Last week, installation of a Nikon A-1 Spectral Confocal Microscope was completed. The instrument, capable of capturing high-quality confocal images of cells and molecular events at high speed and enhanced sensitivity, is part of the Bioimaging Core Facility located on the third floor of the Medical Sciences Building at the University of South Alabama.
“This instrument can perform detailed live-cell imaging and has advanced hi-resolution, high speed and spectral unmixing capabilities that make it state-of-the-art for modern biomedical research,” said Dr. Mark Taylor, associate professor of physiology at USA. “The Nikon A1 is a great compliment to our current imaging equipment and pushes USA research to the next level.”
The A1 has been designed with new optical and electronic technology innovations to provide unprecedented system quality and flexibility. Confocal microscopy offers several advantages over conventional optical microscopy, including controllable depth of field, the elimination of image degrading out-of-focus information, and the ability to collect serial optical sections from thick specimens. The key to the confocal approach is the use of spatial filtering to eliminate out-of-focus light or flare in specimens that are thicker than the plane of focus.
Training on the microscope will start with small groups on August 9-11 in two hour sessions and eventually expand to all interested scientists.
Although training sessions are limited, during the August training sessions, Taylor encourages researchers to stop for a quick overview of capabilities.
For more information, contact Dr. Taylor at (251) 460-6817.
