3D x-ray microscope

• Subject Area: Medicine
• Term: Funded in 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 501811684

Modern biomedical research requires three-dimensional (3D), high resolution visualization of microscopic-anatomical or histopathological structures in the tissue context. Between the light microscopic methods available for this purpose at Hannover MedicalSchool (MHH) on the one hand and electron microscopic and X-ray structure analysis methods on the other hand, there is a gap in terms of resolution and the maximum representable volume. Since there is a considerable need for numerous working groups at MHH and associated institutions to answer relevant questions, we are applying for a 3D X-ray microscope with the aim of filling this gap. In the context of animal experiments, this allows a 3D analysis of entire organs (including kidneys, lungs or brain) to be carried out in high resolution and thus microscopic details to be clearly recorded. The device is of outstanding importance for the successful implementation of current and planned, partly third-party funded projects and research associations (including German Centre for Lung Research) and is to be integrated into the core facility for electron microscopy at MHH. It thus represents an excellent complementation to the 3D electron microscopic devices available at the core facility such as Focus-Ion-Beam and Serial-Block-Face Scanning Electron Microscopy to allows very efficient multimodal correlative 3D imaging down to the ultrastructural level. Employees of the core facility for electron microscopy and the Institute for Anatomy guarantee competent support. After instruction, all interested working groups will be given access. A usage operation is planned. Accordingly the instructed scientists can book appointments via the booking system of the core facility and independently generate X-ray microtomographic data sets and evaluate them with the software provided.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: 3D-Röntgenmikroskop
• Instrumentation Group: 4070 Spezielle Röntgengeräte für Materialanalyse, Strukturforschung und Werkstoff-Bestrahlung
• Applicant Institution: Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
• Leader: Professor Dr. Lars Knudsen