(NU/1296) The Supply and Installation of a Live-Cell Confocal Microscope, a Multi-Photon Microscope and a High Content Imaging System

Newcastle University Bioimaging Unit is a multi-user imaging facility within FMS whose primary aim is to provide light high-end light microscopy and support to members of the University as well as external academic or commercial customers. The facility intends to expand its services to include the following imaging equipment detailed below:

Lot 1: Live Cell Confocal Microscope

Live cell microscopy at beyond diffraction resolution. The primarily application of this system will be to obtain time-lapse data from developing mammalian oocytes and early-stage embryos (human and mouse). The system will also serve as a multi-purpose confocal microscope accessible by customers of the facility. We require a suitable inverted point-scanning confocal microscope, capable of near super-resolution and live cell capability for imaging over several days without harming the specimen.

Lot 2: Multi-Photon Microscope

In vivo microscopy as part of a multi-user facility. To this end, a multiphoton microscopy rig will be built allowing deep imaging of rodent tissues using label and label-free imaging. We require a suitable inverted microscope (and scan head with CW lasers) and table capable of single and multiphoton excitation of dyes, fluorescent proteins and label-free imaging such as SHG, preferably with the capability of simultaneous dual excitation at two wavelengths. The system supplied will need to interface with and control an existing Coherent Discovery multi-photon laser.

Lot 3: High Content Imaging System

High-content fluorescence microscopy on live and fixed plates and slides. The primary application of the system will be to examine in live and fixed samples, mitochondrial morphology. The system will also be required in an automated way, to image slides in both brightfield (colour) and fluorescence modes. To increase throughput for both live and fixed cell observations, we wish to automate sample loading through the use of a robotic plate loader.