The facility operates four customised high-throughput microscopy systems and is establishing a dedicated single-objective light-sheet microscope for imaging live and fixed samples. The platform supports 96-, 384- and 1536-well formats, longitudinal live-cell imaging, integrated perturbation workflows, and automated image analysis. Continuous hardware and software development, including a feedback-capable acquisition API, enables implementation of advanced imaging, perturbation and screening workflows beyond the capabilities of standard commercial systems.

    Key Capabilities

    • Four interoperable HTM systems operated as a unified imaging platform
    • Live-cell imaging with environmental control
    • Widefield and spinning-disk imaging
    • 96-, 384- and 1536-well plate compatibility
    • Longitudinal imaging from hours to days
    • On-stage perturbation and automated liquid handling
    • Real-time feedback microscopy through a custom API
    • Automated image processing and single-cell analysis pipelines
    • Dedicated single-objective light-sheet imaging system

    Together, these capabilities provide both the capacity required for large-scale screening projects and the resilience needed to maintain operations during maintenance, upgrades, and technology development.

    High-Capacity Instruments for Live and Fixed Samples

    The four systems are modified forms of the BD Pathway855 High-Content Analyzer. These offer stimulation/perturbation with on-stage pipetting. Conventional through-objective actuation or alternatively parallel plate-wide optogenetic manipulation is possible when stimulation programmes should be maintained during the imaging of multiple positions. All units can be used for end-point or short dynamic imaging sessions, well by well, or longitudinal parallel imaging of the whole plate or selected sub-fields for hours, days or longer.

    One of the units can be integrated to an automated cell incubator, allowing automated plate exchange, as well as replenishment of tips and reagent plates from ambient or cooled stacks.

    Custom acquisition API and feedback microscopy

    A dedicated API allows fine-grained control of image acquisition workflows and implementation of image-driven feedback microscopy, enabling acquisition decisions to be made automatically during experiments.

    Detector flexibility

    Unlike fixed commercial systems, detector technologies can be upgraded or selected according to experimental requirements. This allows adoption of newer camera generations and optimisation of imaging performance without replacement of the underlying microscope infrastructure.

    Single-Objective Light Sheet System

    A dedicated single-objective light-sheet microscope for multiwell plate imaging is currently being established. The system incorporates five laser lines, a Kinetix 10 MP sCMOS camera capable of acquisition rates up to 500 fps, environmental control of temperature, humidity and CO₂, transmission imaging, and dedicated external actuation ports for integration of custom hardware and optogenetic stimulation workflows.

    The primary objective is a 20× NA1.0 lens and the tertiary objective is a Snouty AGS-AMY version 3 system. Additional details will be released as validation progresses.

    Excitation light is provided by high-power LEDs precisely shuttered in sync with image acquisition to provide defined light doses, which excludes phototoxicity caused by lagging mechanical shutters that have now been completely removed. Light sources have been replaced with open source hardware (OSH) designs delivering 10x more power than commercial options, with 5µs precision shuttering. LEDs used provide 405nm/20, 460nm/50, 430-600nm (used for the 500-555nm range) and 630nm/20nm light. A 735nm LED has been built and filters are being optimised.

    Data management, image processing and single cell data analysis are handled in automated pipelines, which are under continuous development to meet new needs that arise.


    The integrated system can be used with the following instruments :

    Objectives available

    • 1.25x 0.04 – Olympus PLAPON
    • 2x 0.08 – Olympus PLAPON
    • 4x NA 0.13 – Olympus UPLSAPO
    • 4x NA 0.16 – Olympus UPLSAPO
    • 10x NA 0.3 LWD – Olympus UPLFLN
    • 10x NA0.4 – Olympus UPLSAPO
    • 20x NA 0.45 LWD – Olympus LUCPLFLN
    • 20x NA 0.75 – Olympus UPLSAPO
    • 40x NA 0.9 – Olympus UPLSAPO
    • 40x NA 0.95 – Olympus PLAPO

    Filters Installed

    Excitation Filters

    2 wheels, 8 positions each

    • 405/20
    • 438/24 BrightLine HC or ET436/20
    • D440/10
    • D470/40
    • 488/10
    • ET500/20X
    • FF01-513/13
    • 525/40
    • HQ548/20
    • S555/28
    • HQ560/55
    • 635/20 (S635/20 or ZET635/20)
    • additional filters available

    Beam-Combiner Dichroics

    5 positions

    • Open
    • Mirror
    • 10/40 splitter
    • 50/10 splitter
    • additional dicroics available

    Objective Dichroics

    5 positions

    • FF01-458-DI01 Semrock
    • 515LP (72100bs Chroma)
    • 595DCLP Chroma
    • quad-band #84100bs or ZT405/488/561/640rpcv2-UF1 Chroma
    • additional dicroics available

    Emission Filters

    8 positions

    • AT450/20X Intended for BFP
    • 483/32 BrightLine HC Intended for CFP, mTurquoise2, mTFP1.0
    • 542/27 BrightLine HC (one instrument only, other use 540/50) Suitable for YFP, Ypet, mNeonGreen, mGreenLantern, Dronpa
    • HQ540/50 Intended for YFP, Ypet, mNeonGreen, mGreenLantern, Dronpa; can be used for GFP, Alexa 488
    • 570LP
    • ET620/60X intended for mCherry, mScarlet, jRCaMP1b, Alexa 568
    • ET700/75m intended for miRFP670, Alexa 647 and similar
    • additional filters available

    Location: Biocity, 5th floor

    Contact person: Michael Courtney

    Last updated on October 23, 2026