{"id":5381,"date":"2023-10-12T23:04:09","date_gmt":"2023-10-13T03:04:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/corefacilities\/?page_id=5381"},"modified":"2026-02-25T10:07:38","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T15:07:38","slug":"microscopy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/corefacilities\/find-a-core-facility\/microscopy\/","title":{"rendered":"Light and Electron Microscopy"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Light Microscopy<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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Microscopy Services Laboratory<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Microscopy Services Laboratory<\/span><\/a> provides expertise and access to electron microscopy (scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy) and light microscopy technologies. We have experience with confocal, light-sheet, widefield fluorescence, darkfield, and polarization microscopy. We also provide concierge electron microscopy services. We also have expertise in supporting tiling, multi-day live-cell experiments, FRAP, FRET, spectral imaging and other experimental designs.<\/p>\n

The Hooker Imaging Core Facility<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Hooker Imaging Core<\/a> makes available instruments based on light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and some TEM sample preparation services. We train users on the appropriate instruments and they perform their experiments independently. We have four confocal microscopes including the top performing Zeiss 880. The Zeiss 880 is equipped with an Airyscan sensor that provides both improved resolution and improved sensitivity over normal confocal sensors.We have several instruments based on widefield microscopy for fluorescence, DIC, and other light microscopy modalities. We have a computer with several software packages for offline image processing, including Volocity, Imaris, Autoquant, and ImageJ. The TEM scope is a Tecnai 12 by FEI with a digital camera.<\/p>\n

The Neuroscience Microscopy Core Facility<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Neuroscience Microscopy Core<\/span><\/a> provides a full spectrum of advanced systems for cellular and molecular imaging of in vitro and in vivo samples. The Core has multiple state-of-the-art confocal microscopes that are equipped for fast and high-resolution scanning of large areas with tiling and stitching capabilities, imaging live cells and tissues with incubation and CO2, and super-resolution and deconvolution modules for high-resolution imaging. These single photon confocals are complemented by a two-photon microscope set-up for imaging of live animals and large fixed tissues with high resolution optical sectioning. The Core also features widefield fluorescence and color imaging microscopes that can perform integrated analysis and acquisition for high content imaging experiments and can image tissues in live animals in situ with macro to micro imaging resolution. In addition to providing access to high resolution imaging technologies, the Microscopy Core also implements new imaging technologies, and provides training, consultation, data analysis, image processing, and centralized technical expertise to support the imaging needs of scientists in the UNC community. This core facility also features two high-end workstations (512GB of RAM, 12 and 14 Cores each, and multiple powerful GPUs) custom-designed for efficient processing and analysis of very large data sets.<\/p>\n

Biology Microscopy Core<\/h3>\n

The Biology Microscopy Core<\/a> provide the Department of Biology and broader UNC community with access, training and assistance with a wide array of high-end imaging systems, for epifluorescence<\/strong>,\u00a0TIRF<\/strong>,\u00a0confocal<\/strong>,\u00a0spinning disk<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0super-resolution<\/strong>, as well as\u00a0image analysis<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Biology Microscopy Core\u00a0<\/strong>is also open to outside users.<\/p>\n

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Electron Microscopy<\/span><\/h2>\n

Chapel Hill Analytical and Nanofabrication Laboratory<\/h3>\n

CHANL (Chapel Hill Analytical and Nanofabrication Laboratory<\/a>) is a core facility at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that enables cutting edge research by providing equipment, expertise and training for nano\/micro fabrication and characterization in an open-access facility with capabilities not otherwise available on campus.<\/p>\n

Hooker Imaging Core<\/h3>\n

The Hooker Imaging Core<\/a> makes available instruments based on light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and some TEM sample preparation services. We train users on the appropriate instruments and they perform their experiments independently. We have four confocal microscopes including the top performing Zeiss 880. The Zeiss 880 is equipped with an Airyscan sensor that provides both improved resolution and improved sensitivity over normal confocal sensors.We have several instruments based on widefield microscopy for fluorescence, DIC, and other light microscopy modalities. We have a computer with several software packages for offline image processing, including Volocity, Imaris, Autoquant, and ImageJ. The TEM scope is a Tecnai 12 by FEI with a digital camera.<\/p>\n

Microscopy Services Laboratory<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Microscopy Services Laboratory<\/span><\/a> is a cost recovery center open to all UNC researchers. It has two components: Electron Microscopy and Light Microscopy.
\nThe Microscopy Services Laboratory will consult with you about your project, can prepare your samples, take images for you or train you to take images. Our services include SEM prep, embedding, ultrathin sections, negative staining and immunoEM. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy available.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Cryo-electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM)<\/h2>\n

CryoEM Core Facility<\/h3>\n

The CryoEM Core Facilit<\/a>y<\/a> provides researchers access and technical assistance with all aspects of cryoEM including consultation, specimen preparation, and training on use of the Talos Arctica transmission electon microscope for screening and high resolution data collection for single-particle cryoEM<\/p>\n

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Slide Imaging<\/span><\/h2>\n

Pathology Services Core<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Pathology Services Core\u00a0<\/a><\/span>provides sophisticated digital pathology platforms and study design support to all UNC investigators to enhance translational research. The Lab provides a centralized facility on campus to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze fresh, frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissues and cell lines using morphology-based assays for DNA, RNA, and proteins. Technologies include the Aperio Spectrum Web-Based Image Management system and an Aperio ImageScope Image Viewer which are designed to handle a high-througHput of samples. The core also has access to Halo AI for image analysis.<\/p>\n

Hooker Imaging Core<\/h3>\n

The Hooker Imaging Core<\/a> makes available instruments based on light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and some TEM sample preparation services. We train users on the appropriate instruments and they perform their experiments independently. We have four confocal microscopes including the top performing Zeiss 880. The Zeiss 880 is equipped with an Airyscan sensor that provides both improved resolution and improved sensitivity over normal confocal sensors.We have several instruments based on widefield microscopy for fluorescence, DIC, and other light microscopy modalities. We have a computer with several software packages for offline image processing, including Volocity, Imaris, Autoquant, and ImageJ. The TEM scope is a Tecnai 12 by FEI with a digital camera.<\/p>\n

Additionally, the Hooker Imaging Core has a low-throughput Keyence slide scanner available for walk-up usage by customers for slide scanning needs.<\/p>\n

Other Microscopy Services<\/h2>\n

Computer Integrated Systems for Microscopy and Manipulation (CISMM)<\/h3>\n

Computer Integrated Systems for Microscopy and Manipulation<\/a> (CISMM) is an NIH supported laboratory that designs and builds microscope-based systems for applying, and assessing the effects of, forces on cells and living systems. The lab is located in Chapman Hall in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and are affiliated with the new Department of Applied Physical Sciences. The group includes Biologists, Physicists, and Computer Scientists, and Biomedical engineering and Physics students. Systems developed or modified in the lab include microfluidics devices, magnetic tweezers (\u201c3DFM\u201d) systems, systems to assess the rheology of mucus or other biofluids (microbead or cone and plate), Traction Force Membranes, and Atomic Force Microscope \u2013 based vertical light sheet imaging\/force assessment. The lab is open to collaborations with labs on campus, and NIH-supported groups from around the country.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Light Microscopy Microscopy Services Laboratory The Microscopy Services Laboratory provides expertise and access to electron microscopy (scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy) and light microscopy technologies. We have experience with confocal, light-sheet, widefield fluorescence, darkfield, and polarization microscopy. We also provide concierge electron microscopy services. We also have expertise in supporting tiling, multi-day live-cell … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55643,"featured_media":0,"parent":2241,"menu_order":11,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"layout":"","cellInformation":"","apiCallInformation":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-5381","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","odd"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nLight and Electron Microscopy - Core Facilities<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/corefacilities\/find-a-core-facility\/microscopy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Light and Electron Microscopy - Core Facilities\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Light Microscopy Microscopy Services Laboratory The Microscopy Services Laboratory provides expertise and access to electron microscopy (scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy) and light microscopy technologies. 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