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Florida Research & Innovation Center

Imaging Core

❮Florida Research & Innovation Center Imaging Core
  • Imaging Core
  • About
  • Equipment
  • Software

About Us

About Us

The Florida Research & Innovation Center (FRIC) Imaging Core provides access to advanced imaging technologies, including:

  • Wide-field and confocal fluorescent microscopes
  • FLIM capability
  • Live-cell imaging microscopes
  • Preclinical imaging microscopes

The Core also offers support for researchers and their projects beyond hardware. Our expert staff can provide consultation on experimental design and optimization, post-acquisition image processing, and support for analysis, visualization, and interpretation of data. The analysis workstation in the facility runs a full suite of analysis and visualization software packages for getting the most rigorous quantification and representation of your imaging data.

We are located throughout the FRIC. The primary core facility is located in room 104, with the near tissue culture room 102 acting as a dedicated support room, equipped with a biological safety cabinet, cell culture incubators, -20 degree freezers and refrigerators. We also offer calibration and setup support for other small-scale fluorescent microscopes in the building.


Knowledgebase

The FRIC Imaging Core has created a repository for instrument SOPs, laboratory safety manuals, and other technical specifications. The site also has helpful links and blog articles for researchers interested in incorporating quantitative imaging into their projects. Please visit the FRIC Imaging Core Connect Today page to access the Knowledgebase (Cleveland Clinic employees only).

Contacts

Ruofan Cao Headshot

Ruofan Cao, PhD

Assistant Staff
Director, Florida Imaging Core
[email protected]

Equipment

Equipment

Olympus IX73 Widefield Microscope

This is an inverted fluorescent widefield microscope with a air objectives. It has a broad- spectrum fluorescent lamp as well as a transmitted light source. It is capable of performing fluorescent, brightfield, phase and differential interference contrast (DIC) imaging. It is best used for checking samples or performing simple imaging experiments. It is not capable of conducting live-cell imaging experiments as it does not have an environmental chamber.

Objectives

  • UPlanFL 10x magnification, NA 0.3
  • LUCPlanFL 20x magnification, NA 0.45
  • LUCPlanFL 40x magnificiation, NA 0.6

Detectors

  • Hammamatsu ORCA-R2 CMOS camera
  • QImaging RGB CCD camera
Leica Thunder Widefield with Computational Clearing

THUNDER Imager Live Cell and 3D Cell Culture has all you need to maintain your cells at a close to natural state. This is a widefield fluorescent microscope that is ideal for observing cells in a better physiological context.

Key Features

  • Environmental chamber that can control for temperature, humidity, and gas mixing
  • Leica automatic focus control (AFC) to reduce drifting during long time-lapse experiments
  • Stage adapters for wells, slides, or plates (e.g. 96-well)
  • Scanning stage for automated sample imaging

Objectives

  • N Plan 5x magnification, NA 0.12, air
  • HC PL Fluotar 10x magnification, NA 0.32, air
  • HC PL Fluotar 20x magnification, NA 0.4, air, correction collar
  • HC PL Fluotar 40x magnification, NA 0.6 air, correction collar
  • HCX PL Apo 40x magnification, NA 1.3, Leica Type F oil immersion
  • HC PL Apo 63x magnification, NA 1.4, Leica Type F oil immersion
Leica Stellaris 8 Confocal

The Leica Stellaris is a true confocal point scanning system, including a White Light Laser as excitation light source, an Acousto Optical Beam Splitter (AOBS) and a highly sensitive, prism-based spectral detection design with computer controlled adjustable bandwidth for all internal detection channels. In combination with the new Power HyD detector family, STELLARIS 8 offers enhanced detection efficiency and photon counting as standard. The extended detection range up to 850 nm plus the expanded excitation range of the White Light Laser in the visible from 440 nm up to 790 nm allow the application and separation of an extended range of spectrally overlapping fluorophores (up to the NIR). The enhanced detection efficiency and the optimal match of excitation and detection enable long term gentle live cell imaging.

Key Features

  • White light laser with acousto optical beam splitter for high spectral resolution excitation, from 440 nm to 790 nm
  • 5 tunable spectral detection filters
  • Power HyD Detectors for excellent detection sensitivity
  • Oko Lab environmental chamber with temperature, gas, and humidity control for live-cell imaging applications
  • Fast lifetime contrast (FALCON) module for fluorescent lifetime imaging

Objectives

  • HC PL Apo 10x magnification, NA 0.4, air
  • HCX PL Fluotar 20x magnification, NA 0.4, with correction collar, air
  • HCX PL Fluotar 40x magnification, NA 0.6, with correction collar, air
  • HC PL Apo 40x magnification, NA 1.3, Leica Type F oil immersion
  • HC PL Apo 63x magnification, NA 1.4, Leica Type F oil immersion
  • HC PL Apo 100x magnification, NA 1.4, Leica Type F oil immersion

Detectors

  • Three HyD S detectors: The new standard for detection. All-round detector, with high efficiency performance throughout the spectrum and two times increased photon detection efficiency in the blue-green range compared to standard multialkaline photomultiplier. Outfitted with TauSense for time gating detection.
  • HyD R detector: The new specialist for near infrared detection. Leica proprietary GaAsp- based technology, specialized for fast FALCON.
  • HyD X detector: The new excellence in functional imaging. Specialized for fast FALCON and t-STED in the visible up to far-red.
Perkin-Elmer IVIS X5

The IVIS Lumina X5 integrates a 1 inch CCD camera into our benchtop Lumina instrument providing a high throughput 20 x 20 cm FOV sufficient for performing pre-clinical imaging up with bioluminescence and fluorescence. Moreover, the large, independently deployed scintilla- tor facilitates X-ray acquisitions with seamless, accurate overlay onto the optical image at any field of view.
As with other IVIS Lumina systems, the X5 is equipped with 26 filters tunable to image fluorescent sources that emit from green to near-infrared.

Features

  • High throughput optical and X-ray
  • High resolution, low dose X-ray with optical overlay
  • Supports multiple sample types
  • Compute Pure Spectrum (CPS) spectral unmixing
  • Full fluorescence tunability through the NIR spectrum
  • Unique accessories to streamline workflow, data acquisition and analysis
LI-COR Odyssey Imaging System

The LI-COR Odyssey imaging system is designed to image Western Blots using fluorescent antibody labels. This instrument allows for more precise quantitative Western Blots and removes the guess-work from relying on exposure times in traditional blotting.

Software

Software

The Imaging Core provides several options for quantitative analysis and visualization of any data, not just imaging. The Imaging Core Director is always open to acquiring new software packages if it can help users get better quality and more rigorous results.

Getting Started

View prices and request services through iLab. Register for an iLab account and visit the desired core's page to get started.
Questions? Contact Us

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