Advanced Scanning Confocal System

• Subject Area: Basic Research in Biology and Medicine
• Term: Funded in 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 564166999

Confocal-based fluorescence imaging is essential to investigate the structural and dynamic properties of a wide variety of biological samples. The Advanced Medical BIOimaging Core Facility of the Charité-Universitätsmedizin (AMBIO) currently offers access to three confocal-based fluorescence imaging systems. Those include one laser (point) scanning confocal and two spinning disk confocals, all of which reached their usage capacity beyond 2000 hrs/year in 2023. The existing scanning confocal and one of the spinning disk confocals were acquired in 2015 (9 years old) and will soon run out of service. To ensure that AMBIO users can continue to efficiently perform advanced fluorescence-based imaging in confocal mode, AMBIO needs an additional, state-of-the-art confocal system. While the existing scanning confocal is suited mostly for fixed cells and tissues, the existing two spinning disk systems are suited for live-cell imaging. Especially the aging scanning confocal system lacks recently introduced modes that significantly extend the imaging capabilities of confocal-based systems. These include modes for enhanced resolution (i.e. ISM/OPRA), for high throughput scanning (high scan speed, large field of view) and for gentle (non-phototoxic) and fast live-cell imaging. To ensure a continuous support of the growing number of imaging projects at AMBIO we propose the purchase of a novel scanning confocal system that will enable a large variety of imaging modes to offer maximum flexibility for diverse imaging projects. Beside the routine modes of confocal-based high-resolution imaging for subcellular details and photomanipulation for imaging dynamics in living cells, the new system should enable the following studies and analyses: i) Structural analyses that require high- or extended resolution (ISM/OPRA, including 3D). ii) Dynamic studies that require fast, sensitive and gentle confocal-like imaging (including photomanipulation, e.g. FRAP). iii) High throughput and automated imaging to investigate large amounts or large areas/volumes of samples. iv) Spectral analyses in which spectrally close probes have to be distinguished (e.g. CFP/GFP/YFP). v) Combinatorial analysis of some or all of i-iv. Current market research showed that some novel scanning confocal systems are suited for exactly this combination of advanced imaging modes. A large part of the research projects conducted in AMBIO would significantly benefit from such an advanced scanning confocal with extended resolution and live-cell imaging option.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Modernes Scanning Konfokal System
• Instrumentation Group: 5090 Spezialmikroskope
• Applicant Institution: Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
• Leader: Dr. Jan Schmoranzer