MULTISCALE - The UHasselt MultiScale Optical Imaging Core: Infrastructure for nano- to centimeter length scale microscopy and analysis of 'big' 4D datasets (R-13196)

Since 2017 optical microscopy at UHasselt has been centralized in the Advanced Optical Microscopy Centre (AOMC). This core facility is well-equipped for in vitro and cell-based imaging, yet today's life science research additionally and critically needs instrumentation for volumetric imaging of large biological specimens and for processing ever-growing datasets. Light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) uniquely combines fast and sharp imaging of large samples such as multicellular assemblies, organoids, organs, small organisms and patient-derived biopsies. Being much more resilient to photobleaching, LSFM is compatible both with fixed and delicate live samples. In this project, we expand our facility's imaging portfolio with LSFM, a state of the art hard- and software framework and dedicated personnel to extract the maximum amount of quantitative information from the 'big data' that LSFM and other microscopes in our facility provide. With these expansions the AOMC strengthens UHasselt's position in the regional and international optical imaging research landscape and opens the door to new collaborations (academic, industry and clinic).

Keywords:Core facility management, light sheet fluorescence microscopy, optical clearing, single-plane illumination microscopy

Disciplines:Image processing, Spectroscopic methods, Biophotonics, Neurological and neuromuscular diseases, Cell therapy