Advanced Light Microscopy

Core Facilities

The Advanced Light Microscopy and Bioimaging Facility (ALMBF) is located in more than 100 square meters of space where the CIPF offers efficient access to a wide variety of microscopes for users, from conventional to state-of-the-art light microscopy equipment.

The ALMBF assists CIPF users and also external users in their research with key techniques and tools in the field of biomedical research (for live cells, fixed samples, model organisms, small animals or at most points in between) and also in other scientific areas such as nanoscience and nanotechnology, new materials, etc. The facility is currently equipped with three laser scanning confocal microscopes, a multiphoton/intravital microscope, a wide-field fluorescence microscope with structured illumination (pseudoconfocal microscope), five wide-field fluorescence microscopes, a slide scanner for whole slide imaging and a PALM laser microdissection system for non-contact sample cutting and capture. Live cell imaging can be performed at two workstations surrounded by environmental chambers to maintain constant temperature and CO2 levels. An offline workstation can be used for image processing, visualization and user data analysis. In addition, the ALMBF provides user training and ongoing support, including assistance with experimental design, visualization and image processing, and quantitative analysis.

    • Light Microscopy
    • Fluorescence Microscopy
    • Confocal Microscopy
    • 3D Imaging
    • Confocal High Content Screening
    • Cell Painting
    • Live Microscopy
    • Expansion Microscopy
    • Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy
    • Multiphoton Microscopy
    • Second Armonic Generation Microscopy
    • Intravital Microscopy
    • Leica TCS-SP8 confocal microscope equipped with 4 laser lines for fluorescence excitation (405 nm, 488 nm, 552 nm, and 638 nm), 4 detectors (2 PMTs and 2 HyD detectors) for simultaneous data acquisition, CO2 and temperature control, a resonant scanner for live-cell studies, high content screening automation (HCS-A) module, and super-resolution module (HyVolution II).

    • Leica TCS SP8 Dive confocal/multiphoton microscope. This system is also equipped with several features that extend our capabilities for intravital microscopy. It is equipped with 3 laser lines for fluorescence excitation (488 nm, 552 nm, and 638 nm), 1 IR Spectra-Physics InSight X3 laser that extends multiphoton excitation out 1300 nm, and 4 spectral detectors
      on the non-descanned pathway (2 PMTs and 2 HyD detectors).

    • Zeiss Apotome II Inverted fluorescence microscope, equipped with a flexible LED light source (Colibri 7) allowing excitation from 405 nm to 633 nm.

    • Leica Aperio Versa Digital pathology research scanner for brightfield, fluorescence, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) imaging, equipped with a 200-slide autoloader to allow unsupervised batch processing—from low-magnification to high-resolution or oil-immersion scanning.

    • Leica DMI6000B Inverted fluorescence microscope equipped with a CO2 and temperature control system for live-cell studies.

    • Leica DMI6000B Inverted fluorescence microscope

    • Leica DMI8 Inverted fluorescence microscope

    • Olympus IX71 inverted microscope with PALM laser microdissection system for non-contact sample cutting and capture

    • Offline workstation for imaging processing, visualization and user data analysis

    • Sample collection and storage.
    • Sample processing and fluorescent labeling for living and fixed cells (immunostaining).
    • Data acquisition.
    • Image processing.
    • Technical advice.
    Biomedical Science
    • Fixed Cells:
      • Immunocytochemical analysis.
      • Co-localization protocols.
      • Cellular growth on biomaterials.
      • Protein interactions and conformational changes by Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)
      • Expansion Microscopy
      • Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (CLEM)
      • Second Armonic Generation Microscopy
      • Confocal High Content Screening (HCS)






    • Live Cells:
      • Cytotoxicity, mitochondrial activity changes, drug internalization, etc.
      • Physiological mechanisms: cell communication, mobility of membrane components, protein interactions, conformational changes, etc., by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP), or Fluorescence Loss In Photobleaching (FLIP).
      • Kinetic studies of intracellular ions: Ca+2, Na+, Mg+2, etc.
      • Cell migration.
      • Confocal High Content Screening (HCS)











    • Animal:
      • Intravital microscopy
    Materials Science
    • Morphology and defect analysis in solids such as microelectronics, polymers, resins, minerals, ceramics, metals, etc., as well as the study of surface roughness profiles. These techniques are applicable to fields as diverse as engineering (quality control, corrosion analysis, etc.), paleontology, forensics, geology, implant dentistry, and bone analysis, among others.
    • Volumetric analysis of fluid inclusions on hydrocarbons.
    Food Science
    • Microstructural characterization of foods.