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3. Mar. 2021
Press release;
The Core Facility CELLIM, which is part of the research centre CEITEC, has added another gem to its state-of-the-art equipment – the unique fluorescence microscope Elyra 7 with lattice SIM. This microscope surpasses conventional light microscopes in its resolution capabilities. Elyra 7 belongs to the category of so-called super-resolution light microscopes, whose resolution exceeds the limit given by the diffraction of the light beam. It is the first fluorescence microscope of this category in the Czech Republic.
Fluorescence microscopy is currently one of the fundamental methods used for studying the microworld in experimental biology and the driving force of today's biomedical research. With its resolution, Elyra 7, exceeds the limits given by the physical properties of light and allows a more detailed view of structures that was not possible before. Resolution limit of light microscopes is given by the physical properties of the light beam, by its diffraction or bending. Until recently the scientists believed that these limits could not be exceeded. In 2014, Nobel Prize was awarded to Eric Betzig, William Moerner and Stefan Hell for the development of technologies that crossed these boundaries. Elyra 7 uses two key technologies - single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) and structured illumination microscopy (SIM). The SIM module uses a revolutionary technology called Lattice SIM, which is characterized by higher accuracy, speed and sensitivity compared to the classic SIM. Thanks to this new feature, extremely fast processes in cells, tissues, or entire organisms can be observed in several channels (colors) and over a longer time horizon.
The price of this unique fluorescence microscope, including a computing station and data storage, climbed to almost 22 million Czech crowns. The microscope was acquired with the support of the OPVVV programme and is part of the National research infrastructure for biological and medical imaging - Czech-BioImaging. Thanks to open access policy Elyra 7 microscope is not reserved only for CEITEC researchers, but is open to scientists from other universities, research institutes or biotechnology companies. The core facility CELLIM provides wide range of services in the field of light microscopy, from sample preparation, through the acquisition of microscopic data, up to their final image analysis. Interested researchers can find more information on the website of the CF CELLIM.