LRBGE Optical Microscopy Core

Core Mission

The LRBGE Optical Microscopy Core (OMC) is open to everyone within the NCI, as well as collaborating investigators from other NIH Institutes. LRBGE OMC specializes in intracellular molecular mapping (micro-compartmentalization of macromolecules) and biophysical quantification of the intracellular dynamics of macromolecules involved in fundamental processes like transcription, translation, and membrane transport. These cutting-edge methods provide new information about the mechanisms of intracellular regulation and are indispensable for modern and future research of the NIH. Additionally, the OMC provides unique instrumentation, such as custom-built HILO instruments, available only in the OMC, and MINFLUX, which is the only instrument of its kind at the NCI, and one of the only two such instruments in the Eastern USA. The OMC also maintains, adapts, develops, and provides access to cutting-edge molecular mapping and tracking analysis tools that provide varying levels of analytical support to PIs with different levels of biophysical knowledge. The highly competent OMC staff, trained in biophysics, physics, engineering, and cell biology, offers expert technical support in the design, execution, troubleshooting, interpretation, and publication of experiments, and, if requested, full-scale collaboration. Lastly, the OMC provides support in conventional microscopy techniques, including the multi-channel fluorescence imaging of fixed cells and tissue sections, FRET by acceptor photobleaching, time lapse imaging of cells in 2D or 3D, and computational removal of out-of-focus light (deconvolution).