Super-resolution microscope based on stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM)

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Conventional light microscopes cannot see everything inside of a cell. If two objects are too close to one another, they appear as a single point under the microscope. Scientists need a certain minimum distance between objects in order to tell them apart. This minimum distance defines the "resolution limit" of the microscope. Unfortunately, many phenomena of interest to researchers occur below the resolution limit. In these cases, scientists cannot determine (a) how far apart two objects are from one another, (b) how many objects are within the point, and (c) if the objects are close enough to be in physical contact with one another. Recent advances in microscope technology now enable scientists to break the resolution limit and distinguish objects in cells that are very close together. This technology, known as "super-resolution microscopy," has the potential to revolutionize biomedical research by enabling scientists to make novel, breakthrough observations of the inner workings of cells. This grant will fund the purchase of research tools and instrumentation for the development of super-resolution microscopy at McGill University, with the specific goal of enabling observations of the inner workings of cells of the brain and cells undergoing cell division.