New England Regional Center of Excellence - Confocal Microscope Resource
Location: BL2+ facility at the Lazare Research Building, at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA
| Core Summary: |
Confocal microscopy offers multiple benefits compared to conventional microscopy, particularly the ability to collect serial, high-resolution optical sections from thick specimens. Multicolor, three-dimensional images can be obtained, providing high-content information from single images. To assist NERCE investigators from throughout the region, NERCE has established a Confocal Microscope Facility at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Funding through the NERCE has procured a state-of-the-art LEICA SP2 AOBS laser scanning confocal microscope, which combines spectrophotometric detection with confocal microscopy. The instrument is located at the BL2+ facility at the Lazare Research Building, at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA. The use of live cell imaging combined with green fluorescent protein (GFP) technology is an exciting methodology with which to study the interactions between infectious agents and living cells. A variety of applications are amenable to confocal microscopy techniques and include: monitoring the localization of proteins in living or fixed cells, monitoring changes in the cellular distribution of proteins, and monitoring changes in the activation status and morphological changes in cells exposed to infectious agents.
| Categories and Institutions: |
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| Personnel/Contact Information: |
Member: Kate Fitzgerald, Ph.D.
Email
| Facilities and Equipment: |
Location of Core: BL2+ facility at the Lazare Research Building, at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA
Major Equipment:
- Capability for FRET microscopy, FLIM, FRAP, and photoactivation
- Emission lasers at the following wavelengths: 405, 458, 476, 488, 514, 561, 633 nm
- Leica TCS (true confocal system) SP2 AOBS Spectral Confocal Microscope
- Prism spectrophotometer
| Getting Started: |
Please contact Dr. Kate Fitzgerald to access the NERCE confocal microscope
| Departmental Web Link: |
http://nerce.med.harvard.edu/confocal.html