Division of Biology and Medicine
BioMed Core Facilities
Microtomes, Critical Point Dryer and Sputter Coater
Ultrathin sectioning for light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy
Microtomes, Critical Point Dryer and Sputter Coater
Ultrathin sectioning for light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy
Overview
Sidney Frank Hall, Rooms 105, 106, 109
The facility maintains equipment for sample preparation, including a Leica EM UC7 Ultramicrotome and Reichert Ultracut E microtome for ultrathin sectioning, a Ladd Research Industries critical point dryer, an Emitech K100X glow discharge unit, and an Emitech K550 sputter coater. The microtome is used for cutting 1-5 um sections for light microscopy and 60-90 nm sections for transmission electron microscopy. The critical point dryer and sputter coater are used to prepare samples for scanning electron microscopy.
NEW! Leica UC7 Ultramicrotome
The Leica EM UC7 Ultramicrotome was installed in 2020 and provides unique capabilities in trimming and ultrathin sectioning. The microtome is used to prepare samples for transmission electron microscopy and serial block-face imaging on the scanning electron microscope.
Leica EM UC7 Ultramicrotome provides easy preparation of semi- and ultrathin sections as well as perfect, smooth surfaces of biological and industrial samples for TEM, SEM, AFM and Light microscopy examination.
The precision mechanics, ergonomic design, and intuitive layout of the touchscreen control unit make the Leica EM UC7 ideal for the highest quality specimen preparation.
- Knife usage monitoring
- Broad feed range from 1 nm up to 15 µm
- Fully motorized knife stage and AutoTrim function
- Temperature range from +110°C to -185°C
Reservations
Microscopes in the Bioimaging Facility can be reserved using iLab calendars. All facility users are invited to use the system, which requires a one-time registration.
1. Go to our facility's iLab site: ILABS
https://brown.ilab.agilent.com/service_center/show_external/5278/bioimaging_facility
2. In the upper-right-hand corner of the screen click ‘Sign In,’ and select to sign in using Brown University credentials
3. You will be directed to an authentication page where you will enter your Brown University credentials
4. Once you have entered your credentials, click the ‘Login’ button
5. You will be directed to an iLab Registration page where you will select your PI/Lab and verify your contact information.
6. Once your registration has been submitted, your PI will receive a notification that you have requested membership to their lab in iLab. They will need to approve your membership.
7. Your training status needs to be updated. This is done on a rolling basis by Eric Olson (Eric_Olson@brown.edu) and Sandra Van Wagoner (sandra_van_wagoner@brown.edu). Alternatively, you can email Geoffrey_Williams@brown.edu or Robbert_Creton@brown.edu asking for an update of the training status in iLab, listing the microscopes that you have been trained on in the Bioimaging Facility.
When registration is completed (including step 6-7), you can schedule equipment using the iLab calendars.
1. Navigate to the core page: ILABS BIOIMAGING
https://brown.ilab.agilent.com/service_center/show_external/5278/bioimaging_facility
2. In the upper-right-hand corner of the screen click ‘Sign In,’ and select to sign in using Brown University credentials
3. You will be directed to an authentication page where you will enter your Brown University credentials
4. Once you have entered your credentials, click the ‘Login’ button
5. Select the Schedule Equipment tab and click on the ‘View Schedule’ button next to the instrument of interest. Click and drag on the time frame you would like to schedule your reservation for.
6. A window will pop up that will allow you to verify your reservations details and provide payment information before saving the reservation.
When it is time to use the microscope
1. Open iLab and select 'Go to Kiosk'
2. Start end End microscope session (Start is needed to run the microscope)
Additional help
More detailed instructions can be found on the Help Site by clicking on the “HELP” link in the upper right hand corner. For any questions not addressed in the Help site, click on the “HELP” link in the upper right hand corner and submit a ticket, or email ilab-support@agilent.com.