Microscopy
The University of Queensland offers a wide range of microscopy equipment and analytical instrumentation. Find out what equipment is available from the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis (CMM), Centre for Advanced Light Microscopy, Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), Translational Research Institute (TRI) and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences (SCMB).
Housed within the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF) funded Cancer Biology Imaging Facility (CBIF) supports advanced methods in optical microscopy, including laser scanning and spinning disc confocal microscopy, deconvolution, high-throughput multi-well imaging, and large sample imaging.
The facility is home to 23 high-performance microscopes and supporting image data analysis workstations (with relevant visualisation and analysis software packages), with facility staff on-site to provide users with expert technical support and training.
With such a breadth of equipment and capabilities, the IMB Microscopy core facility welcomes users from within UQ as well as the greater community to contact us about utilizing the following resources.
Techniques and services
- Manual and automated brightfield and multi-channel fluorescence microscopy
- Confocal laser scanning microscopy
- Rapid, live-3D imaging (from molecules, cells to whole organisms)
- High-throughput imaging and analysis of multi-well plates and dishes
- Super-resolution imaging (STED ~30nm XY resolution, Airyscan ~120nm XY resolution)
- Large sample imaging
- SPIM (selected plane illumination / light-sheet microscopy)
- TIRF (total internal reflection fluorescence)
- FLIM (fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy)
- FRET (Förster resonance energy transfer)
- FRAP (fluorescence recovery after photobleaching)
- 2-photon imaging (for deep tissue imaging or SHG)
- Image processing and analysis including automation in ImageJ/FIJI & commercial packages
- 3D printing (and design) of custom microscopy parts and sample holders
- Data visualisation (3D, 4D and in virtual reality)
- Consulting on sample preparation, image analysis pipelines, and big data storage
- Presentations of image analysis and processing training workshops
Equipment
23 instruments available, including:
- 3x Zeiss LSM710 and 1x Zeiss LSM880 confocal laser scanning microscopes
- Upright and inverted
- 405, 458, 488, 514, 561, 594, 633nm and NIR 2Photon laser lines
- Fast Airyscan detectors for 120nm XY super-resolution imaging
- GaAsP photodetectors for imaging of dim or sensitive fluorphores
- Ideal for most imaging requirements
- Full environmental control (temperature & CO2)
- Leica SP8 STED 3X confocal laser scanning microscope
- 405, 445nm, white light laser 467-670nm lasers
- STED super-resolution imaging to 30nm XY, 80nm Z
- Resonant scanning
- Falcon FLIM/FRET
- Lightning deconvolution
- Navigator
- Ideal for super-resolution and FLIM imaging
- Full environmental control (temperature & CO2)
- Andor Dragonfly spinning disc confocal microscope
- Dual Andor Zyla 4.2 CMOS 100fps cameras
- 405, 440, 488, 514, 561 and 640nm laser lines
- TIRF module for imaging surface adhesions
- Ideal for developmental biology time-lapse imaging
- Full environmental control (temperature & CO2)
- Yokogawa CSU-X1 spinning disk confocal microscope
- Single and multi-well sample formats
- Confocal mode
- Dual Roper Evolve EMCCD 30fps cameras
- 458, 488, 514, and 561nm laser lines
- Ideal for high-speed adherent cell imaging
- Widefield mode
- 4Mp sCMOS monochrome camera
- Detection of DAPI, CFP, GFP, YFP, mCherry, A594, Cy5, Cy7
- Maximum framerate: 500fps (2048x100)
- Ideal for immunofluorescence and live cell imaging
- Full environmental control (temperature & CO2)
- 3i Lattice Light-sheet microscope
- Dual flash 4.0 CMOS cameras
- 440, 488, 560 and 640nm laser lines
- 3D volumes acquired in under a second (100fps)
- Superior axial resolution compared to conventional light-sheet microscopes
- Ideal for multi-colour, high speed, long duration, time-lapse microscopy
- Nikon inverted deconvolution microscope
- 4Mp sCMOS monochrome camera
- Detection of DAPI, CFP, GFP, YFP, mCherry, A594, Cy5
- Single and multi-well sample formats
- Maximum framerate: 1000fps (2048x100)
- Ideal for immunofluorescence and live cell imaging
- LIDA light source for high-speed colour brightfield
- Full environmental control (temperature & CO2)
- Zeiss Inverted deconvolution microscope
- 4Mp BI sCMOS monochrome camera
- 5Mp colour camera
- Detection of DAPI, CFP, GFP, YFP, mCherry, A594, Cy5, Cy7
- Single and multi-well sample formats
- Maximum framerate: 500fps (2048x100)
- Apotome.2 for optical sectioning
- Ideal for immunofluorescence and live cell imaging
- Full environmental control (temperature & CO2)
- OPT and Light-sheet Microscopy
- Optical projection tomography microscope
- openSPIM Light-sheet microscope
- Ideal for imaging whole cleared embryos and organs
- Zeiss upright Apotome microscope
- 5Mp monochrome and colour cameras
- Detection of DAPI, CFP, GFP, YFP, mCherry, A594, Cy5, Cy7
- Ideal for immunofluorescence and brightfield slide scanning
- Various stereo, upright and inverted widefield microscopes
- Ideal for brightfield/phase contrast/DIC and fluorescence
- Image analysis servers
- 3x Dell r740 1-1.5TB RAM, 3xV100 16GB VRAM GPUs, 2x28 Core CPUs
- 1x SuperMicro Max 384GB RAM, P40 24GB VRAM, 2 x 6 Core CPUs
- Image analysis software
- Imaris, Arivis, Amira, Huygens, Microvolution, Zeiss Zen, Nikon NIS-Elements, Leica LAS-X, 3i Slidebook, Andor Fusion, QuPath, ImageJ/FIJI and others
- HPC Analysis Software
- Bespoke website GUI for ease of use
- Multi-GPU image deconvolution for widefield, confocal & Light-sheet modalities (Microvolution)
- Parallelised batched file conversion
Contact
Dr James Springfield
Website: Institute for Molecular Bioscience
Phone: 07 3346 2390
Email: microscopes@imb.uq.edu.au
Location: St Lucia campus
The Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis (CMM) is well-equipped with a suite of analytical instruments for research in the physical and biological sciences.
Equipment
For a list of all CMM equipment, see our Complete instrument list.
- JEOL JCM-5000 scanning electron microscope
- Hitachi SU3500 scanning electron microscope
- JEOL JSM-7001F field emission scanning electron microscope
- JEOL JSM-7100F field emission scanning electron microscope
- Zeiss Sigma with Gatan 3View Serial Blockface scanning electron microscope
- JEOL JSM-7800F field emission scanning electron microscope
- JEOL JXA-8200 EPMA (probe)
- 2x Hitachi HT7700 120kv transmission electron microscope
- JEOL 1011 transmission electron microscope
- Philips TECNAI 30 transmission electron microscope
- 2x automated cryo-field emission transmission electron microscope with energy filter and Gatan K2/K3 direct detectors
- JEOL-Z200FCS Cryo ARM
- JEOL-Z300FCS Cryo ARM
- FEI - SCIOS FIB analytical DualBeam™ system
- Thermo Fisher Apreo SEM with VolumeScope
Contact
Client Liaison Officer
Website: Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis
Phone: 07 3346 3944
Email: cmm@uq.edu.au
Location: St Lucia campus
Services
A purpose-built facility for standard and Cryo-EM sample preparation and analysis, as well as electron tomography of both resin-embedded and cryo-samples (for three-dimensional analysis).
Equipment
- Two automated Cryo-Field Emission TEMs with energy filter and Gatan K2/K3 direct detectors, JEOL-Z200FCS Cryo ARM and JEOL-Z300FCS Cryo ARM
- Tecnai F30 300keV field emission gun (FEG) TEM with a 4k direct electron LC1100 (lens-coupled) camera
- JEOL 1011 100 keV TEM with an Olympus SIS Morada CCD camera
- Refeyn-One optical mass photometry system
- A BalTec HPM010 high-pressure freezing system
- Two plunge freezing systems FEI Vitrobot MK-IV and Leica EM-GP2
- Diener Femto plasma cleaner
- Leica EM UC6 Ultramicrotome with FC6 cryo-box & Leica EM Crion antistatic controller
Contact
Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis
Website: Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis
Phone: 07 3346 3944
Email: cmm@uq.edu.au
Location: St Lucia campus
Services
SCMB provides a wide range of microscopy, imaging equipment, and image analysis workstations.
The facility has four confocal laser scanning microscopes (one with super-resolution) and a high-end inverted research epifluorescent microscope housed within PC2 facilities. A high-end upright research epifluorescent microscope and laboratory-grade microscopes are also available.
Fluorescence microscopy is a research technique in optical microscopy that relies on the excitation of fluorescent molecules with a specific wavelength region to produce an image generated by the secondary fluorescence emission at longer wavelengths. Confocal microscopy is a precision mode of optical microscopy in which a focused laser beam at a defined wavelength is scanned laterally along the x and y axes of a specimen in a raster pattern. Single photons emitted away from the focal plane are blocked by a pinhole aperture located in a plane confocal with the specimen.
Full specifications and capabilities of SCMB imaging equipment can be obtained from the Facility Manager. The SCMB Microscopy and Imaging Facility is available to SCMB users as well as all UQ staff and students.
Equipment
- ZEISS LSM510 META upright confocal microscope with 3xPMT’s and AxioCam colour imaging camera
- ZEISS LSM510 META inverted confocal microscope with 3xPMT’s and AxioCam MRm imaging camera
- ZEISS LSM710 inverted confocal microscope with 3xPMT’s and environmental chamber (temperature and CO2 control)
- ZEISS LSM900 upright confocal microscope with 2xPMT’s plus Airyscan2 for super-resolution and multiplex imaging
- Nikon Ti2 high-end motorised research-class optical microscope with SPECTRA X LED 7 line illumination system, environmental chamber and Andor camera (PC2 room with dedicated BSCII and CO2/O2 incubator)
- ZEISS AxioImager.M2 high-end, motorised, research-class microscope with Colibri 7 LED Illumination system for epi-fluorescence, colour and mono cameras, and Apotome.2 for 3D optical sectioning
- ZEISS Axioplan 2 manual epi-fluorescent/light microscope with AxioCam MRm imaging camera
- Dedicated workstations for image visualisation, manipulation, and analysis – software includes Imaris, ZEISS advanced deconvolution and ZEISS Intellesis
- Nikon TS100 inverted bright-field and epi-fluorescent microscope with colour imaging system
- Nikon Ts2 inverted bright-field microscope with colour imaging system
- Nikon stereo dissecting microscope with imaging camera
Contact
Dr Steven Mason
Senior Scientific Officer
Website: School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences
Phone: 07 3365 4872
Email: steven.mason@uq.edu.au
Location: St Lucia campus
Services
- Single-photon and two-photon scanned light-sheet microscopy
- Super-resolution microscopy (SIM, PALM/STORM/sptPALM)
- Two-photon laser-scanning microscopy
- Confocal laser-scanning microscopy
- Spinning disk confocal microscopy
- Bright-field and wide-field epifluorescence microscopy
- Slide scanning
- Stereology
- Calcium imaging
- FRAP
- TIRF, FLIM, FRET
- Image processing and analysis: Huygens Professional, Imaris, Amira, Neurolucida 360, ImageJ/FIJI, ilastik, CellProfiler, ZEN, NIS Elements
Equipment
- Custom-built single- and two-photon scanned light-sheet microscope
- Zeiss LSM 710 two-photon laser-scanning microscope
- Zeiss LS M510 META laser-scanning confocal microscope
- Zeiss Elyra PS.1 SIM/PALM/STORM
- Roper iLas2 sptPALM
- Andor Diskovery spinning disk confocal microscope
- 3i Yokogawa W1 spinning disk confocal microscope
- 3i Marianas TIRF FLIM FRET
- 2 x MetaSystems bright-field and fluorescence slide scanners
- MBF stereology microscope
- 4 x Zeiss Axio Imagers for bright-field and wide-field epifluorescence
- 2 x Zeiss Axio Observers for live-cell and high-speed imaging
- Zeiss StereoDiscovery V8 stereomicroscope
- Nikon Ti Eclipse wide-field epifluorescence microscope
Contact
Dr Rumelo Amor
Microscopy Facility Manager
Website: Queensland Brain Institute
Phone: 07 3346 6300
Email: qbi.microscopy@uq.edu.au
Location: St Lucia campus
Services
Self and full service:
- Confocal microscopy
- Multiphoton microscopy
- Digital deconvolution
- Epifluorescence microscopy
- Automated data analysis
- Stereology
- Image analysis functions development
Equipment
- Diskovery Spinning Disk Confocal Microscope
High-speed multi-channel fluorescent confocal imaging, with live cell and super-resolution TIRF and STORM capabilities. The instrument can also act as a high-content imager for screening applications.- STORM super-resolution, TIRF Imaging
- 405, 445, 488, 561, 633nm laser lines
- Andor iXon888 EMCCD and sCMOS monochrome cameras and a Nikon sCMOS colour camera
- 2x Leica DMi8 SP8 Inverted Incubated Point Scanning Confocal Microscope
Leica SP8 modules, perfect for multi-colour imaging, spectral unmixing and scanning, 3D imaging of sections, 96 well plate imaging, live cell imaging, FRET and FRAP.- 8 lasers, 6 detectors (3 HyD ultra-sensitive detectors)
- 12k resonant scanner
- Incubated for live cell applications
- Aperio XT slide scanner for bright field slide scanning
Used to digitalise traditional histochemically stained tissues mounted on microscope slides. 20x and 40x magnifications with 120-slide capacity. - Zeiss AxioScan Z1 Fluorescent Imager
High Speed and Throughput Brightfield and Fluorescent Slide Scanner that is able to perform imaging of histological sections in a fully automated manner. Fluorescent imaging combines speed, gentle treatment and the optimal wavelength to perform true multispectral fluorescence imaging.- 100 automated slide scanning
- 7 high powered LED light sources, 355nm, 430nm, 488nm, 561nm, 594nm, 640nm, 720nm
- Pentaband emission filters to allow high speed imaging with no moving parts during acquisition
- Ultra-sensitive sCMOS Hamamatsu Flash 4 monochrome camera
- Zeiss Upright Stereology microscope for Bright Field Neuron training and cell counting
- Nikon Eclipse Upright Fluorescent Slide scanner and Stereology Microscope with MBF Neurolucida and MBF Stereoinvestigator Software
Fully automated fluorescent microscope with installed Stereoinvestigator and Neurolucida software (https://www.mbfbioscience.com/webinars) enables accurate cell counting and neuron tracing of brightfield and fluorescently stained samples. Installed NIS-Elements software also allows fluorescent slide imaging and automated image capture. - Zeiss PALM Laser ablation and capture microscope
PALM MicroBeam is designed to give you advanced laser microdissection capabilities. Suitable for laser microdissection, sample capture, and analysis for DNA, RNA, and protein isolation from archive material or live cells.- A system that completes the step from laser-microdissection to integrated imaging workstation - Applicable to cryosections, FFPE (formalin fixed and paraffin embedded) tissue
- Performing LCM even from standard glass slides, e.g. archived material, with ZEISS-patented sample capture technology
- Extendibility – add digital cameras from the AxioCam camera range for fluorescence, bright field, multi-channel fluorescence and extended focus
- Ability to integrate additional components into MicroBeam and create simple workflows, whether for individual experiments or automation with flexible collectors
- Calibration routines that allow you to easily adjust MicroBeam for laser parameters appropriate to your chosen specimen. PALM MicroBeam uses a focused laser beam to cut out and isolate your selected specimen without contact. The patented laser catapult isolates your target area fast and uncontaminated
- Leica DMi8 Live cell high content imaging system and high-speed fluorescent slide scanning
High-speed multi-channel fluorescent imaging with rapid stage movement, enabling whole 96-well plates to be imaged. Deconvolution software enables the creation of confocal-quality images and increased resolving power.- 7 colours using a SpectraX LED light source: 390, 438, 475, 510, 542, 575, 633nm
- Andor Zyla sCMOS camera system, Leica colour camera
- Incubated for live cell work
- Software for plate scanning and high-content imaging
- Leica M205FA Fully automated fluorescent stereomicroscope
Suitable for fluorescent and brightfield imaging and the recording of instructional videos for teaching and training. Used to create macro-images of whole animals. - Nikon fluorescent automated microscope
Fast scanning stage, multi-fluorescent illumination sources. NIS-Element AR software for image acquisition. - General upright and inverted fluorescent microscopes with CCD and sCMOS cameras
- 2x Zeiss 510 inverted confocal microscope, 1x multiphoton laser source
- Nikon electrophysiology upright microscope with Andor Mosaic light module for FRAP and FRET, SpectraX high-speed illumination and EMCCD Andor iXon888 camera
- Imaris licences 2x floating for image data analysis
- Amira licence for data analysis 1x floating
- Huygens deconvolution software
- Neurolucida 360
- Tissue Maker software – 3D image reconstruction
- Dedicated Cloud-based supercomputers with Volta GPU cards, 15000 core processors, 1T RAM and 200T of storage space
Contact
Dr Shaun Walters
Research Facilities Manager
Website: School of Biomedical Sciences
Phone: 07 3365 3606
Email: s.walters3@uq.edu.au
Location: St Lucia campus
Services
The Translational Research Institute (TRI) offers outstanding microscopy facilities and expertise. We are available to assist with equipment selection, training, inductions, operation, optimisation and advice on how to get the best images from your samples, as well as subsequent image analysis.
Equipment
The following equipment is available to all users as part of the 'Core Facilities at TRI':
- Nikon upright Brightfield microscope with camera
- Nikon/Spectral Spinning disc confocal microscope
- OMX Blaze 3D-SIM super-resolution imaging
- Olympus IX81 live cell imager and Phasefocus Livecyte live cell imaging
- Olympus BX63 motorized upright epifluorescence microscope
- Olympus IX73 inverted fluorescence microscopes with camera
- Olympus VS120 Brightfield slide scanner (full service)
- Perkin Elmer Vectra III 6 slide auto scanner with spectral scanner
- Olympus confocal imaging (FV3000 and FV1200)
- Olympus laser surface scanning (OLS4100)
- Multiphoton
- Suite of analysis software including Imaris, Visiopharm, NIS Elements etc
Contact
Translational Research Institute
Website: Translational Research Institute
Email: microcore@tri.edu.au
Location: Princess Alexandra Hospital campus