Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM)

• Subject Area: Microbiology, Virology and Immunology
• Term: Funded in 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 447143887

The applicants apply for a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) that will be used by microbiologists and infection biologists working since 2017 in the research building "Center for Functional Genomics of Microbes" (C_FunGene). C_FunGene hosts research groups working on topics in infection biology and environmental microbiology. The funded projects of the applicants aim to elucidate mechanisms of pathogen-host interactions, virulence strategies of pathogenic microorganisms or bacterial cell-cell communication. To avoid the use of animal infection models, cell culture or tissue-based infection models are increasingly used to decipher molecular and cellular interactions between a pathogen and its host or specific host tissues. These models allow real-time analysis and visualization of the infection process outside of a living organism. The mechanisms of biofilm formation and cell-cell communication in bacterial communities are of high priority in environmental microbiology. Because biofilm formation is also associated with bacterial colonization and infections in humans or animals, the applicants share common interests. The CLSM is pivotal to visualize infection processes in cellular or organoid systems or biofilm formation in real-time. The CLSM will be installed in a microscopy room, which is located in the S2 laboratory area of C_FunGene. All research groups of the C_FunGene and other groups interested in infections/immune modulation or cell biology will have access to the CLSM according to the regulations. The CLSM will be used to answer questions relevant to infection biology. The work will be performed with clinically relevant pathogens under observance of biosafety level 2 measures. Importantly, this CLSM will be the only state-of-the art confocal microscope in Greifswald in an S2 laboratory. Since the CLSM will be a multiple user device, a very broad and modern equipment was selected to be able to meet the various requirements of the divers group of applicants. The applications range from high-resolution microscopy of individual bacterial cells and cell communities to real-time monitoring of infected eukaryotic cells. The pulsed white light laser perfectly matches any fluorophore. Up to eight excitation lines can be used simultaneously, even in case of close proximity of spectra, which allows new experimental approaches including protein localization and co-localization studies. For live cell imaging, the requested CLSM is further equipped with a large, temperature-controlled incubation chamber with active gas regulation.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Spektrales Konfokales Laser Scanning Mikroskop (CLSM)
• Instrumentation Group: 5090 Spezialmikroskope
• Applicant Institution: Universität Greifswald
• Leader: Professor Dr. Sven Hammerschmidt