Tobias Walther & Cell Biology Program
Minflux
The MINFLUX super-resolution microscope, awarded to Dr. Walther, represents a groundbreaking advancement in imaging technology at MSK. This state-of-the-art system bridges the gap between light and electron microscopy, achieving nanometer-scale resolution—100 times finer than conventional light microscopy. Its unprecedented precision and speed enable transformative insights into molecular processes such as protein mobility and nanoscale structural organization. User-friendly and accessible, the MINFLUX microscope will serve as a vital resource for Dr. Walther’s research and the broader MSK community, driving innovation and discovery in live cell imaging and beyond.
John Maciejowski/Agnel Sfeir & Molecular Biology Program
Nikon SoRA
The Nikon CSU-W1 SoRa, awarded to Dr. Maciejowski and Dr. Sfeir, provides cutting-edge imaging capabilities to support shared research efforts at MSK. Combining the speed and sensitivity of spinning disk confocal microscopy with the enhanced resolution of super-resolution imaging, this system achieves native 140 nm resolution with minimal phototoxicity, making it ideal for studying dynamic and delicate cellular processes. This versatile microscope is critical for investigating genome stability, DNA repair mechanisms, and the dynamics of cellular structures like mitochondrial DNA and micronuclei. Its low phototoxicity and rapid imaging capabilities enable researchers to visualize low-abundance proteins and track fluorescently tagged molecules in live cells, advancing our understanding of cellular responses to DNA damage and chromosomal instability.
Michael Overholtzer, Mary Baylies, and Morgan Huse
The Elyra 7 Lattice Structured Illumination Microscope
The Elyra 7 Lattice Structured Illumination Microscope from Zeiss will be shared by the Baylies, Huse and Overholtzer laboratories, and will be available to additional users as well. This system performs rapid imaging at super-resolution, which will allow us to examine biological processes occurring within live cells and whole organisms with unprecedented detail. With the Elyra 7 we will gain deeper insights into how T cells recognize and kill their target cells, how muscle cells develop and undergo degeneration, and how processes such as cell death and the turnover of intracellular organelles are regulated.
Scott Keeney
Lumicks C-Trap G2
The Lumicks C-Trap G2 is a microscope equipped with “optical tweezers”—powerful lasers that can capture and pull on microscopic beads that in turn can be attached to single molecules of DNA, RNA, or protein. This instrument allows investigators to watch in real time as they manipulate and measure the behaviors of individual molecular machines. In the past, such single-molecule biophysical studies could only be executed by labs who have committed engineering infrastructure and expertise to build and operate complicated home-made rigs. However, the BRIA- and HHMI-supported acquisition of the Lumicks instrument and its housing in the Molecular Cytology Core Facility make these revolutionary and cutting-edge methods available throughout the MSK research community.