Super-resolution confocal microscope

The National Institute of Mental Health awarded the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University $249,886 on September 1, 2026, under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242) to acquire and install a Nikon AX super-resolution confocal microscope system at the Carbondale, Illinois campus.

The award funds the purchase of a Nikon Confocal AX point scanning add-on to upgrade an existing Nikon TI2 fluorescent microscope, plus an NSPARC super-resolution detector and advanced imaging workstation to be installed in a dedicated microscopy room. The system will deliver four-laser excitation lines, high-speed scanning to minimize photobleaching, multi-channel simultaneous imaging, superior spatial resolution and detection, and three-dimensional Z-axis stack imaging capability. The instrument will serve researchers across multiple disciplines at SIU—including endocrinology, molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology, reproduction, neuroscience, and molecular genetics—through a confocal-use committee comprising major users that will manage training, scheduling, and operational oversight. The recipient institution plans to complement the federal award with institutional support to enhance system capabilities.

The award period runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027. The project is assistance type Project Grant, supporting basic and translational biomedical research at the university and creating learning and training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students.

Abstract

This proposal requests funds to acquire the nikon confocal AX point scanning add-on to upgrade a nikon TI2 fluorescent microscope to a nikon AX confocal microscope. If funded, institutional support will be used to add the nsparc super resolution detector, allowing researchers in various fields at southern illinois university (SIU) access to a super-resolution confocal microscope (currently unavailable). The nikon AX super- resolution confocal microscope with advanced imaging workstation will provide 4-laser excitation lines, high- speed scanning to minimize photobleaching, multi-channel simultaneous imaging, superior spatial resolution and detection, and ability to generate z-axis stack 3D images crucial for basic and translational biomedical research at SIU. The 4 major and 5 other user research projects outlined in this proposal describe the potential benefits of the proposed instrument to advance their research goals. Preliminary data images obtained from the proposed confocal microscope clearly highlight the capabilities of the instrument to enrich SIU's research environment as well as demonstrate the inability of current SIU confocal systems to obtain necessary high-resolution images. The nikon AX will be housed in a dedicated microscopy room and administered by a confocal-use-committee comprised of the major users for training, scheduling instrument usage, and other important issues concerning the instrument. The nikon super-resolution confocal microscope will support and benefit research across the SIU campus in diverse fields including endocrinology, molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology, reproduction, neuroscience, and molecular genetics. Additionally, the proposed super-resolution confocal microscope will foster new learning and training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students, generate collaborations between researchers, and enhance research across SIU.