Light Microscopy

Light microscopy using visible wavelengths of light was invented c. 1670 by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek and is still commonly used today.

Applications

Research topics include oncology, dermatology, cardiology, biology of worms, insects and zebrafish as well as nano-biology. We can discuss your requirements for the imaging of native, stained or immunolabelled cells or tissue sections, time lapse imaging of live cells and Z-stack acquisition for 3D microscopy.

Instrumentation

Our instrumentation spans the widest range of light microscopy requirements including: 

Transmission light microscopy

• Bright field
• Dark field
• Phase contrast
• Polarized light
• Differential interference contrast (DIC)

Fluorescent microscopy

• Epi-fluorescence
• Laser confocal (single pinhole)
• Spinning disc confocal
• Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)
• Fluorescence-lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM)
• Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP)
• Photoactivation
• Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF)
• FRET/FLIM TIRF confocal microscope

Reflected light microscopy

Expertise & Services

• Image acquisition
• Image analysis
• Training in
  a) sample preparation
  b) imaging: transmission, fluorescent, confocal and live cell microscopy
  c) image analysis

Resources

The most comprehensive catalogue for live cell imaging, 'Handbook of Cell Analysis' (2014-2015) by ibidi is now available. 

Bookings

The Imaging Core is using Bookkit, an application by ClusterMarket for booking access to equipment in the facility. Please read the UCD Imaging ClusterMarket Bookkit user guide and contact the technical staff for more information.

Contact:

• Dr Dimitri Scholz, Director, Imaging Core
• T: (+353-1) 716 6736
• M: +353-87-7961547
• E: dimitri.scholz@ucd.ie

• Dr Niamh Stephens, Technical Officer
• T: (+353-1) 716 6894
• E: niamh.stephens@ucd.ie

Check out our next Core Technology: Research Pathology