The CCAM Microscopy Facility provides the UConn Health research community as well as other academic and industrial institutes, access to its state-of-the-art equipment for quantitative fluorescence imaging applications. Within the facility, there are two laser scanning confocal microscopes equipped with 34-channel high-efficiency QUASAR detectors. One of these microscopes supports nonlinear optical (also known as 2-photon) excitation, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). Additionally, there is a light sheet microscope available for micro/mesoscale 3D imaging. The Zeiss Elyra 7 microscope is capable of total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) and supports several super-resolution techniques such as lattice structured illumination microscopy (SIM), stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM), 3D photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM), and DNA points accumulation for imaging in nanoscale topography (DNA-PAINT). For live cell imaging we offer the Nikon Crest V3 Spinning Disk Confocal microscope with excitation wavelengths ranging from 405 nm - 754 nm. This system is also equipped with a stage top incubation system with CO2 and O2. CCAM also has two widefield systems fully equipped to handle live, long term cell imaging.

The UConn Health Center MicroCT Imaging Facility provides core services of three-dimensional imaging and quantitation of tissue structure using high-resolution X-ray computed microtomography (microCT). Resolution of structural features below 10 um allows for accurate and precise evaluation of trabecular and cortical bone architecture, density, and porosity of bones from mice, including femora, tibiae, vertebrae, humeri, ulnae, calvaria, mandibles, teeth, and ectopic bone formation. Data obtained from microCT analyses are helpful toward identifying and quantitating definitive phenotypes in transgenic and knockout mouse models, as well as the skeletal effects of hormonal deficiency (e.g., ovariectomy) and pharmaceutical agents. Hydroxyapatite-phantom calibrated measurements of true volumetric density (mg/cm^3) provide accurate measurements of mineralization shifts in these animal models, complementing rapid imaging modalities afforded by micro-DXA (Piximus) and radiography (Faxitron), which are also available.

The Biophysical Core maintains the following instruments:
(1) A Jasco J-715 spectropolarimeter for both near- and far-UV circular dichroism studies. The instrument contains a Peltier thermostated sample holder for thermal melts.

(2) MicroCal VP Capillary Differential Scanning Calorimeter. DSC measures the enthalpy (∆H) of unfolding due to heat denaturation. A biomolecule in solution is in equilibrium between the native (folded) conformation and its denatured (unfolded) state. The higher the thermal transition midpoint (Tm), when 50% of the biomolecules are unfolded, the more stable the molecule. DSC measures the change in heat capacity (ΔCp) of denaturation.

(3) Microcal Isothermal Titration Calorimeter to assist in calculating stochiometry, binding constant, enthalpy and entropy. The instrument includes an internal Peltier mechanism.

(4) Wyatt MiniDawn Triple-Angle Light Scattering Detector (MALS) for measuring the molecular weights, sizes, and conformations of macromolecules in solution.

(5) Voyager DE-pro MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer for accurate determination molecular weights at subpicomolar range. The system is used for routine non-expert operation. It incorporates Delayed Extractionâ„¢ technology for excellent sensitivity, mass accuracy, and resolution.

(6) Hitachi F-2500 Spectrofluorometer which offers high sensitivity, variable spectral bandwidth and scanning speeds of up to 12,000nm/min. Its horizontal beam optical design provides a high concentrated light beam along with low sample volume requirements. It offers Excitation/Emission Scan, Time Based Measurements, Pre-Scan, and Data Export to Excel.