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

在主要研究仪器（MRI）项目的支持下，芝加哥大学化学系的Norbert F. Scherer将开发一种多光子荧光显微镜，用于化学和生物学的时间分辨和超分辨研究。本开发项目的目标是a)开发一种能够通过受激发射损耗（STED）进行亚衍射极限成像的非线性光学显微镜；B)使用波动光谱法确定少量体积的局部分子浓度，并建立终身成像；c)通过时间分辨STED研究非均质材料中非常小体积的化学反应动力学。PI将开发一种用户友好的仪器，能够在飞秒到秒的时间尺度上研究动力学；此外，该仪器将具有三维成像能力。这些研究将为美国生物研究界带来最先进的荧光显微镜技术。特别是，如果超分辨率可以用于各种荧光团系统，那么生物学研究的回报将是相当可观的。

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.