The Microscopy Characterization facility is composed of a variety of microscopy equipment, useful for very different applications in the biomedical field, allowing researchers to acquire images and analyse structures, from single molecules all the way to the nanoscale living cells.
The Facility was born as a service belonging to the Core Facilities, with the mission of supporting microscopy in our institute, although currently also offers service to external users.
In this way, we not only have optical microscopy instruments, for those users who do not have the basic infrastructure at their workstations, but also a powerful electron microscopy service, with specialized techniques and equipment, to prepare biological samples, which must be inspected at high resolution and high vacuum conditions.
Ours is a combined service, located at different spaces, having additional types of microscopes, only open to the IBEC community.
In our Facilities, IBEC researchers and also external clients (public and private) can acquire images and analyse structures, ranging from single molecules at the nanoscale, to living cells.
For more information please send an email to microscopy@ibecbarcelona.eu.
SERVICES
Training in techniques, equipment and processes of Optical and Electronic Microscopy for autonomous use (self-user mode).
Customized Optical and Electron Microscopy Services, conducted by scientific personnel (order mode with previous quotation).
Confocal and fluorescence samples characterization.
Morphological and topographic characterization by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
- High vacuum mode (conductive samples).
- Low vacuum mode (environmental SEM for insulating samples, or not compatible with high vacuum).
Combined topographic (SEM) and fluorescence (Confocal) samples characterization.
SEM sample preparation.
- Chemical fixation service for biological samples.
- Critical point dehydration service.
- Gold plating service for high resolution inspection of insulating samples.
- Single molecule localization
- Stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy
- Points Accumulation for Imaging in Nanoscale Topography
- Particle Tracking
EQUIPMENT
Managed by Core Facilities
Click on an item for more information.
Optical microscope
Confocal microscope
Stochastic Optical
Reconstruction Super
Resolution Microscope
Scanning Electron Microscope
Sputtering
Critical point dryer
Managed by IBEC groups
Click on an item for more information.
Bio-Atomic Force Microscope
BECOME USER
To become a Microscopy Characterization user, please follow the steps below.
- 1. Read the ‘information and regulations for users’ document:
Terms and conditions of use - 2. Fill in the new user application forms:
a. Customer registration form: to be completed by the person who assumes the costs resulting from the provision of services carried out in Microscopy Characterization.
Customer Registration Request
b. User linked to a customer registration form: to be completed by the person that will directly use Microscopy Characterization services. This person must be linked to a customer that will assume the costs resulting from the services provided.
User linked to customer registration form - 3. Send the completed application forms to microscopy@ibecbarcelona.eu
EXTERNAL CLIENTS
 | GP-Pharm S.A. Drug Delivery Research |
 | Infinitec Activos S.L. |
 | Institut Químic de Sarrià Bioenginyeria |
 | Universidad del Pais Vasco Tecnología Farmacéutica |
 | Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (IQAC-CSIC) Nanotecnologia Química y Biomolecular |
 | Fundació Institut Català Nanociència i Nanotecnologia (ICN2) Advanced Electronic Materials & Devices |
 | Universitat de Barcelona Física Aplicada y Òptica |
USERS' PUBLICATIONS
Why acknowledge Microscopy Characterization and its staff in your publications?
- To demonstrate the value of IBEC’s common facility and staff to the scientific community
- To secure funding and new investments in future equipment and better facilities
- To make research better, and keep improving
For every publication accepted by a journal that properly refers to the use of IBEC’s Microscopy Characterization, authors will receive a free hour of instrument use (excluding consumables). Simply inform us about your publication to receive your free time. In addition, we’ll also display your publication on our web page.
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Nedjari S, Awaja F, Altankov G. (2017). Three Dimensional Honeycomb Patterned Fibrinogen Based Nanofibers Induce Substantial Osteogenic Response of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Sci Rep. 7(1):15947 |
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H A Moreno, S Hussain, R Amade and E Bertran (2014). Growth and functionalization of CNTs on stainless steel electrodes for supercapacitor applications. Materials Research Express, Volume 1, Number 3 |
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Ziqiu Tong, Oscar Seira, Cristina Casas, Diego Reginensi, Antoni Homs-Corbera, Josep Samitier and J. Antonio Del Rio (2015). Engineering a functional neuro-muscular junction model in a chip RSC Adv. |