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Category
- Microscopy and Imaging » Force Microscopy
Booking Details
Facility Management Team and Location
akunwar@iitb.ac.in
+(91-22) 2576 7799
Prof. Atul Srivastava
Facility Features, Working Principle and Specifications
WORKING PRINCIPLE:
Optical tweezers use highly focused laser beams to trap and manipulate microscopic particles, such as cells, organelles, or nanoparticles, without physical contact. This allows for the measurement of forces in the microscopic scale, which are not possible through any other technique. Forces in the pN range can be accurately measured using this technique.
FEATURES:
The dual-beam optical tweezer allows trapping and manipulation of two objects at the same time. Additionally, one trap can be multiplexed to form multiple traps which can be used to manipulate multiple objects at the same time. This allows for the formation and manipulation of complex patterns. The magnetic twister allows twisting and manipulation of samples attached to magnetic beads. Simultaneous optical trapping and manipulation and visualization in Confocal mode is possible in the instrument- a powerful and specific tool when manipulating samples whose components are labelled with fluorophores.
Optical trapping laser: 1064 nm
Confocal lasers: 405 nm (blue), 488 nm (green), 561 nm (red), 640 nm (far-red)
Technical Specifications:
- JPK NanoTrackerTM Controller
- Signal Access Module for NanoTrackerTM Controller
- JPK NanoTrackerTM Control Software
- JPK NanoTrackerTM 2 Laser Steering Unit
- Laboratory Table with Vibration Isolation
- JPK Multichannel LaminarFlowCell (LFCTM) with Temperature Control
- JPK PetridishHeaterTM
- Nikon Ti2-A Inverted Microscope for Confocal and DIC
- JPK NT2 Head-Magnetic TwisterTM
- CO2 controller for live cell samples
Instructions for Registration, Sample Preparation, User Instructions and Precautionary Measures
- Internal Users:
Users within IIT Bombay can apply from http://drona.ircc.iitb.ac.in. The form should be completely filled up and all the sample details must be provided in the requisition form. Users need to be present at the time of analysis on the allotted appointment date/time. If a user wishes to change his/her time slot, an email should be sent immediately to akunwar@iitb.ac.in well in advance (at least 1 day before the slot) requesting change in appointment.
- External Users:
- Academic Institutions:
You can come in-person or send a letter from the Guide / HoD on the Institution’s Original Letter Head along with the Registration Form stating that the analysis is for research purpose, to qualify for academic concession. The letter should be addressed to Prof. Ambarish Kunwar, In-charge, Optical Tweezers Facility, Department of BSBE, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai-400076.
- National R & D Labs:
You can come in-person or send a letter signed by an authorized signatory of your Institution on Original Letter Head along with the Registration Form, stating that the analysis is for research purpose. The letter should be addressed to Prof. Ambarish Kunwar, In-charge, Optical Tweezers Facility, Department of BSBE, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai-400076.
- Industry & Non- Government Agencies:
You can come in-person or send a letter signed by an authorized signatory of your Organization, along with the Registration Form. The letter should be addressed to Prof. Ambarish Kunwar, In-charge, Optical Tweezers Facility, Department of BSBE, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai-400076.
You are requested to mention in your request letter that “We agree to acknowledge the Optical Tweezers Facility, an IoE funded Central Facility, IIT Bombay when the data from the facility are used in our papers/reports/thesis”.
The information on such acknowledgements with appropriate reference should be communicated to facility via email akunwar@iitb.ac.in. Kindly send the complete publication reference (Journal name/volume number/names of the authors/date of issue of the publication etc.).
In vitro samples:
Samples must be prepared in a flow chamber between two coverslips. A square cover slip can be pasted over a rectangular one and the sample flowed in between them. The sample chamber must be sealed before the experiment.
Live-cell samples:
Samples must be prepared on 35 x 10 mm confocal dishes with glass bottom.
- The experimental data provided is only for research / development purposes. These cannot be used as certificates in legal disputes.
- A maximum 2 samples will be analyzed against a single Registration Form.
- The users should know the approximate viscosity of the sample before submitting it for analysis.
Charges for Analytical Services in Different Categories
Charges for the Facility :
User Category | Charges Per Slot (1 slot = 2 hours) |
Internal Users of IIT-B (DIC Imaging Only) (Instrument TA) | INR 150 |
Internal Users of IIT-B (Confocal Imaging Only) (Instrument TA) | INR 150 |
Internal Users of IIT-B (DIC Imaging Only) | INR 300 |
Internal Users of IIT-B (Confocal Imaging Only) | INR 300 |
Internal Users of IIT-B (Instrument TA) | INR 300 |
Internal Users of IIT-B | INR 600 |
External Academic Institutions | INR 1,200/- (exclusive of GST)* |
External National R&D Labs | INR 3,000/- (exclusive of GST)* |
Industries | INR 6000/-(exclusive of GST)* |
Start up (SINE incubation) | INR 3,000/- (exclusive of GST)* |
Monash IITB | INR 600/-(exclusive of GST)* |
SAARCS Countries and African Countries | Academia: INR 3,000/- (exclusive of GST)* Industry: INR 6000/-(exclusive of GST)* |
Other Countries | Academia: INR 6,000/- (exclusive of GST)* Industry: INR 12,000/-(exclusive of GST)* |
*Note: GST rates are applicable for all users mentioned. If the recipient of the data/report is from Maharashtra, 9% SGST and 9% CGST will be applicable. If the recipient of the data/report is from outside Maharashtra, 18% IGST will be applicable.
Applications
Key applications include:
- Biophysics: Force measurements in DNA, RNA, and protein interactions; single-molecule studies; cell mechanics.
- Nanotechnology: Analyzing nanoparticle properties; particle manipulation in microfluidics.
- Cell Biology: Studying intracellular transport and membrane dynamics.
- Soft Matter Research: Exploring colloidal behavior and polymer dynamics, microrheology measurements
- Precision Measurements: Nanomechanics and environmental sensing.