Facilities

We are currently in the process of building up and moving into our newly-finished (April 2025) lab!
Our primary focus is single-molecule characterization using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and fluorescence microscopy.

Huma - Bruker JPK NanoWizard UltraSpeed 3

This high-speed AFM system from Bruker JPK is capable of 1400 Hz scan rate (more than 10 frames per second) for high-resolution and high-speed scanning in liquid/buffer under temperature-controlled environment. The system is installed on top of an inverted Olympus microscope capable of single-molecule fluorescence microscopy. We are in the process of added super-resolution structured illumination microscopy (SIM) to the system.
This system is named Huma, after the mythical bird that spends its entire life flying.

Hestia - Bruker MultiMode 8/Nanoscope 5

This Bruker MultiMode 8/NanoScope 5 system is equipped for high-resolution AFM imaging (PeakForce) and quantitative nanomechanical property mapping (PeakForce-QNM).
This system is named Hestia, for its steadfast and perpetual performance.

ZagZag - Bruker MultiMode 8-PORT

This system is built around a Bruker MultiMode 8 platform with custom controller and photothermal excitation AFM head (with help from LBNI @ EPFL), and is capable of high resolution imaging at speeds up-to 100 Hz.
This system is named ZagZag, after the late Karen Zagorski (1990-2023) whose ebullient character and unbridled enthusiasm for science is mirrored in this system.

HK-47 - Bruker JPK ForceRobot 300

This dedicated Bruker JPK ForceRobot 300 system is capable of automated advanced single-molecule force spectroscopy for high-throughput, quantitative single-molecule experiments.
The system is named HK-47, of Star Wars fame.

Krølle - Custom Magnetic Tweezer

This custom magnetic tweezer is built around an inverted Olympus microscope with a 4-line CellTIRF module for single-molecule fluorescence. It is equipped with lasers (405 nm, 445 nm, 470 nm, 528 nm, 555 nm, 640 nm) covering the most common fluorophores, and is capable of simultaneous two-color experiments, including FRET.
This system is named Krølle, for its abilities to twist molecules.

MulMul - DeltaVision Elite

This stand-alone fluorescence microscope is equipped with a seven-color setup covering the common Alexa/Atto/Cy dye sets. Additionally, the microscope is equipped with a laser-based hardware autofocus, UltimateFocus, and a microtiter stage that can accommodate standard coverslips and up-to 384-well plates.
This system is called MulMul, the Babylonian name for the Pleiades.

SPRint - Bruker SPR-24

This Bruker Sierra SPR-24 Pro high-throughput surface plasmon resonance (SPR) system with continuous flow is available for real-time, label-free characterization of molecular interactions. The system is capable of processing up-to 8800 sample conditions per 24 hours.
This system is named SPRint, for its high-throughput abilities.