Advanced Light Microscopy Facility
The Advanced Light Microscopy Facility (ALMF) offers a collection of state-of-the-art light microscopy equipment and image processing tools. The ALMF was set up as a cooperation between EMBL and industry to improve communication between users and producers of high-end microscopy technology and to support in-house scientists and visitors in using light microscopy methods for their research. The facility also organises regular international courses to teach advanced light microscopy methods.
Major projects and accomplishments
- The ALMF presently manages 19 top-of-the-line microscope systems plus 9 High-Content Screening microscopes from leading industrial companies and five image analysis workstations.
- More than 30 visitors per year come to carry out their own experiments in the ALMF or to evaluate microscopy equipment.
- The ALMF was the seed for the European Light Microscopy Initiative (ELMI) that establishes links with light microscopy facilities throughout Europe.
- Usage of the facility has exceeded 30,000 hours per year.
Services provided
- Assisting all EMBL groups and visitors through the microscopic imaging process: project planning, sample preparation, staining, microscope selection and use, image processing, presentation, data transfer and storage.
- Developing accessory software and microscopy equipment, co-developments with industrial partners, pre-evaluation of commercial equipment.
- Facilitating automated microscopy and High Content Screening (HCS) projects.
Technology partners
The ALMF presently has collaborations with the following companies:
- Applied Precision*
- Bitplane*
- Carl Zeiss*
- Cell Biotrading*
- Eppendorf*
- Lambert Instruments*
- Leica Microsystems*
- Olympus Europe*
- Perkin Elmer*
- PicoQuant
- Scientific Volume Imaging
- Visitron*
* The ALMF also serves as a reference site for these companies.