Cellular Imaging Core Services

Microscopy

As part of the Microscopy Facilities made available by the Core, the laboratory houses the following fluorescence microscopes and related imaging facilities for communal use within the Centre:

• A wide-field inverted Nikon TE2000U fluorescence microscope. Available for all staff and students
• An Olympus BX-51 upright wide-field microscope for imaging samples on glass slides. This microscope is primarily for the use of the Chromosome Dynamics and Cellular-Imaging Core staff, as part of their Core service provision.
• A Leica TCS SP8 confocal with optional FLIM+FCS hybrid detectors and white light laser. Available for all staff and students.
• A Leica TCS SP8 FALCON confocal with optional FLIM + FCS hybrid detectors. Available for all staff and students.
• A Leica DMi8 TIRF system with 488 diode laser and fast filter wheel.  Available for all staff and students.
• A Zeiss Cell Observer Spinning Disc Confocal microscope. Available for all staff and students.
• A Zeiss Elyra TIRF Confocal fluorescence microscope. Available for all staff and students.
• Access to the Core's Leica CM-3050-S Cryostat. Available for all staff and students
• Stand-alone image analysis and processing PC workstations. Available for all staff and students.

Services provided

• Day to day care of the instruments
• General technical support and help with troubleshooting
• Training sessions on appropriate microscope(s)
• Advice on microscopy, live cell imaging, image acquisition, image processing, image analysis and photo editing
• Advice on advanced microscope techniques such as FLIM, FRAP and FRET
• Advice on the design and practical execution of immunofluorescence experiments (including provision of protocols, sample confocal dishes, and where available a few aliquots of key reagents to start off)