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Hundreds of researchers who regularly use the Advanced Light Microscopy core now have access to four new instruments.

Andor Dragonfly 602 spinning disk confocal microscope with gold background

Researchers started using the Andor Dragonfly 602 spinning disk confocal microscope in February. Mizzou was one of the first research institutions in the U.S. to receive this new microscopy system. See how investigators are using the Advanced Light Microscopy core to visualize and advance their research in our profile.

Oct. 4, 2024

More than 230 researchers from 100 labs who use the Advanced Light Microscopy core (ALMC) annually now have access to four new instruments thanks to investments from the MizzouForward initiative and other campus support. 

Infrastructure growth for cutting-edge research is a major focus of MizzouForward, now in year three of a 10-year, $1.5 billion effort.

“Three out of the four major instruments received in the past eight months were purchased with support from MizzouForward,” said ALMC Director Alexander Jurkevich. “This is an example of the transformational changes in the technologies that we are now able to offer researchers.”
 

Andor Dragonfly 602 spinning disk confocal microscope

The Dragonfly 602 is ideal for high-speed, multi-point scanning of biological samples at high temporal resolution. SRRF-Stream+ can further provide a two- to six-fold improvement in resolution. The Dragonfly system is also outfitted with an Okolab microscope enclosure and stage incubator for temperature and CO2 control for long-term, live-cell imaging. Mosaic 3, an optical module for targeted illumination techniques, can be utilized for studies requiring photobleaching (FRAP), optogenics, photoactivation and uncaging.

"This instrument is capable of meeting most demanding light imaging applications, including studies of cell migration and intracellular trafficking," Jurkevich said. "Research that requires high-volume imaging of large fixed tissue samples also will greatly benefit from the fast acquisition speed of this system."

The effort to acquire the Dragonfly was spearheaded by Dan Bergstralh, associate professor of biological sciences, and Tara Finegan, an assistant research professor in biological sciences whose research on cell biology heavily relies on the use of this powerful instrument.

The microscope was acquired with support from MizzouForward and placed in the ALMC, located in the Bond Life Sciences Center, as a shared resource for researchers across campus.
 

Leica CM1950 Cryostat
Leica CM1950 Cryostat

This new cryostat has been available since December 2023. It offers separate cooling controls for the cryochamber and specimen (as low as -35 and -50 C, respectively), enabling optimal sectioning temperatures for a wide range of animal and plant tissues. Moreover, the design of the cryostat includes a sealed microtome and UVC light for effective cleaning and disinfection of the instrument, as well as a blade guard and blade ejector to prevent injuries. 

These design features allow tissue samples to be sectioned safely at Biosafety Level 2, making it possible for researchers to examine the efficacy of vaccines developed against various pathogens of humans and farm animals. This instrument was acquired with support from Wendy Picking, professor of veterinary pathobiology. 
 

Nikon Eclipse Ti2E widefield microscope
Two Nikon Eclipse Ti2E widefield microscopes

Two automated inverted Nikon Ti2E microscopes have been added to the ALMC instrumentation. These advanced microscopes come with high-sensitivity cameras, multiple fluorescent filter sets and powerful NIS Elements software packages for high content acquisition, slide scanning, deconvolution and image analysis. 

One of the microscopes is equipped with an Okolab microscope enclosure and stage incubator for live-cell imaging.

Both instruments became available with support from NextGen Precision Health Endowed Professor Paul de Figueiredo, who funded their upgrades and made the decision to house them in the ALMC as a shared resource for MU researchers.
 

Leica VT1200 S vibratome
Leica VT1200 S vibratome

The new vibratome is capable of cutting fixed or fresh tissue sections without freezing or embedding. During operation, the blade vibrates laterally and advances forward through the specimen. The quality of sections can be controlled by adjusting amplitude and frequency of blade oscillation, knife travel speed and blade angle. 

The fully automated mode of the VT1200 S offers automatic feeding, specimen retraction and a cutting window preset; it is designed to minimize sectioning time. Applications for this instrument include plant histology, immunohistochemistry and preparation of fresh tissue sections for widefield and confocal microscopy as well as for culturing live tissue slices.
 

Arcturus XT laser capture microdissection system

The Arcturus XT laser capture microdissection system has been repaired and is once again available for training and use. The instrument enables isolation of cell groups and defined cells in a wide variety of tissue samples for conducting spatial analysis, in particular RNA and protein profiling.