This 20m² room is used for analysing live, fixed and stained bacteria and phytoplankton samples.

Currently we use this room predominantly for work on behalf of the the Food Standards Agency on screening fish farm samples from around the west coast of Scotland for toxic phytoplankton which may cause shellfish poisoning. We produce population data and species identifications.

The room is equipped with four inverted Zeiss microscopes, two of which have fluorescent units. There is also a conventinal or 'upright' Zeiss microscope with a fluorescent unit. Two digital camera imaging systems are available and can be moved between these five microscopes allowing us to takes images of our samples.

Our Zeiss confocal microscope has the capacity to take images using an Argon laser. This laser system allows us to take images through a cell/organism at set intervals and to squash these together into a 'Z stack' to create a 3D image. The software allows us to rotate the image and move through the different depths of the cells. The confocal microscope also has the capability to do FRET and FRAP analysis which are methods of tracking dye traced chemicals through a cell over time and producing a small time lapse film at the end.

For more information, please contact Mrs Elaine Mitchell.