# Leica SP8 Confocal Microscope

> **NIH NIH S10** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2021 · $599,138

## Abstract

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This application requests funds to purchase a new confocal microscope to support the imaging needs of over 30
investigators at the University of Michigan. The Brehm and Kellogg Research towers of the Kellogg Eye Center
house both Diabetes and Vision research scientists that have worked collaboratively to achieve high quality
imaging for over 10 years with support from the NIDDK-funded Michigan Diabetes Research Center and the
NEI-funded Vision Research Core. These investigators share space in the Brehm Research tower and have
established a shared Imaging Facility that supports tissue and cellular processing and imaging with a strong
emphasis on confocal microscopy. However, two of the three confocal microscopes are now over 10 years old
and unable to provide the imaging requirements of our investigators. We propose to purchase a new confocal
microscope to replace two of the existing microscopes based on four major needs common to this group of
investigators. First, the system provides high speed resonant scanning to produce tiled images of large organ
structures with significant improvement in image resolution compared to currently available systems. Second,
the new system possesses a broad spectrum of excitation and emission capabilities with a high degree of
precision to allow specific signal detection. Third, the system provides the ability to reduce background
autofluorescence through time gating, a feature required by a number of our Imaging Facility users. Fourth, the
system will be outfitted for live cell imaging to provide quantitative live cell assays. The new microscope will
support a large group of Major Users with NIH funding addressing such fundamental biological issues as central
control of feeding behavior and retinal light detection and neural circuitry as well as fundamental cell biological
problems such as ion channel function and distribution, cilia formation and cell division. Other Major Users study
disease pathology, including diabetes, diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy, age related macular degeneration
and glaucoma. The new microscope will integrate into the shared Imaging Facility with a well-established
infrastructure for providing service, training, and long-term support. Finally, the University of Michigan will provide
substantial support to maintain and further equip the requested confocal microscope and the Imaging Facility.
Collectively, the requested purchase will be part of a larger effort to provide imaging support to advance NIH
funded research improving human health.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10175244
- **Project number:** 1S10OD028612-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** David Antonetti
- **Activity code:** S10 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $599,138
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-04-01 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10175244

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10175244, Leica SP8 Confocal Microscope (1S10OD028612-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10175244. Licensed CC0.

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