The Office of Research is proud to announce an addition to the growing family of UTHSC institutional cores. The Advanced Imaging Core (AIC) is officially open in Room 311 of the Johnson Building, and is ready to provide super-resolution microscopy imaging services through its state-of-the-art equipment and expertise.
The AIC houses light-sheet fluorescence, wide-field fluorescence and super-resolution microscopy imaging equipment, enabling researchers to capture subcellular structures and to identify protein localization patterns with high accuracy in both 2D and 3D. In addition to maintaining these specialized instruments, the AIC offers expert technical assistance to investigators, including experimental design/consultation, microscope training, assistance with imaging, and post-acquisition data analysis.
The core has two units, a light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) Unit with a LaVision Ultramicroscope II and a super resolution microscope (SRM) Unit with a Zeiss Elyra 7 system. These cutting-edge technologies minimize sample photodamage during imaging. Live imaging on the Elyra 7 system allows users to track fast cellular processes such as vesicle movement, and to observe various signaling events.
Tiffany Seagroves, PhD, Associate Vice Chancellor for UTHSC Research Cores, explained the decision-making that informed the equipment purchases. “We conducted a survey of imaging needs on our campus almost four years and super resolution microscopy and light sheet microscopy were each identified as high priority needs,” Dr. Seagroves said. “The Office of Research made significant investments in these resources, which are managed by Dr. Rachel Helms, an alumna of the UTHSC College of Graduate Health Sciences Biomedical Sciences Program. Rachel brings several years of expertise in multi-color fluorescent imaging and data analysis to our facility.”
Prior to her new position managing the AIC, Dr. Helms worked in the UTHSC Department of Physiology. Her thesis focused on inflammatory signaling within the lung vasculature. She is well-versed in performing high-resolution fluorescence imaging, having spent nearly 7 years performing ex vivo lung experiments using the lab’s confocal microscope. We invite you to contact her at rescue@uthsc.edu or 901.448.6180.
For more information on the new core, including complete instrument specifications, policies, and pricing, visit the AIC webpage.
As part of its grand opening, the AIC has arranged a webinar presentation by Zeiss team member Dr. Oliver Tress on the Zeiss Elyra 7 with Lattice SIM system, overviewing the system capabilities on Wednesday, February 24th at 2pm CST. The webinar will be hosted through Microsoft Teams. Click here to join the meeting.