State-of-the-art microscopy facilities opened

 

A new purpose-built microscopy suite to accommodate expansion of the UK-based University of Bristol Wolfson Bioimaging Facility has been opened by Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation.

 

The facility provides support with advanced microscopy techniques to well over 300 of the University's researchers working in diverse fields of biological, clinical and physical sciences, as well as to an increasing number of visitors from other institutions.

 

Currently housing 22 imaging systems covering a broad range of advanced fluorescence and electron microscopy techniques, the Wolfson Bioimaging Facility has a growing reputation within the UK and across Europe.

 

Rapid growth of the facility over the past few years has been driven by expansion and diversification of its user base and achieved through funding from MRC, BBSRC and EPSRC and substantial inward investment.  

 

The arrival of several new microscope systems, including specialised techniques such as multiphoton, super-resolution and fluorescence lifetime imaging, alongside expansion of confocal and widefield microscopy, meant the expanded facility could no longer be housed within existing space.

 

The Wolfson Foundation provided £800,000 to create six purpose-built microscope rooms to accommodate expansion of the Wolfson Bioimaging Facility. The new imaging suite is adjacent to existing microscope rooms, and provides the controlled and stable environment required for high-resolution microscopy.

 

The facility also recently increased the level of support it offers for image processing and analysis, to equip its users with the expertise to fully quantify and interpret microscopy data.

 

Dr Mark Jepson, Light Microscopy Manager at the facility said: "The newly expanded Wolfson Bioimaging Facility will continue to provide enabling technologies to drive forward research across a broad range of disciplines, and to underpin expansion in inter-disciplinary research. The newly expanded Facility ensures that it remains a focal point for Biomedical, Physical and Life Sciences research, driving excellence in research and ensuring we can attract and retain the best researchers."