Researchers have used a super-resolution fluorescence microscope to image T-cell molecules and identify the exact molecular switch that spurs T-cells into action. This breakthrough could lead to treatments for auto-immune diseases and cancer, overturning prevailing understanding of T-cell activation.
Mark Bates has been awarded the GE & Science Prize for Young Life Scientists for his novel research on high-resolution imaging of biological cells and tissues. His technique, known as stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy, enables researchers to see previously hidden aspects of life with unprecedented detail.
Researchers at Harvard University have created a new type of biomedical imaging that can capture 'video' of blood cells squeezing through capillaries. The technique, based on stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), makes label-free chemical movies with streaming footage at the subcellular level.
A novel lab-on-chip device has been developed to screen sensitive membrane proteins in parallel, utilizing a nano-fabricated chip with 50,000 nanopores. This technology preserves protein structure without organic solvents or solid support, enabling simultaneous analysis and preserving fragile protein function.
Researchers at Yale University have developed a new method to visualize and analyze the mechanical stress that causes coatings to peel. This discovery has broad applications in physical and biological sciences, as coatings protect almost every surface.
Rice University's compact fluorescence microscope, developed by Andrew Miller, has been shown to accurately diagnose tuberculosis in a trial with 98.4% accuracy. The portable device, costing $240, is comparable to expensive lab equipment and has the potential to improve early detection and treatment of TB in developing countries.
Agnieszka Bialek wins Royal Photographic Society's Selwyn Award for her work on multi-spectral imaging, which reveals details unseen by the eye. Her IRIS technology captures eight replicated images of an object at different wavelengths, enabling characterisation of materials with variations in colour or appearance.
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has renewed a four-year grant for Rice University's global health program, Beyond Traditional Borders (BTB), with a $1.2 million investment. BTB challenges students to design practical solutions to real-world problems in developing nations, resulting in over 10% of Rice undergraduates taking the cour...
Researchers developed an experimental imaging technique using gold-silver nanocages to detect hollow nanocages and solid nanoparticles in the bloodstream, enabling clear images without background fluorescence. This method shows improved performance with higher contrast and brightness than conventional fluorescent dyes.
A team of Harvard chemists has developed a new microscopic technique that allows researchers to identify previously unseen molecules in living organisms. The room-temperature technique uses stimulated emission to generate images of non-fluorescent molecules, offering broad applications in biomedical imaging and research.
Researchers developed a cell phone microscope, CellScope, that captures color images of malaria parasites and tuberculosis bacteria labeled with fluorescent markers. The system uses compact microscope lenses attached to a cell phone and achieves a spatial resolution of 1.2 micrometers, comparable to standard light microscopes.
Researchers have developed a microscope capable of live imaging at double the resolution of fluorescence microscopy using structured illumination. This advancement will help scientists study cellular behavior and mechanisms important for human disease with enhanced detail.
Researchers developed a new 3-D microscope to visualize cells, which could improve early cancer detection. The technique bridges the gap between research and clinical practices, allowing for more accurate diagnoses.
CSIRO's DAC microscopy method measures proteins in solution, allowing accurate dimensions of membrane receptors to be taken. This will help drug companies design more effective pharmaceuticals by understanding the complex structures of these molecules.
Scientists have developed a new imaging technology that produces the best three-dimensional resolution ever seen with an optical microscope, allowing them to pinpoint fluorescent labels in all three dimensions. This breakthrough will help reveal how biomolecules organize themselves into cellular structures and signaling complexes.
New photoactivatable fluorescent proteins (PAFPs) and advanced fluorescent proteins (FPs) allow scientists to visualize individual cellular molecules in living cells. These tools are transforming biomedical research by enabling the study of cancer cells, protein-protein interactions, and cellular processes.
Researchers at Harvard University developed a highly sensitive microscopy technique based on stimulated Raman scattering, allowing for real-time tracking of metabolites and drugs in living cells. This technology has the potential to revolutionize metabolic studies of omega-3 fatty acids and understand their processing in the human body.
Scientists have successfully resolved features of cells as small as 20-30 nanometers using Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM), a new 'super-resolution' fluorescence microscopy technique. This breakthrough allows for the visualization of cellular structures at the level where they work.
Japanese researchers successfully observed individual molecular rotors caught in motion using a novel microscopy technique. The study focused on rotaxanes, two-part molecular systems that rotate around an axis, revealing rapid rotational and vibrational motion when wet.
Advances in super-resolution imaging technologies, such as STED, STORM, PALM, and structured illumination microscopy, have broken the diffraction limit of light, enabling the imaging of cellular structures as small as 50 nanometres. These techniques are driven by both biological and physical needs, inspiring new questions and discoveries.
Magnet Lab researchers develop two new biosensors to monitor cellular dynamics and expand optical microscopy capabilities. The new technique enables the observation of two dynamic processes in a single cell for longer periods, speeding up experiments and advancing tumor and developmental biology research.
The new method allows researchers to localize pigments with similar fluorescence spectra, providing insights into photosynthesis and cellular function. The study reveals compositional heterogeneity between thylakoid rings, with different processes in photosynthesis occurring in different areas of the membranes.
Researchers at University of California and University of Virginia develop novel technique to quantify molecular concentrations and aggregation states in real-time. This new method, N and B analysis, enables fast and spatially resolved imaging of protein interactions in complex cellular processes.
The FINCH technology enables the acquisition of 3D microscopic images without scanning multiple planes, making it faster and more accurate. This innovation has potential applications in medical fields such as endoscopy and ophthalmology, as well as Homeland Security screening and 3D photography.
The Pourquié Lab has linked Beta-catenin to the process of somite formation, a critical step in vertebral column development. Increasing Beta-catenin levels alters mesoderm maturation and corresponds with oscillations of the segmentation clock.
The Rong Li Lab has achieved a quantitative measurement of protein-protein interactions in the MAP kinase cascade, a critical pathway for growth and differentiation decisions in eukaryotic cells. This discovery was made possible by advanced biophysical techniques applied to live yeast cells.
Researchers at UCLA will use a new super-resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscope to investigate molecular assemblies and biological processes, including chromatin structure and cell signaling. The instrument will also enable the development of new family of STED probes based on semiconductor nanocrystals.
Stefan Hell's STED microscope enables nanoscale imaging, achieving resolutions up to 10-12 times higher than the diffraction limit. This breakthrough allows for non-invasive imaging of cells' inner structures.
Researchers can now observe live cells for extended periods using advanced microscopy techniques, allowing them to study complex cellular processes and identify potential avenues for disease treatment. The new protocols provide a comprehensive toolkit for scientists to visualize and analyze cell movement, growth, and function.
Scientists have developed a new light microscope that can image cellular proteins with near-molecular resolution, surpassing conventional optical microscopes. This technique, called photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM), allows researchers to discriminate molecules separated by as little as two to 25 nanometers apart.
UC San Diego scientists chart rapid progress in developing new fluorescent probes to study proteins in living cells. These techniques enable the localization of molecular machines in situ by electron microscopy.
A new NIH grant will use electrical engineering concepts to profile host-virus interactions and identify immune responses. The study aims to develop a quantitative method to analyze the interaction between viruses and host cells, potentially leading to faster diagnosis and treatment of viral infections.
Researchers used XRF imaging to analyze ancient stone inscriptions, detecting minute amounts of iron, zinc, and lead. The technique restored thousands of stones, including the law code of Draco, providing valuable information for historians and archaeologists.
Researchers at Max Planck Institute in Germany have developed Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscopy, enabling resolutions of up to 16nm with conventional optics. This breakthrough surpasses the long-held resolution limit imposed by Abbe's law.
Researchers have created a method to visualize individual gold nanoparticles using lower laser intensities, allowing for the observation of behavior in living tissues at the single molecule level. This breakthrough enables tracking of disease and drug molecules at the molecular level, with potential applications in medicine.
PNNL scientists have found a new way to see beyond the 'diffraction limit' of optical microscopes, revealing the structure of DNA molecules. By combining FLIM with AFM techniques, they've produced sharp images of DNA and nanobeads.
Nanoparticles are designed to detect specific molecules and transport them using an electric field, allowing for accurate sensing. The device uses microscopic needles to take up tissue fluid and mix it with nanoparticles, which then move the samples to a detection area.
Researcher Chris Molenaar developed a method to follow biomolecule movements in living cells, revealing interactions between proteins and RNA. The technique uses fluorescent probes and microscopy to visualize molecular mobility and interactions, providing insights into cell functioning.
Researchers have developed the STED-4Pi-Microcope, which uses stimulated emission to narrow the focal spot of the fluorescence microscope, allowing for resolutions below 50 nm. This technique enables the imaging of features on a molecular level, advancing biological and medical research.
The Utrecht spectrograph uses a prism to disperse light, resulting in faster pictures with reduced light loss. Researchers used it to study proteins from muscle tissue and discovered unexpected chemical reactions triggered by illumination.
Boston University scientists are developing a new form of microscopy that utilizes entangled-photon fluorescence microscopy to observe brain synapses. This technology holds promise for unraveling the century-old question of how dendritic spines function, crucial for cognitive processes like learning and memory.
Weizmann Institute physicists create a new 3D imaging technique that speeds up and simplifies the process of reconstructing 3D images. The system uses a transparent fluorescent screen to capture light particles emitted by flashes, allowing for precise distance measurements between the screen and object points.