Imaging methods play an enormous role in biomedical research due to their huge potential for supporting translational research from the molecular level to clinical evaluation.
Translational imaging includes a wide interdisciplinary field and MoMAN combines state-of-the-art imaging techniques with the expertise of an interdisciplinary research team.
The right panel shows a short overview of our infrastructure and methods.
Cellular imaging provides the basis for the investigation of physiological processes on the molecular level. For this, MoMAN offers access to innovative microscopy techniques covering electron, confocal, multiphoton and high-resolution microscopy suitable for gaining insight into the functional organization and dynamics of molecules in living cells. In addition a laser microdissection system allows the isolation of cellular material.
The Central Facility Electron Microscopy is equipped with several transmission and scanning electron microscopes. A wide range of electron microscopic techniques are used including standard protocols, dedicated cryo-preparation techniques, and 3D analysis at nanoscale. Furthermore, several novel approaches are explored for 3D analysis, including scanning transmission electron tomography and focused ion beam / scanning electron microscopy.
The Core Facility for Confocal and Multiphoton Microscopy provides two laser scanning microscopes which are coupled to an fs-pulsed laser to provide multiphoton microscopy. Besides spectral and time-resolved detection, detailed fluorescence lifetime imaging is possible and data analysis support is offered.
The Core Facility Lasermicrodissection offers a fully equipped PALM MicroBeam. This system allows a contact-free isolation and collection of high-purity cells from tissue samples and cell culture.
The Insitute of Comparative Molecular Endocrinology (Head Prof. Jan Tuckermann) offers to use an ImageXpressMicro Confocal System that allows on fluorescense base an automatic microscopy quantification of cellular assays (High Content Analysis). This is helpful for setting up readouts for cellular screens for medium throughput to test pharmacological substances, siRNA or Crispr libraries on cellular readouts (such as cell numbers, cell morphology, differentiation marker and many more parameters; see also Sci. Rep. 8 14045 and Curr Protoc Cytom 77 12.43.1–12.43.44.). If you are interested to use this setup please contact jan.tuckermann(at)uni-ulm.de.
In addition, the Institute of Biophysics runs an atomic force microscope dedicated for biological samples, several super-resolution fluorescence microscopes (STORM, STED) and a reflected light sheet microscope, suitable for live-cell imaging on the single-molecule level.
Benutzungsordnung ZE Elektronenmiksorkopie (German)
Entgeltordnung ZE Elektronenmikroskopie (German)
Betriebs- und Entgeltordnung CF Kofokale & Multiphotonen Mikroskopie (German)
Betriebs- und Entgeltordnung CF Lasermicrodissection (German)
In translational research animal imaging represents an important link between cellular and human imaging. As the imaging methods used in animal studies are similarly applied in humans, advances in imaging techniques are directly transferable to clinical diagnostics.
The Core Facility Small Animal Imaging offers advanced magnetic resonsance tomography and spectroscopy as well as computed tomography for non-invasive strucural and functional imaging in mice, rats and tissue samples. Studies with larger animals can be performed on a 3T MRI scanner.
Applications cover detailed anatomical information, functional and metabolic quantification, radiotracer distribution, 3D surface topography, perfusion/diffusion measurements, fibre tracking and analysis of the structural and functional connectome.
Human imaging is an indispensable tool in clinical diagnosis and intervention. MoMAN offers access to a new whole-body magnetic resonance imaging scanner, suitable for non-invasive neurological human studies.
The Core Facility 3T-MRI runs a state-of-the-art whole-body magnetic resonance scanner suitable for non-invasive neurological human studies. The CF also provides the infrastructure required to run complex and elaborate pharmacological MRI studies.
Applications include brain imaging under functional challenges either with classical BOLD (blood oxygen level dependent) or MR-based perfusion imaging. Moreover, diffusion weighted imaging with high numbers of gradient directions can be used for microstructural connectivity analysis by diffusion tensor imaging.
The imaging equipment is complemented by a whole-body PET/CT scanner by Siemens (Biograph mCT40, spatial resolution of around 4 mm (PET) and up to 500 µm (CT)), located at the Department of Nuclear Medicine, to which access can be provided if required.
Benutzungsordnung (German)
