideal for Light Sheet microscopy data 
  • Imaris (Oxford Instruments, formerly Bitplane): 3D and 4D data sets 
  • Huygens (Scientific Volume Imaging): Deconvolution of 3D data sets 

Team members

  • Alt

    Andreas Bruckbauer

    Head of facility

  • Alt

    Huw Naylor

    Senior scientific Associate

  • Alt

    Heather Zecchini

    Principal Scientific Associate

  • Alt

    Tim Young

    Scientific Associate