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Institute for Biophysical Dynamics Nanobiology Facility

The IBD Nanobiology Facility is a joint venture between the Biological and Physical Sciences Divisions. This facility was created in the Institute for Biophysical Dynamics (IBD) to establish a wide range of core capabilities in advanced microscopy, time-resolved fluorescence, AFM imaging, and single molecule mechanics. It is directed by Prof. Norbert Scherer (Chemistry) with Justin Jureller, Ph.D. as Technical Director. It has two parallel missions: to develop new instrumentation and methods building on emerging nanoscale biological techniques; and to provide general user access, training, and support for commercial instrumentation in the aforementioned areas. Often times this will result in the construction of custom optomechanical instruments for specialized user projects. Current instrumentation includes two biological atomic force microscopes (Aslyum MFP-3D and Bruker Multimode), time-resolved and steady-state fluorimeters (ISS ChronosBH and HJY Fluorolog-3), ultrafast laser sources, custom TCSPC (Becker-Hickl) microscopes, and a variety of optics and optomechanical resources. Currently in development are a new Simultaneous Multiplane 3D Imaging Microscope based on a programmable spatial light modulator, a novel ultrafast amplified laser source intended  for nonlinear imaging of nanoparticles, colloids, intracellular granule transport, and a DMD programmable mirror based LED system for optogenetics experiments. The facility has a teaching/training component that is being utilized in lab courses for  the Graduate Program in Biophysics. The NanoBiology Facility maintains strong educational and industrial outreach programs as well as consulting services for projects, grant writing, and publications.