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Our range of microscopes offers imaging solutions fitting most research needs. From widefield microscopy to the most advanced STED super-resolution and photon-counting technology, our users have access to hardware working in optimal condition and the expertise needed to profit from it. We also strive to implement new imaging protocols and techniques in a collaborative manner.

Leica TCS SP8 STED 3X inverted microscope with FALCON Module

Leica SP8This system, mounted on an inverted microscope stand, is a flexible, multipurpose high-resolution imaging platform.

In its simplest form it is a laser-scanning confocal that has 2 standard PMTs and 3 more sensitive HyD detectors. One of these HyDs is additionally an SMD detector for single molecule detection and photon counting applications (FLIM, FCS). In order to fully profit from the SMD, the system is complemented with FALCON (FAst Lifetime CONtrast) module and a PicoQuant photon counting module and the corresponding software analysis tools. The FALCON Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM) module enables video-rate lifetime imaging for rapid kinetic studies as in cellular physiology in live cells.

This system offers full excitation flexibility, boasting a pulsed “White Light Laser” (WLL) that can be tuned at any wavelength in the 470-670 nm range. The system further has a 405 nm diode laser, an Argon laser (ideal for FRAP), and a pulsed 440 nm laser. These, in combination with the Leica AOBS-based detection, mean that any fluorophore can be efficiently excited and that any emission spectrum can be captured.

The main feature of the system is the STED (Stimulated Emission Depletion) super-resolution capability. This imaging technique achieves 50 nm lateral resolution for 2D STED (xy-donut) or 130 nm lateral and axial resolution for 3D STED (xy and z-donuts). We have superb 100x oil and 93x glycerol high NA lenses specifically designed for STED on the system. While the pulsed WLL enables excitation, the powerful, doughnut-shaped 775, 660 and 592 nm laser beams deplete the emission, achieving the super-resolution effect by time-gating it. Given the WLL excitation and the 3 depletion lines, multicolour STED imaging is readily possible. Further details

 

Leica DMi8 Thunder

This inverted microscope is a flexible, multipurpose widefield imaging platform equipped with a Hamamatsu Orca Flash 4.0 V3 camera, a Lumencor SOLA-SE-II Light source (365nm Version) and an Okolab incubation chamber, fitted with temperature and CO2 control.

The Leica Thunder Imager 3D Live Cell is designed for imaging of cell culture assays but also for thicker specimens such as organoids, embroid bodies and embryos. The opto-digital method  called Computational Clearing allows a clearer view of details, even deep within an intact sample, in real time without out-offocus blur. There are 3 methods that can be applied either "on the fly" while imaging or postprocessing (depending on data/image size): THUNDER Imagers offer three modes to choose from:
> Instant Computational Clearing (ICC),
> Small Volume Computational Clearing (SVCC) Leica DMi8 Thunder
> Large Volume Computational Clearing (LVCC).

By providing rapid imaging with removed background blur, the Leica THUNDER Imager can help to maintain optimal physiological conditions by minimizing photobleaching in time-lapse experiments and allow higher throughput of data and better statistics.

The Leica Thunder allows imaging in the conventional visible light range but also in the near infra red range (eg. Cy7). This allows for straightforward and fast 5 colour imaging. The available excitation filters are: DAPI, GFP, Y3, Y5 and Y7.

The Leica Thunder is optimized for automated imaging and offers several air objectives that don't require immersion media, which is ideal for imaging large multi-well plates or large specimen requiring a big field of view, which all require extensive stage movements that may otherwise lead to immersion media loss over time.  The available objectives are: N PLAN 5x/0.12 PH0, HC PL APO 10x/0.45, HC PL APO 20x/0.80, HC PL APO 40x/0.95 CORR, HC PL APO 63x/1.40-0.60 OIL.

The DMI8 microscope uses the Leica software platform LAS X (Leica Application Suite
X), which is capeable for a wide spectrum of fluorescence applications from routine work to sophisticated tasks such as  z-stacking, stitching, deconvolution, large tiling and multiposition live cell timelapse imaging as well as real time 3D visualization.

 

 

Leica TCS SPE inverted Confocal microscope

Leica SPE 2022This system, mounted on an inverted DMi8 microscope stand, is a basic confocal with 4 colour capability. The TCS (true confocal scanner) with SP detector is a patented true confocal point scanning system. It has highly sensitive, filter-free spectral detection design with computer controlled adjustable bandwidth (freely tunable between 430 to 750nm with 5 nm spectral resolution). The flexible laser incoupling allows the use of up to 4 lasers (3 visible and 405 nm). As the confocal has just one detector, only sequential channel scans can be carried out, but with the available Lambda-Scan mode a sequential spectral image series can be recorded due to the filter-free design.The microscope also has a basic widefield mode, allowing standard 4 colour imaging with the LASX software. As the Leica Thunder, the SPE also has the Navigator tool which works very well for setting up tiling and manual and automatic focussing. 

 

 

DeltaVision Elite Live Cell Imaging System

Deltavision_2019.jpgThe DeltaVision Elite system is an advanced widefield microscope ideal for live cell imaging. The system, based on an Olympus microscope with excellent optics coupled to a CoolSNAP HQ2 CCD camera, is fitted with temperature and CO2 control to ensure cell viability while imaging. The system boasts a powerful LED-based light source and a versatile filter collection offering a wide range of multicolour imaging possibilities. This system is equipped with a very accurate XYZ encoded stage that enables setting up multipoint, time-lapse experiments in an easy manner. Moreover, the software running the system allows for online deconvolution of the acquired images. Further details

 

Miltenyi Ultramicroscope Blaze Light-sheet

Miltenyi Blaze Ultramicroscope The UltraMicroscope Blaze is a fully automated light sheet microscope for imaging large or multiple cleared samples at subcellular resolution. The illumination optics generate multiple light sheets that overlap in the desired Field Of View and excite the sample from both sides, resulting in a uniform illumination profile, improved optical sectioning, and thereby a higher image quality then single light sheet microscopes.

 
The large sample chambers (one for organic solvents such as Ethyl cinnamate and one for water) allow convenient imaging of multiple small organs or organoids up to samples as big as a human kidney or whole adult mouse models. Samples are monted by gluing them with super glue or tissue glue onto magnetic plates (eg soft samples in agarose blocks) or by holding them in place with small screws (eg. whole brains, organs or bones).

It has 5 available laser lines: 405 nm [EMF460/40m], 488 nm [EMF525/50m], 561 nm [EMF595/40m], 639 nm [EMF680/30m] and 785 nm [EMF845/55m].

Olympus IX83 TIRF System

Olympus TIRFThe Olympus IX83 TIRF microscope is a Total Internal Reflection (TIRF) purpose-built imaging system. TIRF is a laser-based technique that restricts illumination to the immediate vicinity of the coverglass surface. This results in exceptional optical sectioning, in turn enabling imaging of the basal part of the cell at very high signal-to-noise ratio. The system is fitted with temperature and CO2 control for live cell experiments, and a highly sensitive Photometrics Evolve Delta EMCCD camera, with matching high magnification objectives to ensure optimal sampling, and a Photometrics Prime sCMOS camera.

Additionally, high power lasers (405, 488, 561, and 640 nm), camera sensitivity and system flexibility enable for STORM/PALM stochastic single molecule-detection super-resolution imaging techniques, given the right sample buffer. This technique optimally allows for resolutions beyond the 20 nm mark. The system is complemented by a powerful software application (CellSens) incorporating a module for complex experimental design. Further details

 

Zeiss LSM980 inverted confocal microscope with Airyscan 2 and NIR detector

Zeiss 780i LSMThis Zeiss 980 is a conventional laser scanning confocal mounted on an inverted microscope. This makes a robust system ideal for most imaging applications that require optimal optical sectioning such as fixed and live cells grown on a coverglass and fixed tissue sections.

The two traditional PMT detectors are complemented with an array of 32 GaAsP detectors with improved sensitivity in the 470-650 nm range, a NIR detector for the 700-1200nm range and an Airyscan 2 detector. The wide range of laser lines (including a 730nm laser) available at the system and the sensitive detector array enable for spectral imaging, meaning that virtually any fluorophore can be imaged and characterised on this system. This gives ultimate flexibility for sample preparation. Moreover, the system is fitted with temperature and CO2 control, so live cell imaging experiments are also possible. Further details

 

Zeiss 780 LSM Multiphoton/confocal upright system

General view of the 780 Upright confocal with Multiphoton laser© Martin PhelpsThis Zeiss 780 is a conventional laser scanning confocal mounted on an upright microscope with an additional multi-photon laser. The system architecture is designed for imaging thicker samples such as whole tissue sections or embryos and live specimen. This system boasts a series of dipping lenses with large working distances that enable deeper tissue imaging in live and fixed as well as optically cleared samples.

To fully exploit this capability, the system is also fitted with a tunable InSight® X3+™ laser (range of 680-1300 nm) suitable for multi-photon excitation and patented DeepSee™ dispersion compensation to deliver the shortest pulses to the sample (100 fs). Multiphoton microscopy is based on the co-incidence of 2 photons of the same wavelength at the same spot of the sample, exciting the fluorophores present in a very small volume.

The traditional PMT detectors are complemented with an array of 32 GaAsP detectors with improved sensitivity in the 470-650 nm range for standard confocal mode. For multiphoton imaging, this system also has four non-descanned detectors (NDDs; 2 PMTs and 2 GaAsPs) to enable optimal sensitivity for photons originating from the deepest parts of the sample. Further details

 

Zeiss LSM 880 inverted confocal microscope with Airyscan 1 detector

Zeiss 880 LSMThe Zeiss 880 is a conventional laser scanning confocal. Since the system is mounted on an inverted microscope body, thin samples or cells grown on a coverglass fit perfectly. Moreover, the system is fitted with temperature and CO2 control, so live cell imaging experiments are possible. This system is ideal for imaging applications that require optimal optical sectioning (Z-stacking). The system also features full FCS (Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy)

Apart from the 2 traditional PMT detectors the system features an Airyscan detector, which enables improved spatial resolution confocal imaging (1.4x better than conventional imaging), equivalent to 0.2 AU pinhole setting but with a sensitivity equivalent to a 1.25AU pinhole setting. Zeiss software tools are incorporated to render the Airyscan-acquired images but a seperate Airyscan processing workstation is also available for remote processing and image analysis. Further details

 

Zeiss LSM 900 Upright confocal microscope with Airyscan 2 detector

Zeiss 900The Zeiss 900 is a laser scanning confocal mounted on an upright microscope and has no temperature nor CO2 control, making access to the stage and sample handling much easier. It is therefore a good choice for any fixed samples mounted on glass slides but also for imaging applications that require tiled images of large specimen sections.

This system is equipped with an Airyscan2 detector, which enables improved spatial resolution confocal imaging (1.4x better than conventional imaging), equivalent to 0.2 AU pinhole setting but with a sensitivity equivalent to a 1.25AU pinhole setting. The right software tools are incorporated to render Airyscan-acquired images.

Zeiss Cell Observer Spinning Disk Confocal

Zeiss Spinning disc microscopeThe Spinning disk is a laser-based parallelized confocal system based on the rotation of a disk with multiple pinholes that are projected onto the sample. Upon disk rotation, the illumination spots scan the sample, while a camera records the resulting confocal picture. The fact that multiple illumination spots reach the sample simultaneously translates in faster and gentler imaging compared to laser scanning microscopes. Our spinning disk boasts a Hamamatsu Flash4.0 v2 sCMOS camera with exceptional sensitivity for optimal sampling. Alternatively a Zeiss AxioCam CCD camera can also be used.

Since the system is mounted on an inverted body, cells grown on coverglass or chambers fit well. Moreover, the combination of extra speed and lower phototoxicity with temperature and CO2 control makes this system the perfect choice for fast live cell time-lapse imaging. Additionally, the extra speed also means faster Z-stacking, although confocality (image sharpness) is only guaranteed for a small range of lenses (63x and 100x oil immersion lenses). Further details

 

Zeiss Axioscan Z1 slide scanner

Zeiss Axioscan Z1The AxioScan Z1 slide scanner is a widefield microscope suitable for automatic scanning of fluorescence and brightfield (e.g. H&E) samples. Although it is most suitable for tissue sections, it also works for densely seeded cells (because of its automatic sample and focus finding strategies). It has a 100 slide capacity, features a 3 chip colour camera and FLASH 4.0 monochrome camera. The system is very easy to use and is perfect for high throughput of stained tissue sections. Typical scan durations are 1-15min per slide, depening on the staining and tissue size.

It has a Colibri 7 Light Source for excitation with 7 solid state LED lamps:
   - Far Red (735nm) for excitation of Cy7, ...
   - Red (630nm) for excitation of Cy5, Alexa 631, TOTO-3, ...
   - Yellow (590nm) for excitation of mCherry, Alexa 568, mPlum,...
   - Green (555nm) for excitation of Cy3, TRITC, DsRed,...
   - Blue (475nm) for excitation of eGFP, Fluo4, FITC,...
   - Violet (430nm) for excitation of eCFP, Lucifer Yellow, Alexa 430,...
   - UV (385nm) for excitation of DAPI, Alexa 405, Hoechst 33258,...
Available emission filter sets:
[Filter Set 110] 4 colour setting: DAPI, FITC, mCherry and Cy7:
        Contains Emission filter QBP 425/30 + 524/51 + 634/38 + 785/38
        Contains beam splitter QBS 405 + 493 + 611 + 762
        With excitation wavelengths 385, 475, 590 and 735 nm
[Filter Set 112] 5 colour setting: DAPI, FITC, DsRed, Cy5 and Cy7:
        Contains emission filter PBP 425/30 + 514/31 + 592/25 + 681/45 + 785/38
        Contains beam splitter PBS 405 + 493 + 575 + 654 + 761
        With excitation wavelengths 385, 475, 555, 630 and 735 nm
Available Objectives:
Objective Fluar 2.5x/0.12 M27 (FWD=8.7mm)
Objective Fluar 5x/0.25 M27 (FWD=12.5mm)
Objective PApo 10x/0,45 WD=2.0 M27 (FWD=2mm)
Objective Plan-Apochromat 20x/0.8 M27 (FWD=0.55mm)
Objective Plan-Apochromat 40x/0.95 Corr M27 (FWD=0.25mm)