Microscopy Core

Man sitting at microscope

Overview

The Microscopy Core is a collaboration between our center and the Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology. The core's mission is to promote interdisciplinary and collaborative research across UCLA.

The core provides state-of-the-art, high-resolution technologies for imaging and analyzing the molecular and structural organization of cells and tissue as well as bioengineered materials.  

The technologies available in this core include confocal, wide-field fluorescence, live-cell and super-resolution imaging as well as software for image analysis. 

The Microscopy Core is organized into three interdependent imaging labs across three locations:  

  • Center for Health Sciences, Room 66-100E
  • Terasaki Life Sciences Building, Room 5031
  • Terasaki Life Sciences Building, Room 3128

Training & Scheduling

Training:
Training is required to use the microscopes within the core. To request training, please create a user account in PPMS and request training through the Request tab. If a user does not use the microscopes within three months of completing training, they will be required to attend another training session. 

Scheduling:
After completing training, users can schedule time in the Microscopy Core through PPMS. The calendars are self-serve with a 10-day maximum advance scheduling policy. 

Equipment

TLSB 5031

Zeiss LSM 880 Confocal with Airyscan

The LSM880 is an inverted laser scanning confocal microscope capable of fixed or live imaging with 7 laser lines from 405nm to 633nm and equipped with 2 multi-alkali PMT detectors, 1 GaAsP PMT detector and an Airyscan detector for super-resolution imaging up to ~140nm. Identical system to CHS 66-100E location.

LSM 880 TLSB

Zeiss LSM 880 Confocal with 2-photon

The LSM 880 with 2-photon is built on the same inverted platform as our other LSM 880s, but with the added feature of 2-photon imaging with a Coherent Ti-Sapphire laser tunable from 690nm to 1064nm.  Ideal for tissue ablation or imaging 2D live cell cultures to semi-thick (~100+ um) sections or use as a standard LSM 880.  Equipped with a 32-channel GaAsP spectral detector and 2 multi-alkali PMTs, allowing for lambda scanning and linear unmixing for superior imaging of multiple fluorescent labels.

LSM 880 2P

Zeiss LSM 780 Confocal

The LSM 780 is an inverted laser scanning confocal microscope capable of fixed or live imaging with 7 laser lines from 405nm to 633nm and 2 multi-alkali PMT detectors along with a 32-channel GaAsP spectral detector for acquiring lambda scans and achieving linear unmixing for superior imaging of multiple fluorescent labels.

LSM 780

Zeiss Imager M2 Apotome System

The Imager M2 is an upright wide-field microscope for fixed samples capable of fluorescence imaging with the Zeiss MRm camera or color imaging with the Zeiss HRc camera.  With the equipped ApoTome.2, optical sectioning can be achieved via structured illumination and along with the motorized stage, large tiled z-stacks can be acquired in a fraction of the time as on an LSM system.

Apotome

Imaris Workstation A

Imaris Workstation A is loaded with the full Imaris software package including Clear View-GPU deconvolution and Imaris Stitcher. An HP Z840 workstation with 192GB of RAM and dual Intel Xeon Processors with 4 cores each, this system is capable of converting your most demanding microscopic images into 3D renderings as well as automated analysis of multi-dimensional microscope files.

Imaris Workstation A

TLSB 3128

IncuCyte SX5 (live-cell analysis)

The IncuCyte SX5 is an automated microscope system housed inside a standard CO2 incubator meant for time-lapse imaging of cell cultures over long periods.  A variety of vessels can be accommodated from flasks and multiwell plates to chamber slides with the ability to image up to 6 microplates in parallel.  Objectives include 4x, 10x, and 20x, with the capability of imaging in phase, green, orange, red and near-IR.  Full software package allows for automated data analysis.   

IncuCyte

CHS 66-100E

Zeiss LSM 880 Confocal with Airyscan

The LSM 880 is an inverted laser scanning confocal microscope capable of fixed or live imaging with 7 laser lines from 405nm to 633nm and is equipped with 2 multi-alkali PMT detectors, 1 GaAsP PMT detector and an Airyscan detector for super-resolution imaging up to ~140nm.  Identical system to that which is located in TLSB 5031.   

LSM 880 CHS

Zeiss Spinning Disk Confocal

The Spinning Disk Confocal is composed of a Yokogawa CSU X1 spinning disk confocal on an inverted Zeiss stand ideal for fast imaging commonly required for live cellular dynamics such as calcium fluorescence.  The system is equipped with 6 laser lines from 405nm to 633nm and a Photometrics Evolve 512 EMCCD camera with a 512x512 image sensor capable of 33 fps full frame capture rate.

Spinning Disk

Zeiss LSM 700 Confocal

The LSM 700 is an inverted laser scanning confocal microscope capable of fixed or live imaging with 4 laser lines from 405nm to 633nm and 2 multi-alkali PMT detectors.  This system is ideal for standard 4 color imaging of common fluorophores such as DAPI, GFP, RFP, and far-red (e.g. Cy5).  Great for beginners.

LSM 700

Imaris Workstation B

Imaris Workstation B is loaded with the full Imaris software package including Clear View-GPU deconvolution and Imaris Stitcher. A Puget Systems built workstation with AMD Threadripper Pro 5975WX 3.6GHz 32-core processor and 512GB of RAM, this system is capable of converting your most demanding microscopic images into 3D renderings as well as automated analysis of multi-dimensional microscope files.

Imaris Station B

Pricing

Product/Service

UCLA Rate

LSM 700, 780 and 880 Confocal – Peak

$42.48 per hour

LSM 700, 780 and 880 Confocal – Off-peak

$29.21 per hour

Spinning Disk – Peak

$34.76 per hour

Spinning Disk - Off-peak

$23.65 per hour

Imager M2 Apotome – Peak

$14.31 per hour

Imager M2 Apotome – Off-peak

$14.31 per hour

Training

$93.20 per hour

Imaris Workstation 

$9.75 per hour

IncuCyte$2.51 per hour

*Please note: Peak hours are 9AM to 6PM. Off-peak hours are 6PM to 9AM.

FAQs

1. Where can I find the cores?

The Center for Health Sciences Microscopy Core is located in the South Tower of CHS on the 6th floor and requires UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine badge access for entry. 

The Terasaki Life Sciences Building Microscopy Cores are located in the West Tower of TLSB on the 3rd and 5th floors. Access is restricted. Feel free to contact Ken Yamauchi at KenY@ucla.edu to arrange a tour of the core facilities.

2. Which system is best for my needs?

For help identifying which microscope would suit your needs, contact Ken Yamauchi at KenY@ucla.edu. The core has everything from a simple-to-use confocal (LSM700) to wide-field epi-fluorescence or color imaging (Imager with Apotome) to deeper tissue imaging (2-photon). 

3. What objectives are on each system?

Most systems have a range of objectives from 5x, 10x, 20x, 40x, 63x and 100x. Contact Ken Yamauchi at KenY@ucla.edu for more details.

4. How do I gain access to a microscope in the cores?
  • Create an account:
  • Request training:
    •  Once your account is approved, log in to PPMS with your newly created credentials and click on “request” in the top menu to request the microscope you would like to be trained to use.
  • Sign up for training:
    • Once your training request is submitted, you will enter a queue and will be contacted by email for the next available training session. Trainings are typically held twice monthly and are in a group setting.
5. Can you help me optimize/troubleshoot my imaging?

Yes, contact Ken Yamauchi at KenY@ucla.edu; he will be happy to assist you. The more details you provide, the better he will be able to help with your imaging.

6. I need to obtain images ASAP, can I use the Microscopy Core right away?

Unfortunately, only users who have been trained and approved by core staff are allowed to use the Microscopy Core systems.