NeuroImaging Centre
Welcome at the Website of the NeuroImaging Centre of the Research Department of Neuroscience.
Our aim is the strengthening of the existing excellent neuroscience research by funding state-of-the-art group equipment. Thus, in the last years the RDN purchased joint equipment for a variety of interdisciplinary research projects. These instruments are available for all members of the department. You can find information about contact details in the list below. Please contact the person in charge for information about usage and costs.
The NeuroImaging Centre of the RDN is equipped with the following apparatus:
Magnetic resonance imaging
7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging system
© Susanne Troll, SFB 874
The MRI-scanner is especially configured for MRI-studies of small mammals such as rodents and pigeons. Detailed pictures of brain structures in high contrast can be obtained based on the 7 tesla magnetic field strength. This high resolution is for example very important for experiments that aim at covering physiological to cognitive topics.
The scanner is funded by the Stiftung Mercator.
Contact:
Prof. Dr. O. Güntürkün or
Prof. Dr. D. Manahan-Vaughan.
Location:
Scanner Centre, building NI/NT
3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging system
The MRI-scanner is especially configured for MRI-studies of the head and spinal cord from humans. Detailed pictures with high-contrast are available based on the 3 tesla magnetic field strength with a high-resolution 32-channel-head coil.
The scanner is hosted at the Neurological Clinic, Bergmannsheil.
Contact:
Prof. Dr. M. Tegenthoff
Location:
University Clinic Bergmannsheil
Multimodal stimulation system for functional MRI
The multimodal stimulation system for functional MRI consists of a video system to produce visual stimuli and video sequences, which are presented via stereo-LCD-glasses. The communication system for the presentation of acoustical stimulation patterns is especially adapted for the use in a MRI-scanner. The whole stimulation system is available for investigations in the 3 Tesla-scanner and therefore it is hosted at the Neurological Clinic, Bergmannsheil.
Contact: Prof. Dr. M. Tegenthoff
Location: University Clinic Bergmannsheil
Microscopy
Dual-color STED (STimulated Emission Depletion) microscope
Example recording
Comparison of two-color STED (top) and
confocal (bottom) microscopy with the dual-color STED microscope.
The STED microscope is based on the setup published by Bückers et al. (Optics Express 2011, 19(4), p.3130. DOI: 10.1364/OE.19.00313032011)
The light source of this setup is a Fianium ALP super-continuum laser offering a super-continuum as well as two beams for STED at 711nm and 745nm. The STED microscope is integrated into a commercial, automated epifluorescent microscope (iMIC, Till Photonics, today FEI Munich) which allows taking overview images. The filter sets currently available for the epifluorescent microscope allow recording the following dyes:
Atto 590, Abberior Star 580, Alexa 594
Atto 647N, Abberior Star 635P, Abberior Star Red, Alexa 647
GFP, FITC and similar
Objectives for the epifluorescent overview mode are Olympus 4× and 20× long working distance objectives.
The epifluorescent microscope is built in a heating chamber that allows temperature control and controlling the CO2-level of the atmosphere, allowing for live cell recordings. STED imaging is possible with one orange-red and a second far-red dye (Details can be found in the dye selection How-to) .
Objective for STED recording is an Olympus APON60XOTIRF and confocal pinholes are 75µm in diameter, however, pinholes can be changed. The microscope is equipped with a Yanus IV beam scanner (Till Photonics, today FEI munich).
Contact:
Dr. P. Happel
Location:
RUBION, building NI 06/135
2-Photonen confocale microscope
It is based on a Sutter moveable objective microscope (MOM) and equipped with a high-power Mai Tai laser system (Newport Spectra-Physics). The laser is tuneable to achieve excitation wavelength from 690 nm – 1020 nm. The system is designed for in-vitro as well as for in-vivo investigations and can be widely adapted to the user’s requirements.
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Denise Manahan-Vaughan
Location:
Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, MA 4
Confocale multiphoton laser scanning microscope
The system (Leica TCS SP5) based on a a multiphoton laser and fix-stage microscope. The system is designed for following investigations and can be widely adapted to the user’s requirements:
1. High-resolution 3D-reconstruction of microscopic tissue structures with multiple fluorescence markers
2. In vitro high-resolution, extreme fast confocale functional imaging in vital tissue slices
Contact:
Prof. Dr. D. Manahan-Vaughan
Location:
Medical Faculty, Dep. Neurophysiology, MA 4
Neurolucida system
The Neurolucida system consists of a software/hardware package for performing brain mapping, neuron tracing and reconstruction in 2 D and 3D.
Contact: Prof. Dr. K. Funke.
Location: Medical Faculty, Dep. Neurophysiology, MA 4/159
Electroencephalography (EEG)-lab
The core of the EEG-lab is the 128-channel-EEG/EP-caps system with a dynamic impedance control for recordings of brain activity during diverse behavioural tasks (including a Brain Vision-Analyzer 2.0-software package).
Contact:
Prof. Dr. O. Güntürkün
PD Dr. S. Ocklenburg
Location:
Faculty of Psychology, Biopsycholoy, IB 6/96 + 150