Light Microscopy Core
Leica Stellaris 8 microscope (left), Zeiss Axiovert 200M microscope (right)
Within WPI’s Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center, the Light Microscopy Core helps image live, fixed, and fluorescently-labeled samples using one of several available instruments. Core staff provide guidance and training for students and researchers. Instruments are also available for external usage on a fee-for-service basis. Please contact us to discuss your research needs.
Instrumentation Includes:
Leica Stellaris 8 Confocal Microscope
Inverted Leica DMi8 CS Premium fully motorized research microscope with motorized 6-position nosepiece, closed-loop focus with AFC, Super Z-galvo stage, universal inverse Super Z insert and scanning stage.
Conventional and 8 kHz tandem scanner for high-speed imaging and high axial resolution. Objectives: 10x dry (0.40 NA), 20x dry (0.75 NA), 40x dry (0.95 NA, correction collar), 63x oil (1.40 NA), and 100x oil (1.44 NA, correction); objectives are coverslip corrected for a #1.5 coverslip (approximately 170 µm).
Two lasers: 405 nm DMOD laser and White Light Laser (WLL) covering 440–790 nm. The WLL with Acousto-Optical Beam Splitter (AOBS) enables up to 8 simultaneous independent laser lines and supports separation of up to 5 spectrally overlapping fluorophores.
Five high-sensitivity detectors: 2 Power HyD S, 2 Power HyD X, and 1 Power HyD R, with the HyD R enabling detection of fluorophores in the near-infrared range such as Cy7. Includes TauSense fluorescence lifetime-based imaging, LIGHTNING computational imaging for enhanced resolution.
Okolab DMi8 Black Box environmental chamber with CO₂ and passive humidity control for live-cell imaging. Actively damped Newport/MKS optical table. LAS X STELLARIS software with 3D Visualization, Dye Finder, Assay Editor, FRET and FRAP, plus CUDA workstation.
Primarily used to image diverse biological samples, including fixed and live-cell specimens.
Zeiss Axiovert 200M Microscope:
Workhorse inverted microscope capable of multifluorescence imaging
Filter module with filter sets for: Hoecsht/DAPI, FITC/488/GFP and Texas Red/594
Brightfield, phase contrast and DIC optics
Zeiss AxioCam Mrm CCD camera, Zeiss Axiovision software, motorized stage
Objectives: 10x A-Plan (10x/0.25 Ph1); 20x LD Plan-NEOFLUAR (20x/0.4 Ph2 Korr); 20x Plan-NEOFLUAR (20x/0.50 DIC II); 40x EC Plan-NEOFLUAR (40x/1.3 oil infinity/0.17 DIC III); a 40x LD Plan-NEOFLUOR (40x/0.6 Ph2 Korr infinity/0-1.5); and a 63x Plan-APO CHROMAT (63x/1.4 oil DIC III infinity/0.17)
TMC Micro-g antivibration table
Fee Schedule & Contact Information
Please contact Samrat DUTTA (sdutta@wpi.edu) for additional information & current fees.