Light-Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy (LSFM) of cleared brain samples offers the unique opportunity of exploring brain complexity on large scales yet at cellular resolution. The European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy (LENS) has gathered long-standing experience in the whole LSFM pipeline, comprising sample preparation (clearing and staining), the actual imaging using custom-designed optical setups, and image post-processing (volumetric stitching, compression, feature segmentation). The LENS facility hub offers access to two microscopy setups capable of high-speed and high-resolution imaging with simultaneous two-color acquisition. One system can accommodate large bulky samples such as a whole mouse brain, while the other microscope is designed for thin but large tissue slices (several cm in lateral size, 0.5mm to 1mm in thickness).

Within the facility hub, LENS can provide the full service (clearing, imaging and processing) or can host external scientists that wish to use the microscopes or acquire technical skills in light-sheet microscopy. Specific projects need to be discussed beforehand to ensure an optimal planning of resource usage and the organisation of specific training if needed.

LENS is an interdisciplinary international laboratory doing research in the field of biophotonics, photonic materials, and quantum technologies. It is home to a PhD school and offers the International Doctorate in Atomic and Molecular Photonics through the University of Florence.

More information about LSFM is available here: http://bio.lens.unifi.it/

About Human Brain Project Facility Hubs

The Human Brain Project Facility Hubs offer users from academia and industry around the world to use the state-of-the-art facilities and resources of HBP partner institutions, to foster collaboration and carry out cutting-edge scientific research. They are contributions from HBP partners to the new EBRAINS research infrastructure, and complement the EBRAINS services currently on offer.