A broadly accessible facility microscope to probe nanoscale cellular dynamics by combined live cell super-resolution microscopy and photomanipulation

At the University of Warwick our researchers work across the BBSRC portfolio including strategic priority areas such as combatting antibiotic research, healthy aging across the life course, food nutrition and health, sustainably enhancing agricultural production, synthetic biology and systems approaches to the biosciences. To advance our research in these key areas we require microscope systems capable of resolving dynamic cellular structures in live cells at nanoscale resolution. We are requesting funds to acquire a Zeiss Lattice SIM^2 microscope with photomanipulation capabilities capable of: - 100nm lateral resolution in standard mode, potentially 60nm lateral resolution with SIM^2 deconvolution - High temporal resolution - maximal 255fps - Low phototoxicity to allow imaging over prolonged periods of dynamics processes without damaging cells or altering cellular processes - The ability to perform photomanipulation - spatially controlled photoactivation or photobleaching of fluorescent proteins - alongside 100nm or better resolution microscopy This system will be integrated into a successful imaging facility environment which will deliver access to local and external users. This will be managed by a Research Co-I who is an experienced imaging facility manager and will dedicate 20% of his time to this project. He will be supported by application PI, an established expert in super-resolution microscopy, together with multiple application Co-Is with substantial experience in SIM microscopy and its application to biological imaging. This system will substantially enhance our imaging capabilities at University of Warwick. Furthermore, we believe such a system - lattice SIM^2+photomanipulation is not currently available for the UK bioimaging community, so the system - to which we will provide national access - will also enhance UK bioimaging capabilities.