Molecular and Cellular Microscopy Platform (MCMP)

The Molecular and Cellular Microscopy Platform (MCMP) is an advanced optical microscopy core facility founded in 2015 that offers access to the latest fluorescence microscopy techniques for neuroscience research. The facility is an Olympus Discovery Center, born from a partnership between the research center and Olympus Canada Inc. This allows the MCMP to offer the latest microscopes and techniques at competitive rates compared with other core facilities.

Goals

The goal of the facility is to help students and researchers alike to plan, design, perform and analyze fluorescence microscopy experiments. The Molecular and Cellular Microscopy Platform offers one-on-one support and training for fluorescence microscopy experiments and image analysis. The facility is qualified in a range of imaging tasks from basic neuron reconstruction to high-speed, deep-tissue optogenetic experiments in brain slices or live animals.

Our Equipment

Our systems include: 

• Several wide-field microscopes with MicroBrightField software analysis systems,
• A brand-new Olympus FV1200 upright confocal microscope,
• A high-throughput Olympus VS120 slide scanner and an
• ImageXpress High-Content Screening Microscope
• The facility also features a state-of-the-art Olympus FVMPE-RS advanced multi-photon microscope
  This unique microscope was custom-built by Olympus specifically for the Douglas Platform to address the needs of our researchers in neuroscience. It is designed for high-speed, millisecond imaging in deep tissue for experiments such as live-animal calcium imaging and neuronal stimulation with optical fibers. This system comprises two separate microscopes that share a single InSight DeepSee pulsed IR laser: one microscope designed for live animal imaging and the other tailored for the use of a combination of optogenetics and electrophysiology in live brain slices. In addition, the system is equipped with a second laser and a dedicated SIM scanner that allows light stimulation even during high-speed imaging. Finally, this multiphoton microscope allows us to perform extremely deep imaging of clarified specimen (CLARITY), up to 8mm below the surface, using specially optimized objectives from Olympus.

 

Contact

Coordinator of the microscopy facility:

Dr. Bita Khadivjam
bita.khadivjam.comtl@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
514-761-6131 # 3655

Claudia Belliveau, Interim Core Facility Manager

Leaders: 

• Naguib Mechawar, PhD
• Dominique Walker, PhD