STED Superresolution and Confocal Microscope

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The user consortium (14 groups) at the Campus Benjamin Franklin (CBF) of the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin applies for a STED superresolution microscope for cell biological, gastroenterological, renal, immunological and oncological research projects. At the CBF there is one confocal micoscope, however, there is no STED microscope for superresolution fluorescence microscopy, a technique which is currently developing into a standard for such investigations. The future users are involved in numerous DFG and BMBF single and joint research projects, for which a STED microscope is urgently needed. The acquisition serves the technical support and methodological advancement of these third party funded projects. The microscope will be used for: superresolution (beyond the Abbe limit) and high-sensitivity imaging of subcellular structures, nanostructural protein distribution, composition of multi protein complexes. Structures investigated comprise tight junctions, polarity, receptor and signalling complexes, lipid droplets, mitochondria, viruses, nanoparticles. To this end 2D/3D-imaging of fixed samples and live cell imaging of dynamic cellular processes will be carried out. Compared to the currently available confocal microscope, the STED microscope presently applied for will enable considerably higher spatial resolution (< at low levels of photo-toxicity / photo-bleaching. Thus, it will allow high-resolution co-localization studies, which are decisive for the successful processing of our innovative and high-ranking structural and functional research projects.