Spinning Disc Confocal Microscope

• Subject Area: Microbiology, Virology and Immunology
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 582654793

The planned acquisition of a spinning-disk confocal microscope aims to expand the capabilities for cellular imaging in the context of basic and translational research at the Medical Faculty. The preferred system should integrate various technical components from high-throughput, live-cell, and high-resolution microscopy, and feature advanced analysis software. This software enables the automated capture of cells and structures, supported by machine learning. In particular, the implementation of the device in a BSL2 laboratory will provide significant added value and a meaningful complement to the imaging methods already established on the campus. Existing devices in corresponding laboratory areas currently only allow for low sample throughput or merely static and low-resolution images of cellular structures. High-resolution live-cell microscopy enables the detailed tracking of interactions between host cells and viral pathogens over time, as well as the targeted use of viral vector systems for fluorescence labeling. In particular, subtle changes in individual cells that can occur during an infection can be captured. By analyzing these dynamic processes in detail, not only can the fundamentals of infection biology be better understood, but new and more targeted therapeutic approaches can also be developed. Furthermore, the system is intended to be used for image-based high-throughput screenings, combining high sample throughput with quantitative analyses at the single-cell level. Primarily, the device will enable researchers who are biochemically and infection biologically active at the Medical Faculty to investigate pathogen-host interactions. By integrating the analysis device into the Medical Imaging Center, it will be available to researchers across the entire Medical Faculty. The shared use is intended to further promote scientific exchange between different departments and clinics of the medical and natural sciences faculties, as well as the establishment of collaborative projects on the campus. Currently, there is no comparable system.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Spinning disc-basiertes Konfokalmikroskop
• Instrumentation Group: 5090 Spezialmikroskope
• Applicant Institution: Ruhr-Universität Bochum
• Leader: Professor Dr. Eike Steinmann