Instrument Details

raman

The new instrument is a Horiba Scientific LabRAM Evolution Confocal Raman microscope system, equipped with high-powered 532 nm and 785 nm lasers and 300, 600, and 1800 gr/mm grating. The instrument is capable of tracking the uptake of isotope-labeled substrates (e.g. 13C, 15N, or 2H) into individual microbial or eukaryotic cells. An epifluorescence module as well as filters for DAPI, Fluorescein/FAM/FITC/GFP, Cy3/TAMRA, and Texas-Red are available. The scope is equipped with an automated xyz-stage with mapping capabilities. The stage is capable of a lateral step size of 50 nm and a vertical step size of 10 nm. The system is equipped with 10x, 50x, and 100x oil objectives, a 63x water immersion objective (NA 1.2, WD 0.28mm), and a 63x long-working distance water immersion objective (NA 1, WD 2mm) suitable for biofilm work. The system is also equipped with a 1,064 nm optical tweezer (CaptuR technology) that allows individual cells to be separated from complex samples. The computer workstation is equipped with the LabSpec6 software with an integrated multivariate analysis module, a particle finder module, and a subscription to Bio-Rad’s KnowItAll Software with Raman spectra library.

The instrument was acquired in 2019 with the support from the NSF MRI program and the Murdock Charitable Trust and is located in the Center for Biofilm Engineering (CBE) in Barnard Hall 331 (Raman and Single Cell Analysis Lab; PI Hatzenpichler).

For questions on the instrument and its capabilities as well as requests on training and use, please contact microscopy facility manager Dr. Heidi Smith or Prof. Roland Hatzenpichler.

Additional links on the LabRam Evolution

Reviews on the use of Confocal Raman micro-spectroscopy in microbiology