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CURRENT
Light microscopes have had a seminal influence on science for more than 300 years. The past three decades have seen a dramatic resurgence in the use of the light microscope, as well as very substantial technical advances in the field of light microscopy. This has in turn led to an increase in the use of the light microscope as a research tool. The most important advance has been the development of the confocal microscope, which combines the detection efficiency of fluorescence with the high resolution of the light microscope.
Improvements in design of optical components include, for example, aberration-corrected objectives (correction of both chromatic and spherical aberrations), more efficient filters (glass & AOBS), and improved detection (PMTs, CCD cameras and single photon avalanche diodes). As a result of these improvements, as well as improved performance and functionality of the systems, there has been a dramatic increase in costs of these types of instruments. The increase in cost coupled with decreasing grant support for research has resulted in many of these new instruments to be placed in multi-user facilities, i.e. imaging “cores”.
Establishment of imaging cores has led to a shift in responsibility for instrument acquisition, maintenance and training, from an individual PI to the director of the core and core personnel. Among the myriad of functions of the core is performance testing of the instrumentation. Users need to be confident that data collected will be uniform over time and between specimens. There is a need to developed standard Good Operating Practice (GOP) procedures for the imaging instrumentation. To this end, amongst other topics, the panel will discuss: (1) various aspects of “performance” test /GOP and an ongoing multisite study, (2) image format and who is responsible for storage, (3) oversight of data collection and image analysis; (4) keeping up with the newest technologies.
- proposed tests
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We have data on the level of performance for various microscopes, mostly confocal. The next step is to determine what sample(s) could be used across laboratories. This may appear simple, however the functions measured from the different tests range from simple LASER stability, to colocalization of beads to resolution (lateral, axial, spectral). There will not be “one” sample that can be used to accomplish all the tests. As a group we will seek to develop a set of samples that will provide broad applicability
- The 39 Steps: A Cautionary Tale about “quantatativ
(28K)
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MIDL testing
- View Document
(405K)
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