New department for cutting-edge technology at the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin – Core Microscopy Facility starts its service
The international scientists at the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin (MPZPM) now have a further technology unit at their disposal for the implementation of their research projects: the Core Microscopy Facility. With state-of-the-art imaging technologies, high-end equipment and highly qualified support, Dr. Kyoohyun Kim's team provides researchers with fundamental insights into biological systems on a submicrometer scale (0,0000001m).
Advanced microscopy techniques are indispensable for deciphering complex questions in the life sciences at the cellular and molecular levels in ever greater detail. Scientists are continuously developing advanced microscopy techniques based on optical principles to understand as yet uncharted biological phenomena in vivo systems. A central task of the Core Microscopy Facility is to provide researchers at the center with access to these highly developed microscopic technologies and to support them with comprehensive expertise. In addition, the core facility is involved in assisting research projects which aim to develop imaging systems and methods further and to adapt them to the specific requirements of MPZPM researchers.
The core facility is equipped with confocal fluorescence scanning microscopes, such as the Zeiss LSM 980 with Airyscan 2 and the Zeiss LSM 900. Among other things, these microscopes enable high-performance, high-speed imaging with low phototoxicity to minimize the marker density and thus affect living cells as little as possible when analyzing biological specimens. In addition, they can be used to perform material analyses, for example by the imaging of three-dimensional microstructures. “Our facility combines expertise in both physics and biology, offering comprehensive training that covers everything from the theoretical principles behind microscopy to practical imaging techniques,“ explains Dr. Kyoohyun Kim, leader of the Core Microscopy Facility at MPZPM. “We also offer personalized consultations to help researchers select the best imaging methods for their projects.”
Dr. Kyoohyun Kim has many years of scientific experience in the field of imaging techniques. During his PhD studies he focused on developing optical diffraction tomography (ODT), a label-free imaging technique which measures the refractive index of biological samples quantitatively. He also applied ODT to create stable optical traps for manipulating non-spherical particles using holographic optical tweezers. “After my PhD, I was eager to explore how ODT can be used to uncover biological and biophysical phenomena. This led me to join Prof. Jochen Guck's group in 2017 as a postdoctoral researcher,“ say Kyoohyun Kim. “During my postdoctoral years, I had the privilege of collaborating with brilliant biologists and biophysicists worldwide, which taught me how to bridge the gap between optical techniques and challenging biological questions. This experience inspired me to pursue a role that blends technical expertise and collaboration, and I was fortunate to have the opportunity to join MPZPM and take on the exciting challenge of establishing a new core microscopy facility.“
You can find more information about the core facility and its offers here.
