Kompetenzzentrum
Leibniz Institute of Virology - Hamburg
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.
Kontakt
Dr. Christian Conze
Address
Leibniz Institute of VirologyMartinistr. 52
20251 Hamburg
Germany
Systems Available
AX R Confocal with ECLIPSE Ti2-E Inverted Microscope
Nikon's AX R confocal features a 25 mm FOV, up to 8192 x 8192 pixel resolution, and is equipped with AI-based tools for simplifying acquisition and analysis. The AX R includes our high definition resonant scanner, which features a next-generation optical non-linear sampling digitizer, supporting imaging at high pixel densities of up to 2048 x 2048, and with superior image quality compared to other currently available resonant scanning systems.
ECLIPSE Ti2-E Inverted Microscope with Yokogawa CSU-X1 Borealis Spinning Disk Confocal
The Yokogawa CSU-X1 Borealis spinning disk confocal combined with Nikon’s ECLIPSE Ti2-E inverted research microscope platform provides fast, high-resolution 4D imaging of living cells with minimal effects of photo-damage. This is an ultra-fast and sensitive confocal microscope system ideal for live imaging.
N-STORM Localization-based Super-resolution Microscope
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.
C2+ Confocal Microscope with Ti-E Inverted Microscope
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.
Nikon Biostation Incubator Microscope
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.
Nikon AZ-100
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.