Center of Excellence

University of Massachusetts Amherst

UMass Amherst’s Nikon Center of Excellence was established as part of a broad initiative to provide new and advanced research infrastructure to the local academic and non-academic community.  The mission of our NCoE is to provide trainees with in-depth knowledge of advanced microscopy techniques and training for the academic and biotechnology workforce.  Additionally, we provide opportunities to connect with industry professionals from Nikon and other partners.

Contact

CofE Director

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Address

Institute for Applied Life Sciences
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Massachusetts

Website

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Systems Available

FRAP/CSU-X1 Spinning Disk Confocal System

This fast spinning disk confocal system is configured on a Ti-E inverted microscope and features a galvo-based stimulation system for FRAP and other photostimulation applications.

Components

  • ECLIPSE Ti-E inverted microscope with Perfect Focus System (PFS)

  • Yokogawa CSU-X1 spinning disk confocal

  • 4-line laser unit (405nm, 488nm, 561nm, 640nm)
  • Andor iXon 897 EMCCD camera
  • Bruker Mini-Scanner galvo-based stimulation system
  • Mad City Labs Nano-Z series Z-axis piezo stage

  • NIS-Elements software

Inverted Microscope with Laser Capture System

This Ti-E inverted microscope is equipped with an Arcturus micro-dissection system for applications requiring laser ablation.

Components

  • ECLIPSE Ti-E inverted microscope with Perfect Focus System (PFS)
  • Arcturus Laser Capture Micro-Dissection (LCM) system with UV and IR lasers

TIRF/A1R Resonant Scanning Confocal System

This multimodal system includes both TIRF and an A1R resonant scanning confocal system and supports a range of applications, including FRET.

Components

  • ECLIPSE Ti-E inverted microscope with Perfect Focus System (PFS)
  • Motorized TIRF Illuminator Unit
  • LUN-V 6-line laser unit (405nm, 445nm, 488nm, 514nm, 561nm, 640nm)
  • DU4G GaAsP 4-channel confocal detector
  • Andor Zyla 4.2 sCMOS camera

  • NIS-Elements software

A1si Point Scanning Confocal System

This A1si point scanning confocal system additionally features a FLIM module from Becker & Hickl for fluorescence lifetime imaging.

Components

  • ECLIPSE Ti-E inverted microscope with Perfect Focus System (PFS)
  • A1si point scanning confocal system
  • Becker-Hickl FLIM module (405nm, 445nm, 488nm, 561nm lines, two detectors)

  • LUN-4 4-line laser unit (405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm, 640 nm)

  • DU4G GaAsP 4-channel confocal detector

  • NIS-Elements software

A1R MP Resonant Scanning Multiphoton System

This A1R MP resonant scanning multiphoton system is configured on an FN1 upright microscope to accommodate large samples.

Components

  • ECLIPSE FN1 upright microscope

  • A1R MP resonant scanning multiphoton system
  • Ti:S laser (tunable 760-1040nm)

  • LUN-4 4-line laser unit (405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm, 640 nm)

  • DU4G GaAsP 4-channel confocal detector
  • Episcopic GaAsP non-descanned detectors (NDDs)
  • Nosepiece-mounted Z-axis objective piezo

  • NIS-Elements software

High Content Analysis (HCA) System

This high content analysis systems is configured with Ti-E inverted microscope, spinning disk confocal scanner, and a robotic plate loader for automated exchange of multiple wellplates.

Components

  • ECLIPSE Ti-E inverted microscope with Perfect Focus System (PFS)
  • Prior robotic plate loader
  • Crest X-Light V2 L-FOV spinning disk confocal system
  • Princeton Instruments ProEM EMCCD camera (confocal)
  • Andor Zyla 4.2 sCMOS camera

  • NIS-Elements software

N-STORM/TIRF Super-Resolution System

This super-resolution N-STORM system is made for 3D single molecule localization as well as TIRF imaging.

Components

  • ECLIPSE Ti-E inverted microscope with Perfect Focus System (PFS)

  • N-STORM super-resolution single molecule localization microscopy system

  • LUN-V 4-line laser unit (405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm, 647 nm)

  • Mad City Labs Nano-Z series Z-axis piezo stage
  • Hamamatsu ORCA-Flash4.0 V2+ sCMOS camera

  • NIS-Elements software

N-SIM E/A1R Super-Resolution & Confocal System

This versatile microscope system features both the A1R resonant scanning confocal and N-SIM E super-resolution structured illumination system, allowing users to optimzie for speed or resolution and with standard sample preparations.

Components

  • ECLIPSE Ti-E inverted microscope with Perfect Focus System (PFS)

  • N-SIM E super-resolution structured illumination microscopy system

  • LUN-V 6-line laser unit (405nm, 445nm, 488nm, 515nm, 561nm, 640nm) for A1R
  • LUN-3 3-line laser unit (488nm, 561nm, 640nm) for N-SIM E
  • DU4G GaAsP 4-channel confocal detector
  • Hamamatsu ORCA-Flash4.0 V2+ sCMOS camera

  • NIS-Elements software

Analysis Workstations

Three offline image analysis workstations with Nikon's NIS-Elements software. NIS-Elements combines automated intelligence to microscopes, cameras, components and peripherals with powerful archiving, analysis, visualization and archiving tools. Its intuitive interface simplifies workflow and speeds up image acquisition times while providing powerful features such as image stitching, object counting and volume views.