BME Seminar Series: Christopher Ott - Leica Microsystems, Inc.
All dates for this event occur in the past.
245 Bevis Hall
245 Bevis Hall
1080 Carmack Rd.
Columbus, OH 43210
United States
Abstract:
"Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) and its Applications in Biomedical Research: FRET and Cancer Detection"
Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) is an imaging technique that allows for the visualization of the lifetime and changes in lifetime of fluorophores, fluorescent proteins, and auto-fluorescent components. All fluorescent species, besides their unique spectral properties, have a lifetime associated with them. This lifetime is essentially the time it takes for it to emit fluorescence after being excited, and is on the order of several nanoseconds. The Leica SP8 FALCON is a brand new FLIM system that enables multi-dimensional FLIM data to be acquired easier than ever before.
Some of the unique applications that are enabled or enhances by FLIM are detection of cancerous tissue and FRET experiments. Metabolism in cancerous tissue often shifts towards glycolysis from oxidative phosphorylation, causing a shift in bound/free NADH. By visualizing the lifetime of aut0-fluorescent NADH in the free or bound state in tissue with FLIM, cancer can be detected without exogenous labels. Analysis of FRET data is complicated by concentration changes, photo-bleaching, and the need a multitude of controls. FLIM-FRET is a technique that examines the change in lifetime of the FRET Donor. When a FRET Donor is actively transferring energy to a FRET Acceptor, the FRET Donor lifetime will decrease. Lifetime is independent of concentration and photo-bleaching, thus, is a more robust method of conducting FRET experiments.
Bio:
Chris is a Confocal Applications Specialist for Leica Microsystems based in Atlanta, GA. He supports all the technical and applications based aspects of confocal microscopy for Leica in the Southeast region. He speaks at seminars, conducts demonstrations, and provides continue support for customers of Leica Confocal Products. Chris joined Leica over 2 years ago after managing the Stem Cell Research Center microscopy core facility at the University of California, Irvine. He spent 3 years there training research staff and faculty how to quantitatively use the advanced microscopes in addition to serving on the shared resource review board. Chris obtained in BS in Human Biology from the University of California, San Diego and his MS in Molecular Biology from California State University, Fullerton.