Help us pick the next core facility flagship confocal microscope!
The ORP Imaging Cores - Optical will be hosting a number of on-site demonstrations of high-end confocal microscopes in the first two and a half months of the fall semester of 2026. Our goal is to work with our users and evaluate these instruments so that we can find the best match to people's research needs.
During the summer of 2026, we will be surveying the campus to better understand what is important to our users and potential users. The Qualtrics survey will be open from July 14 to August 7, 2026. Please spend a few moments telling us about your research needs. If you missed the survey window, feel free to email us about your needs/interests at opticalimaging@arizona.edu. Participants who complete the survey are eligible for a core facility pilot grant of $250 (can only be used at the ORP Imaging Cores – Optical for labor and instrument time). A random drawing will be held the week after the survey closes.
On-site demonstrations will be housed in Life Sciences North (map), room 429 (SE corner of the fourth floor). Scheduling time to see each instrument will be handled by the vendors, but we will include links below (far right column of the table) as we received them. The vendors plan to give seminars (virtual) before their demonstrations to introduce the technology and features of their instruments. Additional details and links to the seminars will be posted here as they become available.
BUILDING ACCESS: The fourth floor of Life Sciences North can be entered (during regular work hours) through the bridge connecting the building to the College of Medicine without needing a pre-authorized CatCard. Room 429 is in the southeast corner of the fourth floor. If you anticipate needing assistance to get into the building, please email us at opticalimaging@arizona.edu and we will give you a phone number to call.
Please print out and post our flier in your department to help us get the word out.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE (this information will be updated regularly):
| Date/time | Instrument description and links | Scheduling a demo |
|---|---|---|
| July/Aug 2026 | USER SURVEY Please spend a few moments to tell us about your research needs (survey will be open July 14 to Aug 7, 2026) | -- |
| TBD | Evident seminar | -- |
| Aug 24 - Sept 4, 2026 | EVIDENT (formerly Olympus) FV5000 confocal microscope (more details to follow) | -- |
| TBD | Leica seminar | -- |
| Sept 14 - 25, 2026 | LEICA Stellaris 8 confocal microscope with white light laser, STED | -- |
| TBD | Nikon seminar | |
| Early Oct. | NIKON AX-R confocal microscope with N-Sparc | -- |
| TBD | Zeiss seminar | |
| Nov 16-20, 2026 | ZEISS LSM 990 with Airyscan 2 confocal microscope, combining 34-channel Spectral detection, Airyscan super-resolution, NIR capability, full incubation control, automated sample detection and the new and unique Lightfield4D module for the most demanding live-cell, high resolution and multicolor imaging applications. | -- |