The University of Kent at Canterbury is the first UK university to take ownership of new Leica live cell imaging workstation
The University of Kent, Canterbury, is the UK's first university to take ownership of Leica Microsystems's AS MDW multi-dimensional live cell imaging workstation.
Purchased through a recent competitive tender, the new system allows researchers to study and image live cells for up to 16 hours or more in a thermo-stable environment.
Furthermore the workstation has the ability to acquire a complete Z series of multiple fluorochromes in less than five seconds thus enabling fast and accurate image capture throughout filming.
Ray Newsam, manager of the microscopy and imaging department at Kent, commented: "Our selection criteria was fairly strict as there were competing priorities from a variety of users.
"Leica Microsystems produced a package that met our needs".
He continued, "I had seen a demonstration of the ASMDW live cell imaging workstation at the Microscience exhibition and I was very impressed with its technical performance and ease of use - important when running a multi-user department with experience ranging from undergraduate student projects to post doctorate research".
The ASMDW has already proved beneficial in a number of research projects currently in progress at the university.
These include a study of prion proteins in yeast and cell receptor analysis for cancer research.
The system is also being utilised to develop an image library recording the growth of different mutant strains of candida yeast.
Kent University was awarded £5 million by a Hefce-funded SRIF programme to spend on refurbishing the laboratories, with microscopy being one of the main areas for investment.
In addition to the live cell imaging system, the university also acquired a Leica Microsystems inverted confocal microscope, a fixed stage fluorescence microscope, and an upright fluorescence microscope with a camera as part of the tender package.
