NYMC Unveils New Confocal Microscope
High-resolution confocal system is up and running and is available for researchers
A new Zeiss LSM 980 plus Airyscan 2 high-resolution confocal system is up and running and is available for all New York Medical College (NYMC) clinical and basic science researchers including clients at BioInc@NYMC for near super-resolution imaging of cells and specimens as well as to quantitatively visualize dynamic processes in living specimens gently over extended periods of time (4D imaging). The equipment located in the Basic Sciences Building Room 245 was purchased with funds from a Shared Instrumentation Grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the amount of $594,269. Dana G. Mordue, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology, who led the grant proposal team who secured the funding will be organizing a training on an as needed basis.
While some details for the management of the instrument are being worked out and a CO2 regulator is in the process of being purchased for extended live cell imaging, the equipment is a welcome addition to the NYMC Histopathology and Imaging Core to enable visualization of thicker tissue sections/slices in a wide variety of biological specimens.
The new instrument is not intended for studies that can be performed effectively with wide-field florescence imaging or other microscope systems. Training will center on the Zeiss software and the LSM 980 plus Airysan 2 confocal system so users should be proficient in general microscopic imaging. A light version of the Zeiss Zen software for analysis of images is available to download for free. Researchers who are interested in being trained and using the new system can contact Dr. Mordue for additional information.