# Olympus VS200 Brightfield/Fluorescence whole slide scanner with slide tower

> **NIH NIH S10** · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · 2023 · $289,738

## Abstract

This proposal requests an Olympus VS200 brightfield/fluorescence slide scanner with a multi-slide loader
and software for network integration to replace an aged Leica/Aperio Scanscope brightfield scanner. The Aperio
scanner was purchased in 2007 and has performed >27,000 slide scans but service by the vendor ceased in
September 2020. There are no brightfield or brightfield/fluorescence slide scanners at other shared facilities at
UF. The Olympus VS200 was selected as the most suitable instrument due to its user friendliness for scanning
and image handling, being multipurpose for brightfield and fluorescence scanning modes, accommodating
regular and large sized slides, permitting greater slide loading capacity for improved workload (from 5 slides with
manual loading with the Aperio to up to 35 slides per tray with continuous robotic loading for 210 slides),
enhanced focus imaging for virtual-Z planes in samples up to 100µm thick, and excellence in local technical
support. Seven filter cubes are requested to permit multiplex fluorescence for up to 7 fluorochromes. We are
also requesting a Pinkel filter for high-speed, sequential imaging for 5 fluorophores. The VS200 supports all
common image file formats and requested software will facilitate file batch conversions to other formats including
OMERO tiff for data sharing. The new scanner will be operated in the Molecular Pathology Core (MPC),
Department of Pathology, at the University of Florida, a shared research histology facility that occupies ~2,000
sq. ft. of space centrally located in the UF Health Science Center. The MPC has been in continuous operations
for 20 years under the direction of the PI. Staff members of the MPC are experts in histology, immunolocalization,
and light microscopy imaging and will provide management and technical expertise for use of this instrument.
The scanner will be available to users of this application through nominal hourly rates during regular work hours
while scanning during after-hours will be at half-rate costs. Strong institutional commitment ensures maintenance
of the annual service contract during the instrument’s lifetime and departmental support is provided for technical
support to train users for VS200 use. Instrument policies, fee schedules and conflict resolution will be guided by
an Advisory Committee and User Committees. The 8 major and 12 minor users in this proposal are funded by
the NIH and each requires scanned slides, and more so, for new fluorescence scanning capabilities afforded by
this instrument. Current user projects include those using deep learning algorithms for analysis of renal biopsies
for renal disease, studies of human brain samples from patients with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases,
studies of human pancreas samples for understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms of type 1 diabetes
pathogenesis, iron metabolism, and viral infections. Two major and two minor users are funded by the NIH
Common Fund Human Biomolecular Atlas...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10632487
- **Project number:** 1S10OD032236-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** MARTHA CAMPBELL-THOMPSON
- **Activity code:** S10 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $289,738
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-08-15 → 2024-08-14

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10632487

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10632487, Olympus VS200 Brightfield/Fluorescence whole slide scanner with slide tower (1S10OD032236-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10632487. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*