Bioimaging Campus Resources and Facilities

• Beckman Institute
• Biomedical Imaging Center
• Imaging Technology Group
• Integrated Systems Laboratory (CUBE) Beckman Institute
• Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Laboratory
• Beckman Institute Image Laboratory
• Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Facilities
• College of Engineering
• Bioacoustics Research Laboratory in ECE
• Magnetic Resonance Engineering Laboratory in ECE
• Laboratory for Fluorescense Dynamics in Physics
• Materials Research Laboratory
• NCSA
• REL (Renaissance Experimental Lab) at the Beckman Institute
• School of Chemical Sciences
• Varian Oxford InstrumentsCenter for Excellence (VOICE) NMR Laboratory in the School of Chemical Sciences
• Illinois Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Research Center in the School of Chemical Sciences
• Veterinary Medicine
• Center for Microscopic Imaging (CMI)

Beckman Institute

Biomedical ImagingCenter
http://bic.beckman.uiuc.edu/facilitiesb/index.html

The Biomedical Imaging Center is a 15,500 sq. ft. facility that houses three separate imaging wings, wet lab, computer lab, electronic and mechanical shops, reference library, conference room, research offices and administrative staff offices.

The Center houses highly specialized imaging equipment including:

• A 4.7T/33cm Varian/Spectroscopy Imaging System Corporation (SISCO) imaging spectrometer with a Doty Scientific microprobe
• 3T Siemens Allegra MR Headscanner 
• A 600 MHZ spectrometer

In additional to the usual desktop computers and workstations there are direct fiber-optic connections to the SGI Power Challenge Array, and other systems at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA).  These more powerful computers can be used with all the imaging systems for image reconstruction, processing and visualization.

 

The Imaging Technology Group
http://www.itg.uiuc.edu/

The primary mission of the Imaging Technology Group (ITG) is to provide state-of-the-art imaging facilities for researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and University of Illinois. This service mission is accomplished through two facilities: the Microscopy Suite and the Visualization, Media, and Imaging Laboratory (VMIL).

• Microscopy Suite - Instruments in the facility include dissecting, stereology, fluorescence, confocal, transmission electron, environmental scanning electron, atomic force and near field scanning optical microscopes.  Various supporting facilities include a developing and a printing darkroom, a wet lab and a library of books and small equipment available for checkout.  Ancillary equipment housed in the supporting facilities includes an ultramicrotome, a carbon evaporator, a sputter coater,  a fiber optic puller and an optical diffractometer. 
• Visualization, Media, and Imaging Laboratory (VMIL) - The Visualization, Media and Imaging Laboratory (VMIL) provides computing, imaging and multimedia resources for scientific visualization, image analysis and research presentation. Its imaging resources include flatbed scanners, slide/negative scanners, 3D surface scanners, and a film recorder. PowerMac and Intel workstations provide software for image analysis, enhancement and editing. Silicon Graphics and IBM RS/6000 workstations are used for molecular modeling and simulation, image analysis/compositing, 3D animation/modeling, uncompressed video capture, movie production and a variety of related computation-intensive applications.

The Integrated Systems Laboratory (CUBE) Beckman Institute
http://www.isl.uiuc.edu/

The ISL houses the world's only 3-meter rigid walled immersive visualization CUBE and four large single-screen immersive visualization systems.  Advanced visualization and sonification hardware and software are utilized to create stereo video and spatialized sonification environments for researchers throughout the campus.  These immersive systems are integrated with items such as augmented reality goggles, video cameras and eye/head and full-body motion tracking systems to gather subject data. Two SGI Onyx2 computers, a three-pipe, 12 processor SGI Onyx graphics supercomputer and a PC cluster are available to drive the visualization environments as well as a number of desktop workstations for program development. The CUBE is manufactured by TAN Projektionstechnologie of Dusseldorf, Germany.  Eye tracking sytems are manufactured by Applied Science Laboratories (www.a-s-l.com).  The ImmersaDesks were manufactured by Pyramid Systems, now a part of FakeSpace (www.fakespace.com).  Motion Capture is done with a system manufactured by Motion Analysis Corporation (www.motionanalysis.com).  Magnetic tracking systems are from Ascension Technologies (www.ascension-tech.com).

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Laboratory
http://www.beckman.uiuc.edu/research/funcmri.html

The fMRI Lab is designed to permit the acquisition of functional MRI data from human subjects while they perform various kinds of cognitive and/or motor tasks involving the presentation of visual, auditory or other types of stimuli. Experimental data is acquired at the nearby Carle Clinic Association MRI facility (GE 1.5T system equipped with EPI high performance gradients) and transferred to the fMRI Laboratory housed in the Beckman Institute.

Beckman Institute Image Laboratory
http://www.beckman.uiuc.edu/research/imagelab.html

The Beckman Institute Image Laboratory was established under an NSF Institutional Infrastructure Grant. Additional funding comes from AT&T, Sumitomo Electric Industries, and the Beckman Institute. The lab is used by members of the Image Formation and Processing, Artificial Intelligence, and Human Perception and Performance groups for research involving high-resolution images and video.

Facilities include:

• A network of 15 SUN, HP, and SGI workstations
• SGI 2-Processor ONYX
• MasPar (an SIMD parallel computer) with 4000 processors
• Abekas digital video disk
• Viewgraphics (solid state digital video storage with flexible formats)
• HDTV display
• Two professional quality color CCD television cameras
• SVHS video tape deck

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Facilities
http://www.beckman.uiuc.edu/research/stmfacility.html

• The Ultra-high Vacuum Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Laboratory is used by the Advanced Chemical Systems and Computational Electronics groups, as well as the Nanoelectronics and Biophotonics group. It contains a five-chamber interconnected system designed specifically for atomic-level imaging, patterning, and processing of semiconductor nanostructures. A sixth chamber will provide liquid-He temperature spectroscopy and luminescence capabilities for characterizing devices in situ.
• The Experimental STM facility is one of the most advanced STM labs in the world. It is the central resource of the ONR-funded "STM-based Nanolithography" University Research Initiative and consists of several UHV-STM chambers that are interconnected to permit sample and tip transport between multiple experimental stations under UHV conditions. There is also a full suite of sample preparation and conventional surface analysis tools in the system, including LEED/Auger, residual gas analysis, gas dosing, sample heating and cleaving, ion sputtering, and annealing. The STMs employed in this system were developed at the University of Illinois and have a unique combination of features.

College of Engineering

Bioacoustics Research Laboratory in Electrical and Computer Engineering
http://www.brl.uiuc.edu/

The Bioacoustics Research Laboratory has the following facilities:

• Ultrasound Packaging Research Facility
• Overpressurization System
• Ultrasound Absorption Coefficient Facility
• Daedal Acquisition System
• Scanning Laser Acoustic Microscope (SLAM) Facility
• High-Intensity Ultrasound Facility
• Ultrasound Exposimetry Facility

Magnetic Resonance Engineering Laboratory in ECE
http://mrel.beckman.uiuc.edu/microcoil/

Radiofrequency microcoils for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and imaging

Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics in Physics
http://www.lfd.uiuc.edu/

LFD is a NIH national research resource. This state-of-the art facility is for visiting scientists working in fluorescence.  The LFD has light sources and detectors that extend over a broad range of the optical spectrum. We also have support facilities, including computer software and hardware for data analysis, as well as a wet biochemistry laboratory, and a cold room for sample preparation and manipulation.

For a complete resource listing:

http://lfd.uiuc.edu/resources/resource_listing.html

Materials Research Laboratory
http://mrlpubs.mrl.uiuc.edu/

Electron Microscopy

Low Energy Electron Microscope

• IBM LEEM
• Transmission Electron Microscopes
• Hitachi H9000
• JEOL 2010F (S)TEM
• JEOL 2010 LaB6
• JEOL 4000EX
• Philips CM12
• Vacuum Generator HB501 STEM

Scanning Electron Microscopes

• Hitachi S-4700
• FEI Dual-Beam 235 FIB
• Zeiss DSM-960

Scanning Probe Microscopy

• Digital Instruments Dimension 3100 AFM
• Digital Instruments MultiMode AFM
• Hysitron Triboscope  
• Omicron VT-UHV STM

X-ray  

• Kevex Analyst 770 EDXRF
• Philips X'pert
• Rigaku RU 200
• Rigaku D-Max
• Scintag Pole Figure PAD-V
• Rigaku Laue/Buerger

NCSA
http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Divisions/DMV/Vis/REL/

NCSA offers a range of high-performance computing resources to its user community—scientists in a variety of disciplines affiliated with top research centers. Hardware varies from Itanium-based clusters to an IBM POWER4 system. By the end of the year, the center is expected to have computing resources capable of 31 teraflops peak performance.

 

REL (Renaissance Experimental Lab) at the Beckman Institute

The Renaissance Experimental Lab (REL) is a learning and work space available to the Beckman and campus community. The REL includes a collection of SGI and PC graphics workstations, along with a large whiteboard, a projection system, wireless microphone, and a Softboard digital whiteboard. An AccessGrid node for Internet-based videoconferencing is included. An ImmersaDesk is available for advanced visualization and virtual reality work, and a video recording and editing station is available.

The ImmersaDesk is a 5' x 4' screen, tilted like a drafting table at 45 degrees. It is similar to the CAVE in its operation. Stereoscopic imagery is generated by an SGI graphics computer and rear-projected to the screen. The REL ImmersaDesk is powered by regular, an SGI Octane with 2 R10000 processors. Stereographics CrystalEyes lightweight liquid crystal shutter glasses are worn to see the stereo. The position and orientation of the user's head, and of a hand-held wand, are tracked using an Ascension Spacepad tracker.

The CAVE is an immersive virtual reality facility designed for the exploration of and interaction with spatially engaging environments. It is also an integral part of the research activities of the NCSA Visualization and Virtual Environments Group. The CAVE's true stereoscopic capabilities, coupled with its uniquely immersive design, enable scientists and researchers to interact with their data in ways never before possible. An atmospheric scientist, for example, can actually "climb inside" of a hurricane and visualize its complex and chaotic elements from any angle or visual perspective. A biological researcher, examining a tightly coiled strand of DNA, can virtually "unravel" this strand and manipulate it in an environment that preserves the critical depth information of the data. Such extraordinary technology fosters unprecendented innovation and facilitates the cutting-edge research of NCSA's Visualization and Virtual Environments Group.

NCSA's Visualization and Virtual Environments group recently designed and installed a 20-tile scalable display wall. The Wall provides a display surface that is 4096 x 3840 pixels, useful for showing high-resolution imagery and animations, or for showing multiple information sources side-by-side. At 12 feet across and 9 feet high, the Wall easily accommodates small teams of people working together.

A 20-node PC Linux cluster is used to drive the display wall. The machines are dual-processor HP Kayaks, running at 550 MHz, with GeForce2 graphics accelerator cards, and communicating over Myrinet. The machines are connected to a collection of 20 NEC VT540 projectors, arranged in a matrix 5 high and 4 across. The output of the NECs is rear-projected towards a single screen, creating a large-format, high-resolution image space.

School of Chemical Sciences

VarianOxfordInstrumentsCenter for Excellence (VOICE) NMR Laboratory in the School of Chemical Sciences

Equipment:

• Varian Unity Inova 500NB MHz Spectrometer - ui500nb
• Varian Unity 500 MHz Spectrometer - u500
• Varian Unity 400 MHz Spectrometer - u400
• Varian Unity Inova 600 MHz Spectrometer - ui600
• Varian Infinity Plus 500WB MHz Spectrometer - i+500wb
• Varian Unity Inova 300WB MHz Spectrometer - ui300wb
• Varian Unity Inova 750 MHz Spectrometer - Keck 750

Illinois Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) ResearchCenter in the School of Chemical Sciences
http://ierc.scs.uiuc.edu/

The central IERC user facility and IERC headquarters is a 3000-sq.-ft. contiguous complex in the ground floor of the Medical Sciences Building.

IERC instrumentation includes:

• Bruker X-band (ca. 9.5 GHz) 200-D EPR with ENDOR spectrometer, which routinely operates at temperatures from 2 K up;
• Pulsed S-band EPR (ca. 2-4 GHz) instrument developed and built at IERC;
• Bruker ElexSys E-580 FT-EPR (CW and pulsed) X-band  EPR spectrometer  with CW-and-pulsed ENDOR;
• CW Q-band (ca. 35 GHz) bridge with Q-band and X-band sample cryostats for the E-580;
• Varian E-line 9" X-band EPR/ ENDOR with APD liquid helium cryostat;
• Varian E-line 15" Q-band CW EPR;
• Varian E-line 12" X-band CW EPR;
• IERC-developed U-band (ca. 48 GHz) CW EPR bridge;
• IERC-developed L-band (ca. 1.3 GHz) EPR bridge with surface probe and in vivo EPR capability;
• 2 IERC-developed W-band (94 GHz) spectrometers with superconducting magnet stations:
      - one persistent narrow-bore, narrow-sweep and one wide-bore wide-sweep (0 to 7 T) with liq. He sample cryostat;
• Varian E-4 X-band CW EPR spectrometer;
• REKAR NMR relaxometer with low-field pulsed DNP(dynamic nuclear polarization

Veterinary Medicine

Center for Microscopic Imaging (CMI)
http://treefrog.cvm.uiuc.edu/

The Center for Microscopic Imaging (CMI)is part of the College of Veterinary Medicine and is a campus-wide service center for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. CMI provides students, faculty, and research staff with advanced instrumentation in microscopy for teaching and research. The Center provides equipment and service in the following areas:

• Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
• Light Microscopy (Brightfield, DIC, Phase)
• Confocal Microscopy
• Digital Imaging Workstation
• Clinical Pathology Service Microscopy
• Immunohistology and Immuno-Electron Microscopy