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High-speed camera for fluorescence imaging
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Record and analyze fluorescence lifetime images.
Custom imaging products, sensors and software for low light level applications.

LIFA FLIM System

with SPAD powered vTAU camera

LIFA FLIM

Product Overview

The Lambert Instruments LIFA FLIM system is the fastest and easiest way to perform Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM).

Available in versatile configurations dependent on your specific applications, the LIFA system offers a turn-key solution for fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy. Compatible with any fluorescence microscope with a camera output – including microscopes by Leica, Nikon, Olympus, TILL and Zeiss. Set up is quick and easy, with all hardware integrated seamlessly with our dedicated LIFA software, so you can focus on your experiment.

The advanced software instantly analyses data and presents the calculated fluorescence lifetimes visually. Recorded images are compatible with ImageJ, FIJI, Matlab and MetaMorph, while detailed statisitcal data can be exported to an Excel worksheet.

Read more about LIFA software | Watch our FLIM webinar.

Captured with LIFA vTAU: Dual-color, high-speed 3D imaging of blood flow in a beating embryonic zebrafish heart.

Applications

FLIM for Beginners Application Note

Features

Experiments from start to finish

From recording images to lifetime calculation and data analysis

Dedicated LIFA software

Using our stand-alone LIFA Software, you can instantly calculate the fluorescence lifetime and presents it as a colour coded overlay and a phaser plot.

Broad Lifetime Range

From sub microsecond down to picoseconds

Comprehensive SDK

Our software development kit (SDK) provides a flexible platform for integrating and automating experiments, offering you full control and customization of your fluorescence lifetime measurements.

Multiple configurations

System components to suit your applications

Non-phototoxic illumination

Configurations

Widefield

The Lambert Instruments VTAU camera, when combined with the Multi-LED, provides a compact and effective solution for FLIM on widefield microscopes.

The VTAU easily connects to the camera port, while the Multi-LED integrates with the standard epifluorescence port, making the setup compatible with most widefield microscope configurations.

Spinning-disk confocal

The Lambert Instruments LIFA VTAU system for frequency-domain FLIM is well-suited for camera-based multi-beam confocal techniques.

It is compatible with systems such as the Yokogawa CSU series (Nipkow disk), Andor Dragonfly, Crest V3/V2/Cicero, and Visitech International’s VTInfinity series, enabling versatile imaging performance.

TIRF

Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy enables high-contrast fluorescence imaging close to the cover glass, typically within a ~100 nm optical section.

When combined with frequency-domain FLIM, it allows for lifetime imaging of structures such as membrane receptors, aiding in the analysis of cellular signalisation pathways.

Featured LIFA users

System Components

The LIFA VTAU system includes:

LIFA Software

Seamless integration of hardware for full system control

Light Sources

Multi-LED and/or Multi-LASER as required for your set up

OEM Solution

We offer an OEM platform based on the proven Lambert Instruments LIFA system

Frequently Asked Questions

Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) is a technique that measures the decay time of fluorescence molecules, so-called fluorophores. FLIM provides detailed information about molecular environments, energy transfer between fluorophores and protein interactions. It is widely used in biological and biomedical research to study dynamic processes and cellular microenvironments.

Time-domain Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) is a technique that measures the fluorescence lifetime of molecules by exciting fluorophores with a very short pulse of light and then detecting the time it takes for them to emit photons. The emitted light’s intensity decays over time, and this decay curve is analyzed to determine the fluorescence lifetime.

Frequency-domain Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) is a technique used to measure the fluorescence lifetimes of fluorophores by modulating the excitation light at different frequencies. In this method, the phase shift and modulation depth of the emitted light relative to the excitation source are measured, which provides information about the fluorescence lifetime. This technique is valuable for studying molecular interactions, environment-sensitive probes, and cellular dynamics. FLIM is commonly used in biological and biomedical imaging, to sense the cellular environment, get a better understanding of cell biology or to differentiate between fluorophores based on their lifetimes if they have similar emission spectra.

The primary difference between frequency-domain and time-domain FLIM lies in how the fluorescence lifetime is measured:

Frequency-domain FLIM: Modulates the excitation light at specific frequencies and measures the phase shift and modulation of the emitted light relative to the excitation. It determines lifetime from these shifts.

Time-domain FLIM: Uses short light pulses to excite fluorophores and measures the time delay between the excitation pulse and the emitted photons. The fluorescence decay curve is analyzed to determine lifetime.

Both techniques provide insights into molecular environments but differ in how they capture fluorescence data.

Widefield microscopy is an imaging technique used in biological and clinical research to capture images of entire specimens or large sections of tissue. It involves illuminating the entire field of view at once with light, typically from a broad light source, such as a lamp or LED. All parts of the sample are illuminated simultaneously, allowing for the detection of light emitted or reflected from the entire specimen. This method is commonly used for fluorescence microscopy, enabling researchers to observe labeled structures in live or fixed cells.

Spinning-disk confocal microscopy is an advanced imaging technique used for capturing high-resolution images of biological samples in real-time. It employs a rotating disk with multiple pinholes to focus light onto specific areas of the sample while rejecting out-of-focus light. This enables faster image acquisition compared to traditional laser-scanning confocal microscopy. Spinning-disk confocal is ideal for live-cell imaging due to its speed, lower phototoxicity, and reduced photobleaching, making it suitable for dynamic processes like cell movement or protein interactions.

Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy is a technique used to observe events occurring near the surface of a cell, typically at or near the plasma membrane. TIRF systems use an evanescent wave generated by light undergoing total internal reflection at the interface between two media (e.g., glass and water) to selectively illuminate and excite fluorophores within a very thin region, typically less than 200 nm, adjacent to the surface. This minimizes background noise and allows high-contrast imaging of cellular processes like protein interactions at the cell membrane.

Light sheet microscopy, also known as Selective Plane Illumination Microscopy (SPIM), is a technique used to image large, three-dimensional biological samples with minimal phototoxicity and photobleaching. In this method, a thin sheet of light illuminates a single plane of the sample, while an orthogonal detection system captures high-resolution images. By moving the light sheet through the sample, researchers can reconstruct detailed 3D images of tissues, embryos, or entire organisms. This method is especially useful for long-term live imaging of biological processes in real-time.

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    Lambert Instruments BV

    Leonard Springerlaan 19
    9727 KB Groningen
    The Netherlands

    Contact Us

    5th floor,
    Leonard Springerlaan 19
    9727KB Groningen
    The Netherlands

    Phone:
    +31 (0) 50 501 8461
    Email:
    sales@lambertinstruments.com