Integrated Microscopy and Imaging Laboratory

The mission of the IMIL is to support research progress and grant development by encouraging researchers to explore advanced imaging modalities and to incorporate them into their existing research programs.

The IMIL provides technical expertise and cutting-edge microscope systems to support the research of faculty and staff of Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Texas A&M University, and all other campuses. The IMIL includes six microscopy rooms, supporting facilities, and an image processing station.

Technical staff is available to train and assist with design, implementation, and analysis of experiments as well as assist in troubleshooting.

Equipment:

Olympus Fluoview FV3000 Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope:

• Olympus IX83 fully motorized inverted microscope with ZDC laser-based autofocus
• Resonant scanner for high-speed acquisition and galvanometer scanner for high definition
• Automated microscope stage
• 4 High-Sensitivity GaAsP detectors
• Tokai hit stage-top live-cell incubation chamber
• Transmitted detector for Brightfield/DIC image acquisition
• Analog and digital in-out box for synchronization with external devices

Olympus VS120 Virtual Slide Scanning System

• 100-slide capacity for high throughput Imaging
• Transmitted light brightfield and epi-fluorescence scanning
• Automated sample identification and focus.
• Advanced stitching for tiled montage images
• Fluorescence light source: LED Lumencor SOLA
• Digital monochrome camera: Hamamatsu ORCA Flash4.0 V2
• Color camera: 2/3” CCD camera, 3.45 μm x 3.45 μm pixel size
• Fluorescence filters:
  • DAPI ZERO LED: Ex392/23, Em447/60, Dichroic409 (DAPI, AF405, BFP, Pacific Blue)
  • FITC ZERO LED: Ex474/27, Em525/45, Dichroic495 (FITC, GFP, Cy2, AF488)
  • MCherry ZERO LED: Ex578/21, Em641/75, Dichroic596 (mCherry, TexasRed, mRFP)
  • Cy5 ZERO LED: Ex635/18, Em680/42, Dichroic652 (Cy5, AF647, APC)

Leica SP2 Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope

• Leica DMIRE-2 motorized inverted microscope
• AOBS spectral confocal scanning head
• R9624 Hamamatsu Photonics PMTs

Nanofluor II Integrated Microscope System

• IX-81 Olympus inverted microscope with focus stabilizer
• Yokogawa CSU-22 motorized confocal scanning head
• Ultra-fast spinning disk confocal with Z-piezo control (up to 100 frames per second)
• TIRFM (Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy) attachment
• Atomic Force Bioscope SZ closed loop I
• Ar/Kr gas laser

Olympus Fluoview FVMPE-RS Multiphoton Laser Scanning Microscope

• Upright microscope with gantry frame, optimized for intravital imaging with a large space for live animals and experimental equipment
• Inner-focus articulating nosepiece will image at any angle
• Dual wavelength laser with a tunable range from 680 nm to 1300 nm and a fixed wavelength line at 1045 nm enables simultaneous multi-color, multiphoton imaging
• Resonant scanner for high-speed acquisition and galvonometer scanner for high definition
• 2 High-Sensitivity GaAsP detectors

Imaging Workstation

Only current users analyzing images taken on IMIL microscopes are allowed to use this resource

• Dell Precision 5820: Intel® Xeon® 3.70GHz, 128 GB RAM, and NVIDIA Quatro P4000 8GB   
• Bitplane Imaris 9.8
• Olympus CellSens
• ImageJ/FIJI
• QuPath

Histology Laboratory

Only current users preparing samples for imaging experiments on IMIL microscopes are allowed to use these facilities

• Fridge – ThermoScientific 20LFEETSA (4C)
• Freezer – ThermoScientific Forma 900 series (-80C)
• Chemical hood – Venturi Supreme Air
• Cryostat – Leica CM1850
• Microtome – Thermo/Microm HM 355S
• Tissue processor – Thermo/Microm STP 120
• Tissue embedding center- Thermo/Microm Shandon Histocenter 3
• Vibrotome – Leica VT1000P
• Floatation Workstation Smart Waterbath- TBS-FWS

Cell Culture Laboratory

Only current users preparing samples for imaging experiments on IMIL microscopes are allowed to use these facilities

• 2 Biological safety cabinets – NuAire NU-540-400
• 6 Incubators – NuAire CO2 water-jacketed -NU-5800/E-12
• Fridge – ThermoScientific TSXSeries (4C)
• Freezer – ThermoScientific 20LFEETSA (-20C)
• Freezer – ThermoScientific Forma 900 series (-80C)
• Waterbath – Precision, model 51221054
• 2 Inverted Microscopes – Zeiss Invertoskop
• Centrifuge- Eppendorf 5810

Tissue Prep Laboratory

Only current users preparing samples for imaging experiments on IMIL microscopes are allowed to use these facilities

• Fridge – ThermoScientific 20LFEETSA (4C)
• Freezer – ThermoScientific 20LFEETSA (-20C)
• Dissecting Microscope – Zeiss Stemi 2000-C
• Biological safety cabinet – Forma Scientific CCI 1240-4