Instrumentation | Overview
MOLECULAR IMAGING in vivo (IVIS SPECTRUM)
An IVIS SPECTRUM was recently acquired with the NIH Shared Instrumentation grant (scientific team led by Judy Lieberman). The IVIS Spectrum is one of the most versatile and advanced imaging systems available with tomographic capabilities. It has an incredibly sensitive camera combined with high energy trans and epi illumination that allows for bioluminescence and fluorescence detection. The system has 3D tomographic software and spectral umixing capabilities. Location: the NRB0044 room at the Harvard Center for Comparative Medicine.
CELL SORTING INSTRUMENTATION
The 5-laser, 20-parameter FACSAria 2-SORP (lasers: 355 nm, 488 nm, 633 nm, 405 nm, 594 nm) is equipped with a PMT option for FSC, enhanced optics and digital focusing and a unique 300 mW 488 nm laser from Coherent. It also has the unique option of changing sorting needles (to adjust core size for nanoparticle sorting). This instrument was developed by BD engineers for sorting small microparticles. It is available to investigators during working hours (by preliminary arrangement, after hours for advanced users) after initial training and passing a sorting test. Location: the Armenise Building, 2nd Floor, room 231 (210 Longwood Ave.) Available for trained independent users.
The FACSAria-STANDARD (lasers: 488 nm, 633 nm, 405 nm) is equipped with a sample cooling system and has 2- and 4-way sorting options into 1, 3 and 15 ml tubes, as well as an Automated Cell Deposition Unit for microplate and slide sorting. the instrument is available to investigators on a 7/24 basis via an on-line schedule after initial training and passing a sorting test. Location: room 273A, 2nd Floor, in the Warren-Alpert Building. Available for trained independent users.
FACSAria-BL2+ is a 4-laser, 13-parameter for flow sorting applications (lasers: 488 nm, 633 nm, 405 nm, 651 nm). The machine is equipped with a sample cooling system and has 2- and 4-way sorting options into 1, 3 and 15 ml tubes, as well as an Automated Cell Deposition Unit for microplate and slide sorting. The flow core designed the Aria custom installation inside a BL2 + level biohazard containment cabinet with an internal Aerosol Management System and provides the ability to safely sort potentially suspect or known biohazardous samples. The instrument is available for assisted sorting.
BENCHTOP FLOW CYTOMETRY ANALYSERS
There are two FASCSCanto2 (BD Biosciences) digital multi-color cytometers that have standard 3 lasers-configuration (405 nm, 488 nm and 633 nm) and provide 8-color and 10 parameter analytical capabilities. FACSCanto-WAB – is located on the 1st Floor; and the FACSCanto-CLSB – is located on the 3rd Floor, in room 3034.
IMAGING CYTOMETERS
The Imagestream100 (Amnis-Millipore) is a hybrid instrument combining the statistical power of flow cytometry and visual power of microscopy. The unique software program IDEAS allows it to perform robust, multiparameter quantitative analyses and generate brightfield, darkfield and fluorescence images of every cell. Graphics, statistics, images, and other data components can be easily copied to the Windows clipboard. The instrument implements the TDI (Time Delay Integration) System that greatly increases sensitivity of acquisition. The images' detection bands are fixed (470-500 nm; 400-470 nm; 500-560 nm; 560-595 nm; 595-660 nm; 660-735 nm). The system is compatible with a wide variety of fluorochromes and fluorescent proteins used in flow cytometry and microscopy. (Located at 237 room, Armenise building).
