Ultrafast confocal microscope for imaging molecular biosensors of cell signaling

The long-term goal of our work is visualization of medicinally important molecular processes, directly in living cells and tissues. Towards this goal we developed the technique of linear dichroism microscopy, which allows observations of interactions between signalling protein molecules, changes in electrical voltage on the cell membrane, and other biomolecular events. Recently, we have identified a large class of molecular biosensors that utilize changes in linear dichroism for imaging a wide range of biomolecular processes. Finally, we have now also developed an extremely fast and sensitive confocal microsope for observations of linear dichroism. The combination of our molecular and instrumental tools now allow unique, sensitive observations of numerous molecular events of cell signaling, with a likely large impact on pharmaceutical drug development. 

Speaker
Josef Lazar, Ph.D.
Head, Group of Advanced Optical Microscopy
Inst. of Biology and Medical Genetics
1st Faculty of Medicine
Charles University

 

Photo – J. Lazar, Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University