Neuroscience and Cell Biology at UTMB

Services and Resources

Personnel
- Director: Leoncio A. Vergara MD
  - Training and Teaching
  - Consulting
  - Technical Upgrades and Setup
  - Consulting
  - Operational Assistance
  - Collaborations
- Steering Committee Chair: Harvey Fishman PhD.
  - Supervises the operation of the facility
  - Provides assistance and advise to the director
Microscopes
- Upright imaging system: Nikon Eclipse 800 with Roper CoolSnap FQ monochrome digital camera, Nikon DXM1200 color digital camera and Universal Imaging Metavue Software.
- Inverted imaging system: Nikon Eclipse TE200 with Roper CoolSnap HQ monochrome digital camera, Sutter Instruments DG4 illumination system, Prior Z-step motor, Prior X-Y motorized Stage, Prior Emission Filter Wheel and Universal Imaging Metamoprh and MetaFluor Software.
- Video rate Confocal Microscope: Noran Oz with Intervision. This microscope is going to be "retired".
- Advanced confocal microscope with spectral analysis capabilities: Zeiss LSM510 META configured with a Zeiss Axiovert 200 M motorized inverted microscope. 4 detectors including the META spectral detector. 3 lasers with 6 excitation lines.
Computer and On-line services
- LAN Network
- OIL-RIG server (Linux)
- Website: http://oil.utmb.edu
  - Facility information
  - Online registration
  - Appointments
  - Accounting and database
- Offline image analysis stations: 4 PC (Windows 2000 and XP) equipped with image analysis software
  - Metamorph
  - Image J
  - IDL
  - Photoshop
  - Excel, PowerPoint, etc
  - Sigmaplot
Other equipment
- On stage temperature-controlled incubators
- On stage perfusion systems and chambers
- Electrophysiology (patch clamp)
- Mechanical micromanipulators
Training: This is a very important aspect of the facility operation. Training will be reorganized to serve two purposes: teach system operation for independent users and to teach the basic principles of optical microscopy and digital imaging required for proper completion of research projects.
- Routine operational training: Will be provided only for groups of users and will be scheduled weekly if necessary according to demand.
  - General principles of optical microscopy and electronic imaging: This will be a two-session group tutorial required for all users prior to practical training.
  - Practical training on optical microscopy: this will be a hands-on tutorial specific for the operation of each optical microscope in the facility. It will be provided for groups of two to four users. It will include two sessions. The first one will be a general demonstration and the second will be a one to one training and evaluation.
- Special training tutorials: the facility will offer special short (5-6 sessions) training courses for small groups (5-8), open to all interested people, but with priority for active users. These courses may repeat according to demand.
  - Digital image processing and analysis: Mini course offering theoretical and practical training on the use (for biological applications) of common image processing and analysis packages like Metamorph, Image J and Photoshop. The first course will be announced on September. Targeted to biologists, will not include programming or mathematical aspects.
  - Simple solutions to measure molecular interactions with optical microscopes: (Exact title not final). This course will teach students basic theory and practical aspects of acquiring and analyzing data for colocalization and FRET studies. The idea is to prepare live and fixed samples so the students can test the more commonly used and currently accepted methods that can be applied with the instrumentation available at the OIL.



Optical Imaging Laboratory The Optical Imaging Laboratory (OIL) is an institutional core facility. Its mission is to provide UTMB scientists with the opportunity to use state of the art optical microscopy systems and take advantage of currently available computational and digital imaging techniques. Location and Contact Information Location: Basic Science Building, Rooms 409 and 408 Phones: x23970, x23982 E-mail: lvergara@utmb.edu Website: http://oil.utmb.edu/ Services and Resources Personnel Director: Leoncio A. Vergara MD Training and Teaching Consulting Technical Upgrades and Setup Consulting Operational Assistance Collaborations Steering Committee Chair: Harvey Fishman PhD. Supervises the operation of the facility Provides assistance and advise to the director Microscopes Upright imaging system: Nikon Eclipse 800 with Roper CoolSnap FQ monochrome digital camera, Nikon DXM1200 color digital camera and Universal Imaging Metavue Software. Inverted imaging system: Nikon Eclipse TE200 with Roper CoolSnap HQ monochrome digital camera, Sutter Instruments DG4 illumination system, Prior Z-step motor, Prior X-Y motorized Stage, Prior Emission Filter Wheel and Universal Imaging Metamoprh and MetaFluor Software. Video rate Confocal Microscope: Noran Oz with Intervision. This microscope is going to be "retired". Advanced confocal microscope with spectral analysis capabilities: Zeiss LSM510 META configured with a Zeiss Axiovert 200 M motorized inverted microscope. 4 detectors including the META spectral detector. 3 lasers with 6 excitation lines. Computer and On-line services LAN Network OIL-RIG server (Linux) Website: http://oil.utmb.edu Facility information Online registration Appointments Accounting and database Offline image analysis stations: 4 PC (Windows 2000 and XP) equipped with image analysis software Metamorph Image J IDL Photoshop Excel, PowerPoint, etc Sigmaplot Other equipment On stage temperature-controlled incubators On stage perfusion systems and chambers Electrophysiology (patch clamp) Mechanical micromanipulators Training: This is a very important aspect of the facility operation. Training will be reorganized to serve two purposes: teach system operation for independent users and to teach the basic principles of optical microscopy and digital imaging required for proper completion of research projects. Routine operational training: Will be provided only for groups of users and will be scheduled weekly if necessary according to demand. General principles of optical microscopy and electronic imaging: This will be a two-session group tutorial required for all users prior to practical training. Practical training on optical microscopy: this will be a hands-on tutorial specific for the operation of each optical microscope in the facility. It will be provided for groups of two to four users. It will include two sessions. The first one will be a general demonstration and the second will be a one to one training and evaluation. Special training tutorials: the facility will offer special short (5-6 sessions) training courses for small groups (5-8), open to all interested people, but with priority for active users. These courses may repeat according to demand. Digital image processing and analysis: Mini course offering theoretical and practical training on the use (for biological applications) of common image processing and analysis packages like Metamorph, Image J and Photoshop. The first course will be announced on September. Targeted to biologists, will not include programming or mathematical aspects. Simple solutions to measure molecular interactions with optical microscopes: (Exact title not final). This course will teach students basic theory and practical aspects of acquiring and analyzing data for colocalization and FRET studies. The idea is to prepare live and fixed samples so the students can test the more commonly used and currently accepted methods that can be applied with the instrumentation available at the OIL.
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Optical Imaging Laboratory