Service Alliance
In 1995, EPL formed a strategic alliance with the Laboratory for Advanced Electron and Light Optical Methods (LAELOM) at the College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University. This alliance has proven to be an unbeatable combination of technical and professional expertise. Our enhanced services include: Scanning Electron Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy
The LAELOM, a fully GLP-compliant laboratory, consists of a 1,535 square foot facility, equipped with an array of transmission and scanning electron microscopes, as well as photomicroscopes and peripherals.
- JEOL JSM-35 CF Scanning Electron Microscope
- FEI/Philips EM208S Transmission Electron Microscope
- Wild M400 Photomacroscope
- Olympus Vanox AH-3 Photomicroscope Equipped with a SPOT RT Slider cooled-CCD Digital Camera
- ImagePro Plus for Morphometric Analysis
- PAX-IT Digital Imaging Software
In addition to all the necessary support equipment for preparing samples for electron microscopy, the LAELOM has a totally equipped darkroom set up for production of black-and-white prints, copy negatives, 2×2 black-and-white slides, and posters. A cryostat is also available for producing frozen sections for light microscopy. Also available is a state-of-the-art Leica Ultracut UCT ultramicrotome with a Leica EM FCS attachment designed for cutting ultrathin frozen sections for immunolabeling.
The LAELOM provides extensive consultation services to help investigators determine appropriate methods to approach their particular problems.
Dr. Michael Dykstra, the LAELOM Director, has more than 30 years of experience in ultrastructural research, as well as consultation in technical methods, budgeting, SOP preparation and equipment selection. Dr. Dykstra has worked with the pharmaceutical industry for over 16 years.
The laboratory staff consists of biologists with experience in molecular biology, morphometry, electron microscopy, and photography.
The LAELOM has technical expertise working with:
- Macromolecules (DNA, proteins)
- Viruses
- Bacteria (free-living and in biofilms)
- Fungi
- Protozoans
- Cell Cultures
- Metazoan Tissues (insects, crustaceans, mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, etc.)
- Textile Polymers
- Plastic Films from electrical storage cells
- Artificial Joint Materials, Artificial Cell Matrices
- Immunolabeling of ultrathin frozen and plastic-embedded sections
The LAELOM staff is available for assistance in the selection of fixation protocols, appropriate molecular probes (lectins, immunolabels, cytochemistry), and can provide instruction or advice concerning proper preparation of biological samples for evaluation.
The LAELOM provides training on available equipment to those familiar with EM techniques and also offers a one-semester electron microscopy course (CBS-732) in the spring to introduce novices to all the techniques utilizing TEM and SEM. Individual training in photomicroscopy, morphometry and digitized imaging is available.
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