September 29, 2011 - Olympus Upright, Fixed-Stage 2-photon Demo

Olympus is demonstrating its FV1000MPE-M (multiphoton exclusive system) in 1250 KCBD for 2 weeks! This system has laser light stimulation and in-depth observation from in vivo to live cell imaging. The simple optics, which are optimized for multiphoton microscopy, allow for smaller size and deeper imaging within the specimen. The M scanner multiphoton exclusive system uses a gold-coated galvanometer scanning mirror. Brighter and deeper imaging with better resolution!

 

March 2011

March 2011 -- Nuhsbaum Presents the Leica M205FA Automated Fluorescence StereoMicroscope as a Demo in KCBD 1250

We are currently running a months-long demo of the Leica M205FA automated fluorescence stereo microscope in KCBD 1250.

This microscope features true stereomicroscopy. We have 1x and 2x objectives with 20.5:1 zoom and a real-time readout of total magnification. Filters are available for DAPI, GFP/FITC and DsRed/Cy3 fluorescence plus brightfield or Rotterman contrast imaging. The Leica DFC425C color camera and real-time, software based shading correction make full color histology imaging possible as well.

 

March 2011 -- Nikon BioStation IM Live Cell Recorder IM Demo in KCBD -- HURRY! This demo is scheduled to leave at the end of March

In conjunction with the March 16th lecture on live cell imaging, Nikon is allowing us a long term demo of their BioStation IM Live Cell Recorder. The BioStation allows for temperature, humidity and CO2 control of one 35mm dish during a long-term timelapse.

Images are taken in widefield fluorescence (green and near red only) and/or phase contrast at 20x, 40x or 80x magnifications. The Nikon Perfect Focus system reduces thermal drift while you image. The machine is housed in KCBD 1250 and is available for use with training.

March 16, 2011 -- Nikon Live Cell Imaging Lecture in KCBD

February 2011

February 25 -- The whole slide scanner is now available

CRi Pannoramic Scan is back and ready for samples! This machine provides automated scanning of either full color histology or fluorescently labeled slides (blue, green, and near red with far red coming soon) with amazing resolution (down to 0.12um per pixel). Create a digital archive of your slides, then use the free-to-download 3DHistoquant software to create individual images at virtual magnifications from 1x-100x.

We are running this machine as a drop-off service for $5 per slide. Drop off your slides, fill out a short form and we'll contact you when your scans are done!

 

January 2011 -- Happy New Year!

January 3, 2011 -- Announcing three major new systems!

We are pleased to announce the addition of three major new systems to the Core:

1) The Leica SP2 has been replaced with a new Leica SP5-II-STED-CW system. This is our second SP5 system, and the only system on campus to offer Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) superresolution light microscopy (down to 50nm FWHM). The STED-SP5 is located in the KCBD site and is available now for booking and training. Contact Christine Labno for more information or to set up a training session.

2) The 3I Marianas Nipkow system has been installed in the Abbott site and should be fully functional soon. Contact Vytas Bindokas for more information on this system.

3) The CRi Pannoramic Scan is coming back! We demoed this system for whole slide scanning of fluorescence and histology-labeled slides for a couple of days back in September and it will now be a permanent part of the Core. Watch this space, we hope to announce its arrival soon!

November 2010

November 22, 2010 -- Live sample optimized spinning disk confocal (live DSU) moved to KCBD 1250

The live sample DSU has moved from Abbott 129 to the new faciltiy in KCBD 1250. The microscope has not changed, just the location.

All trained users still have scheduler access for this confocal as well as the fixed sample optimized confocal also in KCBD 1250. For directions to the new facility, see the link above. For after hours access, please contact Christine or Shirley and have your University ID handy.

 

October 2010

October 5, 2010 -- Seeing Biology in High Definition Presentation

Tuesday Oct. 5 at 10am in KCBD 1101

Ian Clements from Applied Precision will lecture on the DeltaVision OMX imaging system. This superresolution platform is designed for super high resolution imaging with very fast (<1 frame/sec) multi-dimentional capability. This includes 3D timeplapse, multi-color 3D timelapse and multi-position timelapse of live samples with minimal photobleaching.

This technology was developed at the Keck Center at UCSF, was recently published in PNAS and is exclusively licensed to Applied Precision.

September 2010

September 28-29, 2010 -- CRi Whole Slide Scanner demo in KCBD 1250

CRi (Cambridge Research and Instrumentation Inc) will be bringing their Panoramic Scan whole slide scanner in for a company-lead demo. This scanner can batch process up to 150 slides in either brightfield (histology) or fluorescence mode. The imaging software has some interesting quantitation features as well. For more information about this product, visit CRi's website.

September 21, 2010 -- NanoZoomer is LEAVING!!

The NanoZoomer HT 2.0 whole slide scanner on demo since late June will be leaving on Tuesday September 21, 2010. (The NanoZoomer might be returning in November). We will keep you posted!

August 2010

August 12, 2010 -- NanoZoomer now with three color fluorescence

Olympus has added three color widefield fluorescence to the NanoZoomer HT 2.0 whole slide scanner. Now whole slides can be scanned for blue (DAPI), green (GFP, FITC) and/or red (TexasRed).

Click here to view product information on the Hamamatsu website.

We are running the NanoZoomer as a drop-off service, just drop off your slides, fill out a short form and leave the rest to us. $5 per slide, the first 10 slides are free.

Existing users can download the offline data viewer software NDPview v1.2.25 from Olympus.

August 10, 2010 -- Manual IX70 TIRF microscope UPGRADED to automated IX81 TIRF

We have upgraded our Olympus widefield fluorescence microscope (model IX70) back to an automated widefield fluorescence (model IX81) platform. The functions of the microscope remain the same: there are still DAPI, FITC, Cy3 and Cy5, CFP and YFP fluorescence filters, still TIRF at 488nm, and all of the objectives, MetaMorph software and camera are the same.

BUT. . .No more changing objectives or filters by hand! The microsope is now fully automated and all functions are controlled through the software!

Plus. . .coming soon, we will install the Olympus ZDC Zero Drift system for automated focal plane drift correction during time lapse acquisition.

June 2010

June 22, 2010 -- NanoZoomer 2.0 HT demo is available now in KCBD 1250C

If you like the FSX-100 microscope in a box, you'll LOVE this new machine.

The NanoZoomer is a high resolution, high throughput, WHOLE SLIDE scanner available for use in KCBD 1250C. Brightfield (histology) imaging only for now. We hope to add fluorescence imaging soon!

Existing users can download the offline data viewer software NDPview v1.2.25 from Olympus.

The NanoZoomer 2.0-HT uses a three chip TDI camera (Hamamatsu) to autmatically focus, scan and tile your whole slide, creating a full-color, 1.9 billion+ pixel image of your sample. This image can then be zoomed for an amazing amount of information and detail. Images are collected with a pixel size of 0.23 microns or 0.46 microns (depending on your choice of 20x or 40x objectives) so the resolution is high enough to allow viewing at magnifications from 1x to 100x anywhere on the slide. Click here to view the product on the Hamamatsu website.

Using the cassettes, the NanoZoomer can be set to automatically scan up to 210 slides during a single session. Once the machine is set, it will run though all the slides without any additional human input. Or use the manual mode to scan and examine a handful of slides in a short session.

Contact a technical director (at right) to see the NanoZoomer today!

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June 20, 2010 -- Zeiss on Your Campus show a success!

The Light Microscopy Core Facility hosted a very successful Zeiss on Your Campus workshop on live cell imaging in June 2010. Approximately 150 people came from the greater Chicagoland area for three days of lectures and live microscope demonstrations.

Secial thanks to Shirley Bond and Zeiss sales consultant Terry Glaab for coordinating the three day event and to specialists Michael Hakans, Benjamin Ng and Joesph Huff for all their hard work on the lectures and demonstrations.

Click to see images of the demos

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Zeiss on Your Campus (ZOYC) - Week of June 14th!!.

Onsite training couses were designed to help all microscope users fully exploit the capabillities of their current systems and to aid in the selection of new technologies to best address developing applications.These workshops will focus on the special needs of live cell imaging applications. Optimizing an experiment under the competing contraints of resolution, speed and sensitivity presents various challenges for systems and users alike. ZOYC 2010 will provide theoretical and practical information together with hands-on sessions organized in small groups. Representative live cell samples will be imaged using the latest microscope systems from Carl Zeiss.

Workshop Content:

At the University of Chicago, 900 E. 57th Street, Zeiss will offer an overview talk, followed by two more specialized talks explaining photo-manipulation and the application of single molecule techniques. The hands-on sessions will be available for the demonstration of both basic and advanced experimental techniques.

Talks:

Tuesday June 15th (Room 1103 KCBD)

• Live Cell Imaging: Five Basic Requirements (10:30am-11:30am)
• Photomanipulation: Considerations, Advantages, and Limitations (1:00pm-2:00pm)
• Single Molecules: Going Beyond Basic Imaging (2:00pm-3:00pm)

Basic Hands-On Sessions:

Wednesday & Thursday June 16-17 (Room 1250 KCBD) 9:00am to evening

The hands-on session will offer an opportunity to better understand the optimization of imaging parameters for live cells. Groups of a maximum of six participants will have the opportunity to see the following systems imaging live cells expressing mEmerald and mApple:

• Structured Illumination System (Vivatome)
• Spinning Disk Confocal (Cell Observer SD)
• Point Scanning Confocal (LSM 710/780)

All systems will be equipped with incubation and Definite Focus.

Advanced Demonstrations

Thursday, June 17th (Room 1250 KCBD) 1:00pm to evening

The advanced demonstrations will give an insight into higher speed acquisitions and photo-manipulation techniques:

• High Speed imaging on Aurox
• FRAP and Photo-activation on a Spinning Disk Confocal or Point Scanning Confocal using cells expressing PA-GFP, tdEos, or mEOS2

For more detailed information and for free ZOYC Workshop Registration:

http://www.Zeiss.com/signup#ZOYC

or email micro@zeiss.com for questions.

Participation is free and educational workshop materials will be provided.

 

May 2010

Leica has brought in their Stimulated Emission Depletion Continuous Wave (STED CW super-resolution) microscope for a DEMO from May 17-24th and their Multicolor Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) microscope from May 12-21st to room 1250 KCBD.

    Stimulated Emission Depletion Continuous Wave: TCS STED CW

The imaging resolution for the STED CW is 2-3x higher than conventional, which means an accuracy far below 100nm resolution range. This is the first commercially available light microscope that enables investigation of structural details below the 80 nm resolution range.

The Leica TCS STED CW is a stunningly simple solution – easy to use, highly affordable and available as an upgrade for already installed systems: The Leica TCS STED CW combines the high-end confocal Leica TCS SP5 with purely optical and patented superresolution technology and is characterized by its capability of high speed scanning on the nanoscale – in real time! The Leica TCS STED CW allows the usage of numerous fluorescent dyes and fluorescent proteins, which significantly extends the range of possible applications.

The basic concept of the STED CW system is based on the STED technology, which received several awards and scales down the scanning spot to sub-diffraction size by switching off fluorescence in the periphery of the excited area. Stimulated emission is based on a well-thought-out interplay of fine optics and photo physical processes and delivers superresolution in a purely optical way – on a confocal platform.

Continuous wave lasers for depletion increase the STED recording speed up to three times without any loss of superresolution performance. Researchers can now follow dynamic processes with less than 80nm spatial resolution!

Leica Microsystems’ superresolution microscope Leica TCS STED CW is made for daily research and also provides a wealth of tailored solutions for specific application tasks and research environments. The workflow, which was designed in cooperation with leading scientists, and the easy operation of the system make superresolution accessible to a broad field of research.

 

    True MultiColor Laser TIRF:  Leica AM TIRF MC

Leica AM TIRF MC provides the highest transmission of all optical TIRF components for maximum TIRF imaging speed and image brilliance.

Visualize previously unseen information about a specimen and improve scientific research with MultiColor TIRF (Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence) from Leica Microsystems.

This system offers four integrated solid-state lasers for excitation of fluorophores in all of the important wavelengths.

The short switching times, fully automated alignment automatically-constant TIRF penetration depth when switching from one wavelength to another, and high synchronized image recording rate open up completely new horizons for researching dynamic processes in live cells. The system integrates four wavelengths; 405nm, 488nm, 561nm, and 635nm; with fast AOTF control.

High image quality
Combines TIRF and fast FRET analysis for applications such as cell membrane or single molecule analysis; vesicle tracking; fluorescence, live cell or time-lapse imaging; and more – high image quality improves scientific results.

Unique TIRF functions
Unique TIRF functions like an intelligent compensation of the penetration depth shift with wavelength change during multicolour experiments, fully automated alignment and the selection of the evanescent field direction help to get highest TIRF image quality and reliable experimental data.

Dynamic scanner
The dynamic scanner precisely positions the laser beam and determines the exact penetration depth of the evanescent field.

Less training time
Powerful Leica AF7000 fluorescence software offers full control of the TIRF system including alignment and all microscope functions – less training time and more time spent on science.

Advanced fluorescence workstation
TIRF is fully integrated as an option with Leica Microsystems’ advanced fluorescence workstation - in multi-user laboratories the system meets a variety of imaging needs.

 

 

April 1,  2010

Come visit room 1250C in the KCBD building (900 E. 57th Street) to view, test, and use the following new DEMO Olympus Microscopes in the Microscopy Facility:

1) Olympus LCV110U (Timelapse Microscope and Incubator)
      
The Vivaview is designed for long-term time-lapse observation while culturing cells. This system is incredibly stable, accurate and efficient and is set up for investigators who need multidimensional time-lapse (X,Y, Z, wavelength, time, and position). The Vivaview eliminates thermal drift and can parallel time-lapse observation for up to 8 dishes.  Multicolor fluorescence, Z-stack, and transmitted light images can be obtained at multiple locations within the sample dishes.

   
 2) Olympus FSX100 (Microscope in a Box)

The FSX 100 is great system for histology slides. You can take single snapshots or stitched images. You'll get high resolution images with no distortion. Magnification is from 4x to 80x.

The FSX100 can also be used for phase and fluorescence (red, green, blue filters).
The software is easy to learn and use!

   
 3) Olympus Fluoview FV10i (Confocal in a Box)

The Fluoview FV10i is the world's first self-contained confocal laser scanning microscope. This system is designed for time-lapses; z-stacks; and multi-area time-lapses and z-stacks. This is the Water-Based model which uses a water-immersion objective.


4) Olympus MVX10 (Macroscope)

This Macroscope MVX10 produces great images. It has 3 fluorescent filters, a color camera, as well as oblique and transmitted lighting.

If you've had trouble imaging your entire sample with other microscopes and stereomicroscopes, try the MVX10. There are 2 objectives that swing into place: 0.63x and 2x. There is also zoom with a factor of 31x and a long working distance.The software is easy to learn and use.

Bring in your samples to have a test run on these new microscopes and give us your feedback.



01-11 - 02-04-10 Leica LSI (Large Scale Imaging) Confocal Demo in KCBD 1250
The Leica TCS LSI is a laser scanning confocal microscope with a HUGE 16mm field of view and the ability to capture thick (up to 150mm) volumes.  Objective magnifications range from 0.8x - 5.0x plus additive optical and confocal zoom down to single cell detail.  Four lasers available (405nm, 488nm, 532nm, 635nm) for multi-color imaging.  This easy to use, fully automated, microscope is here for a two-week demo. Contact a technical director for an appointment and see your large samples like you've never seen them before! 

Beginning 12-14-09  Olympus Microscope Demo in KCBD 1250
The Olympus FSX100 widefield microscope "in a box" is available for a LIMITED time in KCBD 1250.  This easy to use, fully automated system offers true color histology, brightfield and multi-color (blue, green and near red only) fluorescence imaging across a range of magnifications (17x - 80x).  Fixed samples only please.  Come in for a hands-on session and give us your feedback! 

11-06-09  Nuance Multispectral Imaging System Demo in KCBD 1250
CRI's Nuance multispectral imaging system will be demonstrated in KCBD, 900 E. 57th Street. The system enables users to quantitate molecular markers even when they are co-localized in a single tissue section. Ruba Sarris will give a presentation from Noon to 1PM in the Conference Room 1280, and she will demonstrate the system from 1 to 3PM in the Microscopy Facility, Room 1250. If you have samples, please contact her at rsarris@cri-inc.com.

08-10-2009  Introducing Bitplane Imaris
Introducing_Imaris.pdf

01-26-2009 Upgrades to existing microscopesThe Integrated Microscopy Facility recently completed upgrades to two of our existing microscopes.  The Olympus Fluoview laser scanning confocal was upgraded to a DSU spinning disk confocal running SlideBook software.  This microscope can now image all fluorophores from DAPI (blue) to Cy5 (far red) plus DIC in either widefield or confocal mode.  With the 1.37 mega pixel Hamamatsu CCD digital camera and high NA, oil immersion objectives, this microscope is optimized for high-resolution imaging of fixed samples.      

The Olympus live cell / total internal reflection (TIRF) microscope is now housed on the IX70 microscope platform. It uses automated excitation and emission filter changers, an emission image splitter, and has a manual 4-position fluorescence filter turret and DIC optics.  This microscope runs user-friendly MetaMorph software controlling a Retiga EXi digital chilled CCD camera for high resolution images of fixed or live cells.