The OBC provides access to state-of-the-art light microscopes (confocal, mesoscale lightsheet, and Super Resolution), as well as software for 3D and 4D analysis. All instruments are accessible 24/7 to trained researchers of laboratories across the campus and the local research community. All researchers are trained by Dr. Adeela Syed with additional imaging support provided as needed.
The OBC now uses ilabs for scheduling and updating researchers on the OBC latest news!
Let’s get imaging 2025! – We are excited to share important updates and upcoming events
The new LSM 980 with Airyscan 2/two-Photon Laser is installed and ready for training new users beginning of October in thanks to our recent S10 award and support from UC Irvine
- Inverted laser-scanning system that features the Airyscan 2 super-resolution detector
- SR-4Y and SR-8Y multiplex modes for fast parallel imaging at frame rates of up to 47 fps
- A 34-channel spectral array consisting of a 32-channel GaAsP PMT spectral detector
- 2 GaAsP PMT detectors
- 2 external non-descanned GaAsP PMT detectors for deeper two-photon microscopy
- Temperature,humidity and CO2 control
- 4 visible laser lines for single-photon excitation, and the tunable Ti:sapphire laser for two-photon excitation.
Feb 2026: Demo of Abberior STED system!
The Optical Biology Core Facility (OBC), founded in 1994, is directed by Dr. Rahul Warrior, Professor, Department of Developmental & Cell Biology, and is managed by Dr. Adeela Syed (Optical Biology Core), Dr. Michelle Digman (Laboratory of Fluorescence Dynamics) Dr. Mihaela Balu (Non Linear Optical Microscopy NLOM) and Dr. Michael Hou (Flow Cytometry Facility)
1. A self use facility located in 4443 McGaugh Hall at the UC Irvine Campus houses a total of 6 microscopes (4 confocals, 1 Mesoscale Lightsheet, 1 Super Resolution):
FOUR Confocals: Zeiss LSM 980, LSM 780 and LSM 900, and a Leica SP8 confocal microscope that can image live cells, fixed samples, model organisms, single molecules and anything in between.
Zeiss Z1 Mesoscale Lightsheet
Live Imaging of small, optically clear, samples such as organoids, zebrafish and embryonic limbs. Large fixed tissues/organs that are optically clear. Examples of methods for tissue clearing that render fixed tissue samples optically transparent: iDISCO+*, Cubic*
Elyra 7 microscope with Lattice SIM/TIRF/SMLM super resolution. Lattice SIM overcomes limitations of classic SIM by using an innovative spot illumination pattern instead of grid lines. SIM2 processing we can now get 60nm resolution! Apotome mode allows superfast optical sectioning of your 3D samples – with 255 fps you get your data faster than ever before. Additional features of single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) for 20 nm lateral resolution.
Multiple workstations including Imaris 3/4D Image Visualization and Analysis Software, Imaris Stitcher, Arivis, ZEN Blue for Airyscan processing and ZEN Black for SIM processing, and Huygens Deconvolution are available for use in the OBC.
More information on scheduling and recharges can be found on the iLabs scheduling site. Users can sign up for time on the scopes 24hours/day, 7 days a week.
2. The Nonlinear Optical Microscopy (NLOM) Lab located in the Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic
This facility is equipped with state-of-the-art commercial and in-house optical microscopy platforms for biological and biomedical imaging. The imaging platforms provided as shared resources in this facility are:
- Leica SP8 Falcon + coherent anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) for confocal and nonlinear optical microscopy. This is a customized commercial imaging platform that includes the following modalities: confocal and two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF), second harmonic generation (SHG), CARS and fluorescence lifetime microscopy.
The NLOM Lab provides collaborative opportunities in technology development to improve multiphoton microscopy (MPM) based imaging with large fields of view and rapid scanning for monitoring skin therapies, non-invasive diagnosis of skin cancers and other skin conditions.
Dr. Mihaela Balu directs the NLOM Lab and provides consultation and protocol development for investigators seeking new imaging applications.
Users are supported by extensive shop facilities that allow construction and modification of imaging platforms (https://sites.uci.edu/nlom/).
3. The Flow Cytometry Facility (FCF) is located in 3101 Hewitt hall.
The Institute for Immunology now offers latest in flow cytometry services at our Flow Core Facility. The facility provides the latest technology and professional technical assistance for flow cytometric analysis and sorting. Our suite of multi-parameter flow cytometers are well equipped for fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and emerging flow cytometry assays. Dr. Michael Hou manages the facility and is available for support and training. https://sites.uci.edu/ififlowcore/