Owen Schwartz, Ph.D.

Chief, Biological Imaging Section

Contact Information

Major Areas of Expertise

Confocal microscopy
Fluorescence microscopy
Intravital imaging
Fluorescence lifetime imaging
Post-collection quantification and deconvolution

Program Description

The Biological Imaging Section enables intramural NIAID investigators to use state-of-the art microscopy in their research programs. We provide expertise, instruction, and instrumentation. Our staff is available to assist in experiment design and in the collection and analysis of images of living and fixed material.

Instrumentation

Confocal microscope image of a human artery

Our facility is equipped with specialized instrumentation dedicated to the science and art of biological imaging, which entails answering biological questions by following events as they take place inside an organism.

General Microscopy

Leica Episcope (#1)
Leica Epi (#2)
Leica Epi (PCO)
Leica DMI8 TIRF
Leica AMS-LMD (Laser Microdissection)
Leica M205 FA (motorized stereo microscope)
Leica Epi (TW3)

Confocal Microscopy

Leica SP8 X-WLL w/FLIM
Leica Stellaris 8 FLIM
Leica SP8 -690
Leica SP8 690/730
Leica SP5 (BSL-3, MP)
Leica SP8 dual MP (BSL-2, MP)
Leica SP8 DIVE (BSL-2, MP), w/FLIM, and 4 tunable external detectors
Leica SP8 FLIM (TW3)

Super Resolution Microscopy: Our facility has now entered the world of super-resolution with a co-operative agreement giving access to a Leica STED 3D instrument. Until now the smallest objects one could resolve by conventional optical microscopy were 200nm across. Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscopy allows the resolution limit to be lowered to approximately 65nm while still working with fluorescent probes.

Advanced Intravital Microscopy: Observation of the immune response to infectious disease is important to understanding of the underlying biological processes. The Biological Imaging Section has 3 state-of-the-art multiphoton imaging systems for intravital imaging. All three instruments are equipped with microscope enclosures for 37C incubation. Two of the instruments have dual IR lasers for excitation of probes across the IR spectrum. Additionally, the BIS is one of only a few laboratories in the world where a complete multiphoton confocal microscope is available in a biosafety level (BSL)-3 environment.

Poster Printing