Nikon Imaging Center

Osaka University/Nikon Imaging Center

"Osaka University/Nikon Imaging Center" supports researchers in a wide range of fields. The imaging facility is available to researchers at Osaka University and throughout Japan.

The first Nikon Imaging Center (NIC) was established at Harvard University in 2001. Since then, the number of Nikon Imaging Centers have grown, with centers being established at major research institutions around the world. The Osaka University Nikon Imaging Center is the 10th NIC to be established.

Nikon Imaging Centers are established as a partnership between the academic institute and Nikon with a goal to provide cutting-edge microscopy tools to the local research community. By bringing researchers together, NICs aim to provide collaboration opportunities not only within the institute but across the growing global network of Centers. In addition, NICs’ goals include furthering the knowledge of microscopy concepts and applications by providing educational programs and being a learning resource for the research community.

The mission of the NIC at Osaka University is to provide advanced technologies for in vivo imaging that can capture biological processes inside living cells, tissues, and organisms. Available systems include multiphoton, super-resolution, confocal, and cell culture observation devices. The NIC also provides unique networking and collaboration opportunities to enhance and accelerate individual research programs.

Main Features:

  • State-of-the-art microscope and imaging systems
  • Microscope usage scheduled through appointments
  • Seminars on imaging and image analysis techniques, for both beginner and advanced users.
  • Training and support provided by dedicated technical instructors and engineers from Nikon Solutions Co., Ltd.
  • Tours and education training for elementary, middle and high-level students.
  • Development and testing of new and emerging imaging technologies

Contact

NIC Director

Masaru Ishii (M.D., Ph.D.)

Address

Osaka University/Nikon Imaging Center
Research Institute Building L, Faculty of Medicine
Osaka University
2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita
Osaka, Japan

Website

Osaka University/Nikon Imaging Center

Systems Available

Station-1: Inverted Multiphoton Microscope System

Multiphoton-absorption based system for imaging deep inside living organisms. Configured on an inverted microscope platform, this system is ideally suited for imaging fluorescent structures in biological tissue sections and spheroids.

Station-2: AX R MP with NSPARC Upright-type Multiphoton Confocal Microscope

The AX R MP realizes a large field of view, high speed, and high resolution in one microscope. It can capture dynamics over a wide area in a single scan with spatial and temporal resolutions. It greatly expands the sample installation space, providing enough flexibility to observe biological samples in their natural postures. The NSPARC (Nikon Spatial Array Confocal) detector enables super-resolution multiphoton imaging of minute structures deep within living organisms, contributing to drug discovery, the elucidation of various disease pathologies, and the development of diagnostic methods. Since the system is based on an upright microscope, it is suitable for fluorescence observation of mouse brains, internal organs, etc.

Station-3: AX R with NSPARC Inverted-type Confocal-based Super Resolution Microscope

The AX R offers an improvement in pixel resolution and sensitivity. In addition to accurate information acquisition with unprecedented resolution and brightness, it also achieves a large field of view and minimally invasive cell imaging, supporting new biological discoveries. It is equipped with easy-to-use, feature-rich analysis software based on artificial intelligence, and meets a wide range of user needs. In addition, the confocal-based super-resolution microscope (NSPARC detector) enables super-resolution imaging while maintaining the same brightness and imaging depth as confocal microscopy.

Station-4: Structured Illumination Super-Resolution Microscope System

Provides 2x the resolution of conventional light microscopes (~100 nm in XY). The N-SIM system utilizes structured illumination (produced through a novel pattern modulation technology) and analytical processing to mathematically restore sub-resolution structures. Users can visualize sub-resolution structures of intracellular organelles such as mitochondrial christae and more accurately determine protein co-localization states.

  • Product Name : N-SIM
  • Microscope Platform : ECLIPSE Ti-E

Station-5: Inverted-type Spinning Disk Field Scanning Super-resolution Confocal Systems

The JOBS experiment sequence construction tool allows automation of observations that involve magnification changes, and customization of image acquisition conditions to suit each sample. It can automatically perform operations from image acquisition to analysis, such as screening and multi-point imaging with different conditions at each point.

Image Analysis System

Nikon microscope functions can be controlled via "NIS-Elements", Nikon's universal platform software, from microscope operations to image acquisition and analysis. In addition to image acquisition, it enables high value-added imaging such as time-lapse imaging, 3D imaging using Z-stack images, and multi-point sequential imaging. It offers extensive features, including processing and analysis of acquired images, and meets the needs of various aspects of research.