Overview
Our mission statement reflects the wide-ranging support we are offering to our users. As a university light-microscopy imaging core we have advanced systems covering Super-resolution, Fluorescence Lifetime, Confocal & Spectral, Light-sheet, High-throughput widefield imaging. These instruments offer many different application protocols for which we provide consultancy services, hands-on training/teaching on instrument usage, image analysis methods and generally troubleshooting to ensure the best user experience.
Consultancy
- Advice on optimal instrument and application choice to meet user's scientific objectives.
- Advice on optimal fluorophore choices, important for any fluorescent imaging, but particularly relevant for FRET, FRAP, and Super-resolution imaging.
- Live-specimen imaging applications and related techniques and equipment needs.
- Specific applications, such as FLIM auto-fluorescent NAD(P)H and FAD metabolic imaging and calcium imaging.
Training and Education
- New users will be fully trained on the chosen instrument until competently handling the hardware and software.
- After training, staff is available for additional help when needed.
- We highly recommend attending the annual microscopy course for those students who frequently apply light-microscopy and wish to expand their knowledge base.
- During spring break KCCI conducts a weeklong, annual FRET, FLIM, and metabolic imaging workshop, now in its 21st year.
Image Analysis
- General support for image analysis using ImageJ/Fiji, Python and MS Excel when needed. Other common software application help (e.g. Matlab, R) is available from several university resources.
- Specifically developed software by KCCI is available to users
- PFRET: Probably the most advanced, automated software to analyze Fluorescence (Föster) Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET images, including the removal of spectral bleed-through contamination)
- Python-based NAD(P)H and FAD metabolic image analysis. This software is also adaptable to other FLIM applications.