Development of a Multiphoton Fluorescence Microscope for Time-Resolved and Super-Resolution Studies in Chemistry and Biology

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With support from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, Norbert F. Scherer in the Chemistry Department at the University of Chicago will develop a multiphoton fluorescence microscope for time-resolved and super-resolution studies in chemistry and biology. The goals of this development project are a) to develop a non-linear optical microscope capable of sub-diffraction limit imaging by stimulated emission depletion (STED); b) to use fluctuation spectroscopy to determine local molecular concentrations in few-attoliter volumes and to establish lifetime imaging; and c) to investigate chemical reaction dynamics in very small volumes in heterogeneous materials via time-resolved STED. The PI will develop a user-friendly instrument capable of studying dynamics on a timescale from femtoseconds to seconds; in addition, the instrument will have 3-D imaging capabilities. These studies will bring state-of-the-art fluorescence microscopy techniques to the United States biological research community. In particular, the payoff for biological research will be quite substantial if superresolution can be demonstrated for a variety of fluorophore systems.