Hands-on Lunch and Learn with the UC Irvine Optical Biology Core Facility

Translucence Biosystems hosted a “Lunch and Learn” in collaboration with the UCI Optical Biology Core Facility. This event provided an opportunity for researchers, students, and individuals interested in light sheet imaging and 3D histology to learn how these techniques can accelerate their research.

Participants were introduced to tissue clearing techniques, best practices, and how it is transforming biological research. Product Innovation and Business Development Manager, Nathaniel Guanzon, presented on tools and technologies Translucence Biosystems is developing to make 3D tissue clearing and AI-powered analysis and quantification accessible to all researchers.

Guanzon provided an overview of 3D tissue clearing and staining and touched on its utility in analyzing whole-brain and intact tissue samples. Attendees were introduced to one of the most widely adopted tissue clearing protocols, the iDISCO+ (immunolabeling-enabled three-dimensional imaging of solvent-cleared organs) method. The iDISCO+ clearing and immunolabling methodology, when combined with light sheet imaging, enables high-resolution 3D imaging of immunostained organs and tissues. Translucence Biosystems employs a modified version of the iDISCO+ protocol, which uses affordable, commercially available refractive index matching solutions and results in zero shrinkage of the samples of interest. The Translucence modified iDISCO+ protocol is co-developed by our Chief Technology Officer, Ricardo Azevedo.

The presentation also provided an overview of downstream steps following tissue clearing including 3D Tissue Imaging, 3D Light Sheet Image Stitching, and 3D AI-Powered Quantification.

The presentation was followed by a Q&A session and a hands-on demonstration on the ZEISS Z.1 Lightsheet Microscope, equipped with the Mesoscale Imaging System™ by Research Associate Eric Blaes.

The Mesoscale Imaging System enhances the capabilities of the ZEISS Lightsheet Z.1 by enabling the imaging of larger biological samples with high refractive index (RI) solutions using both 5x and 2.5x objectives. Scientists can image an entire mouse brain at cellular resolution in under 25 minutes using the 2.5x objective, enabling rapid, high-resolution three-dimensional imaging of intact tissues.

We thank all the participants who joined us for this interactive Lunch and Learn with the UCI Optical Biology Core Facility. We had a great time discussing tissue clearing techniques and applications and answering your questions. We are here to serve as an ongoing resource and extend support to scientists looking to become involved in tissue clearing and Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy (LSFM). Reach out to us for support at info@translucencebio.com.

A special thank you to Dr. Adeela Syed, UC Irvine Optical Biology Core Facility Manager, for making this event possible.

For more information about topics mentioned in this article, including the Mesoscale Imaging System™ and 3D AI-Powered Quantification, visit our website.

For inquiries about event and workshop sponsorships or collaborations, contact us at info@translucencebio.com.

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