By Suha Alsubeihi

On Sunday March 8, 2015, a new Microscopy Imaging Unit was inaugurated in a special ceremony in the Cell therapy Center (CTC) by UJ President, Prof. Ekhleif Tarawneh.

According to CTC Director, Prof. Abdalla Awidi, the Unit has been outfitted with the support of the Saudi Development Fund, within the framework of the Program of the Gulf Cooperation Council (G.C.C.) for development in Jordan, at a cost amounted to about two million dinars.

Awidi added that the Unit is one of the most important scientific facilities at the center, pointing out that it comprises five advanced microscopes; a Dual Beam system, Laser Scanning / Structured Illumination Confocal Microscope, Time Lapse System, Automated wide-field fluorescent microscope, and a Laser Dissecting Microscope.

The Dual Beam Microscope provides the ability to do scanning electron microscopy imaging at three vacuum modes (high, low, and environmental). It is also equipped with a STEM detector able to produce transmission electron microscopy images with a resolution of up to 0.2 nm. Furthermore, it is equipped with an ion beam which is used to do sectioning and fibbing of samples.

The Laser Scanning / Structured Illumination Confocal Microscope  it is intended for high resolution imaging of biological samples with a resolution of up to 20 nm. It can perform multi-focal optical sectioning of samples up to 100 nm in depth.

The Time Lapse System is capable of doing live cell imaging under controlled culture environment for many days. This allows the visualization of the kinetics of cells in culture.

The Laser Dissecting Microscope enables the user to isolate cells of interest using laser beam. The isolated cell can be then cultured or processed to extract the genetic material for further testing.

The Automated wide-field fluorescent microscope is equipped with a variety of filters, therefore, it provides the ability to detect several flourophors.

On the latest developments at the Center, the center managed to manufacture tissue-engineered bone graft.

The Center is currently working on a multiple research projects and seeks to become a regional center of excellence in the fields of cell therapy and stem cells biology.