Imaging System for Correlative Electron/Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy

Background:
The National Cancer Institute's Cell Biology Laboratory is seeking statements of interest or capability from parties interested in collaborative research agreements to further develop and commercialize a methodology and device for the microscopic examination of cells and tissues.

One of the fundamental challenges in microscopy is finding the same region of interest (ROI) of a sample when moving from one instrument to the next. Two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) information on a single sample can be obtained using a confocal fluorescence microscope (CFM), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), or a transmission electron microscope (TEM), where each microscope provides unique image information, However, this currently involves time-intensive steps of relocating the ROI within the different instruments.

Technology:
Commercially-available components from various confocal and electron microscopies are to be integrated in a single system or will remain separate but will have a method to easily transfer the specimen between systems. Automated control software will (i) automate ROI relocation and (ii) acquire digital image from ROIs. This permits easier data acquisition from the same ROI on a particular sample for multiple types of microscopes.

Applications:

1. Localize interest areas in tissue samples prepared, for example, for immunohistochemistry, cytology, oncology, cell biology and other fields.
2. Fast 2D screening of specimens prior to 3D EM imaging.

IP Status:
A patent application has not yet been filed.

Relevant Publications:

• Lefman, J., Morrison, R. & Subramaniam, S. (2007). Automated 100-position specimen loader and image acquisition system for transmission electron microscopy. J Struct Biol 158(3), 318-26.
• Heymann, J., Hayles, M., Gestmann, I., Giannuzzi, L., Lich, L., and Subramaniam, S. (2006). Site-specific 3D Imaging of Cells and Tissues with a Dual Beam Microscope. J. Struct. Biol. 155(1), 63-73.
• Zhang, P., Beatty, A., Milne, J.L. & Subramaniam, S. (2001). Automated data collection with a Tecnai 12 electron microscope: applications for molecular imaging by cryomicroscopy. J Struct Biol 135(3), 251-61.

R&D Status:
Prototype development using commercially-available tools.

Further R&D Needed:
Research collaborations to accelerate the development of commercially-viable instruments.

Contact Information:
John D. Hewes, Ph.D., NCI Technology Transfer Center
Phone: 301-435-3121
E-mail: Hewesj@mail.nih.gov

Reference:  #450 KH

Posted 04/11/2008