Imsol - Image Solutions

Leading scientists Prof. Jeremy Ward and Dr. Vladimir Snetkov have saved over £50,000 by investing in the CARV II flexible imaging system from Image Solutions (UK) Ltd., rather than a traditional confocal laser microscope.

At only £45,000, CARV II is under half the cost of other confocal solutions, yet it delivers high resolution CCD confocal imaging in an easy to use package that fits on to a user's existing microscope. Most importantly of all, its full spectrum 360-700 nm coverage allows the use of virtually any fluorescent probe.

"We chose this particular imaging system because it was better suited to what we were doing," explained researcher Dr Vladimir Snetkov of the Department of Asthma, Allergy and Respiratory Science at King's College London.

Dr. Snetkov's work involves looking at bronchial cells for asthma studies. He also studies the relationship between pulmonary hypertension and cell mitochondria. "Due to the full spectrum coverage I can use almost any fluorescent dye and not damage the sample.

In addition, because I can use a variety of fluorescent probes in the same sample, I can now capture many different multi-dimensional images of mitochondria and cell membrane in just seconds," he explained.

Mr. Ian Corless, MD of Image Solutions (UK) Ltd., said "at £45,000 this low price system will mean that every scientist will be able to have their own confocal imager - in the same way that they have their own PCs now."

The CARV II Confocal imager delivers high resolution CCD confocal imaging in an easy to use package. High speed multi-point confocal scanning using sample-friendly spinning disc technology, combined with high quantum efficiency CCD cameras, minimises photobleaching and allows real real-time imaging and recording at up to 100 fps. The CARV uses an EXFO X-Cite Hg/metal halide lamp as a light source instead of a laser. The CARV II also offers automation of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP).