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Blizard Institute - Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
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Equipment

Welcome to the BALM equipment page. Here you can find out which equipment we can provide you with. Our goal is to provide you the very best in high end imaging equipment to allow you to complete any experiment from a simple picture to complex quantitative analysis.

For more information or to schedule a personal consultation please contact us:

E-mail: j.soetaert@qmul.ac.uk or b.martin-martin@qmul.ac.uk

Phone: 020 7882 2406 from 8.30am - 6.00pm.

We look forward to seeing you and your experiments in BALM.

Below is a complete list of the equipment we offer:

The Image processing computer is fully equipped with the most up-to-date software to allow for powerful data processing. The computer is fully equipped with software for making publication quality figures through to software for making detailed measurements of intracellular markers.

Name

Image processing

Location:

Confocal Suite LG 185 

Good for:
  • Collecting your data
  • Making figures
  • Making measurements from your images
  • Doing statistics

Computer

1. Dell Precision T7500 4GB ram (LG185)

2.Dell Precision T5500 64 bit, 12GB Ram (LG185)

Software available
  • Access point for data taken on BALM microscopes - routinely updated with antivirus software
  • ImageJ - Qualitative image analysis and processing
  • Metamorph offline - Qualitative image analysis
  • Adobe Photoshop - Image Processing
  • Microsoft Office
  • Zen -Image processing of images taken on confocals
  • Imaris - 3D image rendering
  • FIJI -Deconvolution
  • Irfanview - Batch file conversion
  • Cell Profiler - Analysis of large data sets such as screens
  • IQ-Offline analysis of spinning disk data

 

The Leica epi-fluorescence microscope allow basic four colour wide-field image capture of fluorescent and pathology stained samples via monochrome and colour CCD cameras.

Name

Leica DM5000B epi-fluorescence upright microscope

Location:

 Confocal Suite LG 187

Cost per hour

£12

Good for:
  • Fixed cell imaging at all resolutions
  • Easy to use
  • Phase contrast images of cells in culture
  • Colour imaging

Filter cubes:

 DAPI - Long Pass 400nm+
DAPI - Band Pass 400nM +/- 20nM
FITC - Band Pass 490nM +/- 20nM
Rhodamine - Band Pass 560nM +/-20nM
Far Red - Long Pass 640nm+

Objectives

 5x, 10x, 20x, 40x dry, 40x oil, 60x oil

The Nikon Byrne epi-fluorescence microscopes allow basic 3 colour wide-field image capture of fluorescent and bright field images and is equipped with DIC optics.

Name

MM Leica

Location:

LG186

Cost per hour

£12

Good for:
  • Qualitative imaging at low - medium resolution
  • Checking your samples to see if the fluorescence is ok
  • Easy to use
  • Phase contrast images of cells in culture
  • Differential Interference Contrast imaging.

Filter cubes:

 DAPI, Band Pass 400(+/- 50nM)
Green  Band Pass 490nM (+/- 20nM)
Red Long Pass

Objectives

10x, 20x, 40x, 63x oil

The Zeiss PALM system is designed to allow dissection of the biomarkers and cells from living tissue.

PALM Quick Start Guide [PDF 192KB] [PDF]

Name

PALM - Laser ablation micro-dissection

Location:

LG183

Cost per hour

 £15

Good for:

Dissecting biomolecules from tissues

Filter cubes:
  • DAPI Band Pass- 405 +/- 20 nm
  • FITC Band Pass - 490 +/- 20nm
  • TRITC Long Pass 560 nm +

Objectives

5x, 10x, 20x with correction collar, 40x, 63x

The spinning disk system is available for fast dynamic live cell imaging and also fast collection of 3D datasets

Spinning disk Quick Start guide [PDF 2,709KB] [PDF]

Name

Spinning disk

Location:

LG182

Cost per hour

 £12

Good for:

Imaging fast dynamic processes in cells and tissues such as trafficing, DNA dynamics and cell movement.

Visualising fast transient dynamics such as calcium or zinc imaging.

Lasers:
  • 405 nm 50mW
  • 488 nm 30mW
  • 561 nm 30mW

Objectives

10x 0.3NA, 20x 0.5NA, 40x 1.3 NA oil, 63x 1.4 NA oil, 100x 1.4NA oil

TES is a highly flexible imaging system. Equipped with a large environmental control chamber with temperature, CO2 and humidity it is suited to long term live experiments. An automated x,y,z stage also makes TES ideal for small scale screens and multi point experiments.

Timelapse / Screening / Epi (TES) user guide [PDF 147KB]

Name

Timelapse / Screening / Epi (TES)

Location:

LG181 off LG180

Cost per hour

 Up to 8 hours £12
 8 - 23 hours £80

Good for:
  • Medium - low resolution live cell imaging such as calcium signalling
  • Long term experiments.
  • Phase contrast images of cells in culture
  • GFP imaging long term
  • Small scale screening
  • Multipoint cell imaging

Filter cubes:

 DAPI Band Pass
GFP Band Pass 500 +/- 20nm
RFP Band Pass 560+/- 30nm
Far Red (647) Long Pass 630 nm +

Objectives

4x, 10x, 20x, 40x adjustable correction collar,
25x water, 40x oil and 63x oil

Please note TES has several air objections optimised for long working distances. It also can be used to image samples in plates and coverslips.


A direct confocal microscope with 4 lasers and a spectral head for low light high resolution quantitative imaging.

Zeiss 710 Confocal Quickstart Guide [PDF 516KB]

Name

Zeiss LSM710 microscope with? [PDF 262KB]

Location:

Confocal Suite Room LG.186

Cost per hour

£30

Good for:
  • Detailed high resolution 2 and 3D images.
  • Quantitative analysis of fixed cells and tissues
  • Quantitative co-localisation analysis
  • Live imaging

Laser lines:

 405nm UV diode
458nm, 477nm, 488nm, 514nm Argon laser lines
543 Helium / Neon laser lines
647 Helium / Neon laser lines

Objectives

5x, 10x, 40x oil, 63x oil 

Zeiss LSM510 Meta inverted microscope

Our high end live cell imaging microscope also has a environmental control stage, automatic xyz stage, a perfusion chamber and peristaltic pump for the most intricate and high tech experiments.

Zeiss LSM510 inverted microscope User Guide [PDF 487KB] [PDF]

Name

Zeiss LSM510 inverted microscope

Location:

Confocal Suite Room LG.187

Cost per hour

 £20

Good for:
  • High resolution live cell imaging
  • Detailed high resolution 2 and 3D images.
  • FRET
  • Fluorescent Recovery After Photo bleaching and  Fluorescence Lifetime After Photo bleaching
  • Uncaging of compounds
  • Quantitative co-localisation analysis
  • Mosaics of large tissue samples

Laser lines:

 359 368nM Argon laser
458nm, 477nm, 488nm, 514nm Argon laser lines
543 Helium / Neon laser lines
647 Helium / Neon laser lines

Objectives

10x, 20x, 40x oil, 63x oil, 100x
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