NCIBT Core Services
NCIBT offers fee-for-service access to Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIm) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and bi-modal integration of FLIm and OCT to investigators seeking structural, biochemical, and molecular characterization of biological specimens, biomaterials, and small-animal models.
FLIm measures fluorescence lifetime to characterize tissue biochemistry and molecular environments, while OCT provides non-contact, depth-resolved visualization of tissue and material microstructure. Together, these complementary technologies can support applications ranging from tissue characterization and metabolism to biomaterials, molecular probes, and preclinical research.
If you're interested in utilizing any core facility, please complete this form.
Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIm)
FLIm provides biochemical and molecular information based on the fluorescence decay characteristics of endogenous fluorophores or exogenous fluorescent probes. Unlike fluorescence intensity alone, fluorescence lifetime can provide additional information about the local molecular environment and can help distinguish changes associated with tissue composition, metabolism, cellular state, molecular probe fluorescent properties, and biomaterial properties.
NCIBT offers FLIm in three complementary configurations, allowing investigators to select the approach best suited to their sample geometry and scientific question.
FLIm Brush — Flexible Surface Imaging
The FLIm Brush is a fiber-based scanning system designed for rapid interrogation of irregular or complex surfaces. Investigators can scan or “paint” across a specimen while fluorescence lifetime measurements are spatially mapped onto the tissue surface. In addition, FLImBruh is suitable for clinical studies (in vivo in patients).
- Excitation: 355 nm
- Emission bands centered near 390, 450, 540, and 630 nm
- Lateral resolution: approximately 500 μm
- Typical sampling depth @355 nm excittaion: approximately 150–300 μm, tissue dependent
- Sensitive to endogenous fluorophores
- Compatible with appropriate UV-excited fluorescent probes
- Suitable for large or irregular specimens and in vivo small-animal studies
- Though loan agreements FLImBrush can be made available to investigators interested in conduction clinical pilot studies in patients.
FLIm Brush + Benchtop Laser Scanning — Large-Area Imaging
For flat specimens requiring systematic spatial mapping, the FLIm Brush can be integrated with a galvanometer-based scanning platform.
- Automated large-area scanning
- Field of view: up to 6 × 10 cm
- Lateral resolution: approximately 15 μm
- Particularly suited for flat tissue specimens, sections, slides, and biomaterials
Tunable Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO) FLIm — Molecular and Probe Characterization
The research OPO platform provides tunable excitation for applications requiring wavelength flexibility beyond the standard 355-nm FLIm configuration. Excitation and emission parameters can be tailored to the fluorophore or molecular probe of interest, subject to the optical and filter configuration.
- Tunable excitation: approximately 300–1100+ nm
- Probe-based point measurements
- Supports cuvettes, well plates, tissue specimens, and small-animal studies
- Enables characterization of endogenous and exogenous fluorescence
- Suitable for investigating molecular probes, fluorescence agents, metabolic changes, molecular environments, and biomaterial properties
- Compatible with selected near-infrared autofluorescence and fluorescent probes
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)
OCT is a non-contact optical imaging technique that provides high-resolution, depth-resolved images of biological tissue and other semi-transparent materials. Analogous to ultrasound but using light rather than sound, OCT can visualize subsurface microstructure without physically sectioning or disrupting the specimen.
The NCIBT OCT service is particularly suited for ex vivo tissue specimens, in vivo small-animal imaging, and semi-transparent materials.
System capabilities
- Lateral field of view: up to 1 × 1 cm
- Axial imaging range: approximately 5 mm
- Typical tissue penetration depth: 1–2 mm, depending on tissue properties
- Resolution: approximately 27 μm lateral / 5 μm axial
- Illumination: 1310 ± 55 nm, optimized for biological tissue
- Non-contact imaging with approximately 3 mm tolerance for surface-height variation
For ex vivo specimens and materials, imaging is typically performed in air at room temperature. The upper surface of the sample must be accessible to the imaging beam, and specimens should remain stable during acquisition.
Applications
NCIBT FLIm and OCT services can support a broad range of research applications, including tissue morphology and microstructure, tissue metabolism and biochemical characterization, cancer and cardiovascular research, regenerative medicine, biomaterials, fluorescence-agent and molecular-probe development, and preclinical imaging.
Investigators are encouraged to contact the NCIBT team to discuss their scientific question, specimen type, and experimental requirements so that the most appropriate imaging configuration can be identified.
Research Use and Regulatory Requirements
These services are provided for research use only and are not intended for clinical diagnosis.
Studies involving live vertebrate animals, human participants, or human-derived materials must have appropriate IACUC or IRB approval, as applicable, and comply with UC Davis policies and facility requirements.