Biophotonics Laboratories

OSC Biology Lab

The OSC Biology lab is dedicated to understanding the molecular mechanisms by which cell fate is determined. The focus of the lab is single cell analysis, using flow cytometry and time lapse fluorescence microscopy. The lab is PC2 accredited and has core facilities for mammalian cell culture and molecular biology. We operate a multicolour flow cytometer (BD Facsaria II) and a spinning disc confocal microscope (Olympus).

Location: AS114

Equipment:

• Andor Spinning Disk Confocal combined with Olympus IX71 Microscope

• Cell Sorter (BD FACSAria III) Microbiological Safety Cabinet (Aura 2000-Bioair Instruments)

Biophotonics Endoscope Laser Lab

The laboratory is equipped with Spectra Physics MaiTai and MPB Fibre Laser for confocal laser scanning microscopy and fibre endoscopy.

Location: AS116

Equipment:

• Spectra Physics MaiTai (2.5W, 650-1100nm, 80MHz, 100fs)

• MPB Fiber Laser (1.5W, 592nm, CW)

Cell Biophysics – Microscopy Lab

The cell biophysics lab contains two microscopy platforms. 

Platform 1 is designed for long-term cellular dynamics studies (hours–days) and contains an incubator (with temperature and gas control), a programmable stage and a microscope with phase contrast and fluorescence. Harvard programmable pumps are available so that users can deliver precise doses of growth factors and other substances to cells using microfluidic devices.

Platform 2 is a multidimensional microscope with capabilities to measure fluorescence spectra, fluorescence lifetimes and fluorescence polarization on cells. These modalities are used to study macromolecular environments, interactions (lifetime, FRET) and macromolecular dynamics (polarization and spectral imaging) on the nanosecond time range. This is the only microscope in Australia with frequency-domain TIRF capabilities (for looking at dynamics on surfaces).

Location: AS122

Equipment:

• Eclipse Ti-S Inverted Microscopes (Nikon) (x2)

• ASI programmable stage

• Harvard programmable pump (x4)

• Incubator

• Lambert Instruments Lifetime Imaging Attachment

• Gooch and Housego HSI-400 hyperspectral imaging system

• Prior Nanoscan-Z stage

• Nikon TIRF illumination module

• Omicron modulated Laser Diode

• Lambert Instrumenets Gen3 image intensifier

• Andor CCD camera