Advanced Light Microscopy Facility – This facility offers a collection of state-of-the-art light microscopy equipment and image processing tools.

The ALMF supports in-house scientists and visitors in using light microscopy methods for their research. We are assisting throughout the process of microscopic imaging: planning of a project, sample preparation, selection and usage of the microscope, image processing and visualisation, data transfer and storage.

Our support in high-throughput microscopy also includes RNAi technology, assay development, pilot screen validation and automated image acquisition

Rainer Pepperkok

Director of Scientific Core Facilities and Services

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Major projects and accomplishments

The Advanced Light Microscopy Facility (ALMF) offers a collection of state-of-the-art light microscopy equipment and image processing tools.

The ALMF currently manages 20 advanced microscope systems and 10 high-content microscopes from leading industrial companies.
Several workstations for image analysis are provided.
More than 50 visitors per year come to carry out their own experiments in the ALMF or to evaluate microscopy equipment.
The ALMF was the seed for the European Light Microscopy Initiative (ELMI) that establishes links between core facilities, users and industry throughout Europe.
The ALMF offers open access to the available imaging infrastructure and is part of the EMBL Node in Euro-BioImaging.
5 genome wide screens were supported by the ALMF.
Usage of the facility has exceeded 50,000 hours per year.

Useful links

Visit the ALMF
Instruments
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Services

Project planning, sample preparation, microscope selection and use, image processing and visualization.
Support of advanced microscopy techniques e.g. FRAP, FRET, FCS, laser nanosurgery and super-resolution.
Developing accessory software and microscopy equipment, co-developments with industrial partners, pre-evaluation of commercial equipment.
Supporting all aspects of automated microscopy and high-throughput microscopy projects, including RNAi technology.
Image and data analysis for light microscopy

The ALMF collaborates with a number of technology partners.

Visiting the ALMF

We are happy to welcome visitors in the Advanced Light Microscopy Facility if capacity allows.

Please note that visitors from EMBL’s Member or Associated Member States are our first priority.

If you would like to apply as a visitor in the ALMF, please contact us by email including a short overview of your project. We will discuss the feasibility of your project internally and in case of a positive evaluation we will contact you for a more detailed meeting over the phone, via Skype or video conference.

The ALMF currently participates in several initiatives supporting visitor access:

Euro-BioImaging open access
The ALMF is part of the EMBL node in Euro-BioImaging. Together with the Electron Microscopy Core Facility (EMCF) and the Imaging Centre at EMBL Heidelberg and the Mesoscopic Imaging Facility (MIF) at EMBL Barcelona, the EMBL node offers open access to a broad range of state-of-the-art technologies in biological imaging for life scientists.
Euro-BioImaging supports financing visits to Nodes.
Christian Boulin fellowship
The Fellowships support travel and accommodation costs of young scientists visiting EMBL Core Facilities at the different EMBL sites.
DANEMO fellowships
DANEMO offers fellowships for collaborative work between Danish institutes and EMBL (including Core Facilities).

Contact

Advanced Light Microscopy Facility
EMBL Heidelberg
Meyerhofstraße 1
69117 Heidelberg, Germany

Building 13
Tel.: +49 6221 387-0

For further enquiries or requests to visit the ALMF, please contact us by email