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Center of Excellence
The Nikon Center of Excellence (NCoE) at the Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV) is a collaboration between the institute's Technology Platform for Microscopy and Image Analysis (TPMIA) and Nikon. The partnership aims to provide researchers at LIV and within the Leibniz Center Infection (LCI) with advanced microscopy technology and software solutions for analysis. Moreover, the NCoE promotes the development and implementation of customized preparation and transfer methods for correlative and integrative imaging.
Scientists at LIV utilize a diverse range of light and electron microscopy techniques to examine virus infections in animals, tissue, and cell systems. Investigating the dynamic progression of virus pathogenesis within living cells or complex model systems, such as organoids, requires the sophisticated application of various preparation and microscopy techniques in laboratories classified under biological safety levels (BSL) 2 and 3. The variety of methods applied include transmitted light and fluorescence microscopy techniques, as well as high-content and high-throughput imaging techniques that allow for multiplexed analysis. Additionally, super-resolution approaches, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy methods are employed.
The array of microscopy techniques at LIV enables the imaging of whole organisms, tissues, and cells down to the visualization of individual viruses and even the interaction between viral and host cell molecules.
Dr. Christian Conze
The Nikon AX confocal microscope system's impressive 25 mm field of view not only reduces the number of images required for stitching together large images but also significantly decreases image acquisition times. This makes it particularly effective for high-throughput imaging applications. Furthermore, the combination of a high-speed resonant scanner and this large field of view form an ideal platform for high-resolution screening assays, dramatically reducing the time needed for analyzing multiple samples and conditions. This system is especially advantageous in applications where rapid, large-scale, and super-resolution imaging is crucial. The newly developed Nikon Spatial Array Confocal (NSPARC) detector extends the capabilities of the AX system by revealing unseen details in every image, while array detection pushes the boundaries of resolution beyond the theoretical limits.
This high-performance imaging system enables fast, high-resolution imaging with minimal phototoxicity. The CSU-W1 provides fast spinning disk confocal performance with a large field of view and deep sample penetration, making it well-suited for live-cell imaging and dynamic processes.
Equipped with dual cameras, the system allows simultaneous two-color acquisition for efficient multichannel experiments. The Borealis illumination module enhances image quality by significantly improving illumination uniformity (up to 10X), doubling light throughput, and extending the excitation range from 400 to 750 nm, ideal for a wide range of fluorophores and advanced imaging applications.
N-STORM is a super-resolution microscope system that combines “STochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy” technology and Nikon's Eclipse Ti research inverted microscope. The N-STORM super-resolution microscope provides dramatically enhanced resolution that is 10 times that of conventional optical microscopes and enables molecular level understanding.
The ECLIPSE Ti2-E inverted microscope features a FOV of 25mm with Nikon’s Digital Sight 50M CMOS camera and together with PFS increases data throughput making Ti2-E a workhorse microscope for high content screening (HCS). Furthermore, a PCO Edge 4.2 camera and Lumencor Spectra III light source complement the system for wider applications. Automated experiments are set up using NIS-Elements AR software with JOBS, GA3 and NIS.AI modules.
Built on a reputation of incredible stability coupled with superior optical technologies, the C2 includes four channel confocal fluorescence imaging, and vastly expanded spectral capabilities with the ability to capture and unmix data acquired at any channel resolution across the entire detector bandwidth. The system is fully controlled by NIS-Elements imaging software.
The Biostation is an all-in-one, incubator microscope unit designed specifically for performing very long-term, multi-spot live cell imaging, The Biostation software can perform live cell imaging on multiple, stitchable spots on the sample, greatly increasing the experimental throughput as well as the field of view without losing resolution. The system can image red and green fluorophores in combination with phase contrast.
The AZ-100 Multizoom is a covers an extremely wide range of magnifications, from 5x to 400x, effectively combining the advantages provided by stereo zoom microscopes and compound microscopes. Thanks to a smooth zooming mechanism and a unique triple nosepiece, the AZ100 can continuously switch magnifications, extending from macro to micro observation of the same specimen.