# Wide-field super-resolution spinning disk confocal microscope

> **NIH NIH S10** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2020 · $600,000

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
This application requests funds for the purchase of a high-speed CSU-W1 SoRa spinning disk confocal
microscope system that will support a large and diverse portfolio of NIH-funded research at the UCSF Parnassus
Heights campus. The requested system includes four laser lines for common fluorophores, simultaneous dual-
wavelengths image acquisition at up to 200 frames per second, a 130 µm x 130 µm field of view at 100x
magnification, axial super-resolution to <150 nm, environmental control and dynamic photoactivation. This
specific system was chosen to optimally address the needs of the diverse major user group with advanced
imaging modalities that are not currently available at UCSF Parnassus Heights. Almost all of the thirteen major
users who are supported by twenty-five current NIH grants had an opportunity to test the requested system
during a 5-day demonstration and we were able to evaluate the performance of the CSU-W1 both qualitatively
and quantitatively. No other instrument with similar capabilities currently exists on the market. The need and
interest for this instrument is further highlighted by a total of twelve figures included in this application showing
high-quality preliminary data obtained during this short demo period. The requested CSU-W1 SoRa microscope
system will be placed under the administrative oversight of the Biological Imaging Development CoLab (BIDC)
at UCSF Parnassus Heights. The BIDC has been successfully in operation for fifteen years, and administrative
policies that are in place at the BIDC will ensure long-term maintenance and financial viability of the requested
instrument while at the same time keeping costs for running experiments below typical recharge rates. In addition
to UCSF’s general support for the BIDC and infrastructure, over $150,000 of institutional support specifically for
the purchase, installation and maintenance of the requested instrument have been secured. The BIDC also has
a high visibility at the UCSF Parnassus Heights campus, which will ensure broad access of the UCSF Parnassus
Heights research community and optimal impact on NIH-funded research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9939969
- **Project number:** 1S10OD028611-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** Torsten Wittmann
- **Activity code:** S10 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $600,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-20 → 2021-09-19

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9939969

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9939969, Wide-field super-resolution spinning disk confocal microscope (1S10OD028611-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9939969. Licensed CC0.

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