News
Advanced Optical Imaging: The Oxford-Zeiss Centre of Excellence is launching
The IDRM is proud to be joining the Kennedy Institute for Rheumatology to announce the launch of the Oxford-Zeiss Centre of Excellence, a state-of-the-art imaging facility to lead future discoveries in global health and disease.
The new Oxford-Zeiss Centre of Excellence (Oxford-ZCoE) is part of a strategic partnership between the IDRM and the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology (KIR). Located across the two sites the Oxford-ZCoE enables researchers at the University of Oxford and beyond to gain access to advanced state-of-the-art optical imaging equipment.
Historically, biomedical researchers have made use of a variety of microscopy instruments to try and answer their research questions in different ways. But many come with limitations in their technical sensitivity, are invasive methods, or are unable to image live cells with spatial context over time. Hence, dynamic live imaging at cellular and sub-cellular resolution is an; essential and state-of-the-art component of biomedical research that the new Centre accounts for. The Oxford-ZCoE will host the latest LSM 980 AiryScan 2 confocal microscopes and the novel recently released Lattice Light Sheet Microscope. The confocal microscopes are the workhorses enabling Airyscan super-resolution imaging and include fast scanners and spectroscopy. The Lattice Light Sheet enables minimal invasive volumetric imaging to observe biology and its physiological states in four dimensions i.e., three dimensions of space, and over time.
Professor Paul Riley, British Heart Foundation Professor of Regenerative Medicine and Director of the Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine said:
“Advanced bioimaging is essential if we are to understand the molecular and cellular events that underpin normal development, birth defects and tissue repair and regeneration. The Oxford-ZCoE represents a unique strategic opportunity for the IDRM in providing access to the latest commercially available optical microscopes, alongside a unique collaboration with colleagues at the Kennedy Institute and Zeiss engineers which will challenge and improve existing microscopy capability to address our major research questions and advance our therapeutic pipeline.”
Professor Marco Fritzsche, Scientific Director of the Oxford-ZCoE said:
“Our partnership with Zeiss has enabled Oxford to develop a facility providing the latest technologies in live imaging that will keep it competitive with international research.”
The Oxford-ZCoE formally opens in Spring 2022, but already welcomes researchers and future partners looking to access pioneering microscopy.
More information can be found here: