Manchester researchers are installing a new microscope that can watch living cells in 3D at super-high resolution without damaging them. The problem is that existing microscopes force scientists to choose between speed, resolution, and keeping cells alive. This Zeiss Elyra7 system solves that trade-off. It uses structured illumination microscopy to capture fast, 3D images of multiple fluorescent proteins simultaneously, while low laser power and sensitive cameras prevent cell damage during long experiments. The team is adding laser manipulation for optogenetics and microfluidics for drug delivery, so they can poke cells and watch them react in real time. This matters because many biological processes—how cancer cells move, how immune cells respond, how tissues repair themselves—happen at scales below what standard microscopes can resolve. The system will sit in a shared facility with five full-time technicians, serving 15 research groups across cell biology, cancer research, immunology, and regenerative medicine. For six early-career researchers leading projects, access to this tool could accelerate discoveries that are currently invisible in blurry images. The impact is primarily on fundamental bioscience, not immediate clinical applications, but understanding how cells work at this level often seeds future medical breakthroughs.
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Advanced super-resolution imaging systems are crucial for driving discovery in bioscience by enabling real-time, high-resolution observation of dynamic cellular processes. The current imaging systems at the University of Manchester (UoM) do not meet our experimental needs for fast, live-cell, 3D super-resolution imaging of multiple fluorescently-labelled proteins and consequently compromises must be made between speed, resolution, and sensitivity. After extensive evaluation and testing, the Zeiss Elyra7 structured illumination microscopy (SIM) system has been selected for its exceptional performance in live-cell super-resolution imaging. This system provides super-resolution imaging at high speed, allowing 3D optical sectioning in live tissues, and the ability to image multiple fluorophores simultaneously. The camera sensitivity and low laser powers minimise photo-damage, making it possible to observe live samples over extended periods without compromising their viability. Our planned additions of laser manipulation (including optogenetics) and microfluidics drug delivery systems will further enhance its capabilities, allowing biological processes to be perturbed and simultaneously imaged at high speed and resolution. The Elyra7’s powerful image processing capabilities will allow researchers to analyse large datasets efficiently, extracting meaningful information from complex data. UoM’s commitment to open data sharing ensures that the findings and data generated using the Elyra7 will be accessible to the broader scientific community, promoting transparency and collaboration. The equipment will be housed in a purpose-built imaging suite and embedded into the UoM Bioimaging Core Facility, which is accessible to all UoM researchers and external users. The Bioimaging Facility employs 5 full-time, experienced Research Technical Professionals (RTPs) who will ensure the system is well maintained and will provide extensive user training to ensure that its full capabilities are utilised. The Facility’s commitment to inclusivity and sustainability ensures that the system will be accessible to a diverse group of researchers, maximising its impact on the scientific community while minimising its detrimental effects on the environment. The Bioimaging Facility is managed by a senior RTP, Peter March, who is Project Lead (PL) on this application, and supported by academic-lead, Sarah Woolner, a Project Co-lead (PcL) on this project. We have assembled an additional team of 15 research-leads from a range of disciplines including cell biology, cancer research, immunology, mechanobiology, matrix biology, and regenerative medicine, who all use live-cell imaging for their research and will provide an immediate skilled userbase for the system. The acquisition of the Zeiss Elyra7 live-cell super-resolution system will provide a step-change for their imaging capabilities and lead to new discoveries currently “hidden” in low resolution images. This will be particularly important for the 6 early career researchers included as PcLs on this application. These are researchers in their first independent academic position for whom access to cutting-edge tools, such as the Elyra7, is particularly crucial to advance their research and accelerate their careers. In summary, the proposed live-cell super-resolution imaging system will enable UoM researchers to observe, and manipulate, cellular processes in incredible detail, leading to new discoveries across the biosciences.
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