VU LSC and FTMC Researchers Develop Lithuania’s First Single-Molecule Microscope

A team of researchers from the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC) and the FTMC – Mohammad Nour Alsamsam, Aurimas Kopūstas and Meda Jurevičiūtė, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr Marijonas Tutkus – has developed an ultra-high-resolution optical fluorescence microscope called “miEye”. To the researchers’ knowledge, it is the first microscope of its kind in Lithuania to be used routinely for scientific research.

Conventional light microscopes can be used to observe cells and many of their structures, but their resolution is insufficient for studying individual molecules.

“This unique microscopy system enables us to investigate biological processes at the single-molecule level with exceptionally high sensitivity, overcoming the diffraction limit of light. This allows us to reveal details that would otherwise remain hidden due to optical blurring caused by diffraction,” explains Assoc. Prof. Dr Tutkus, who works at the VU LSC Institute of Biotechnology and at the FTMC Department of Molecular Compounds Physics, where two other members of his team, Alsamsam and Kopūstas, are also based.

Development of the miEye microscope began in 2020, when Assoc. Prof. Dr Tutkus received funding from the Research Council of Lithuania (LMT) for a research project with a budget of approximately €200,000. As commercial microscopy systems are expensive and purchasing one would have consumed the entire project budget, the researchers decided to build their own equipment, drawing on the open-source miCube microscopy project developed at Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

Team member Mohammad Nour Alsamsam made a significant contribution to the development of the microscope by assembling the system and developing its control and data analysis software. Other team members, Aurimas Kopūstas and Meda Jurevičiūtė, prepared research samples and validated the system to assess its performance and suitability for scientific research.

(Four IO MatchBox laser modules mounted on the miEye breadboard. Photo: Integrated Optics)

The team not only adapted the microscope's design to meet their research needs but also developed an autofocus system and microEye software for controlling the instrument and analysing research data. In 2022, these technological solutions were presented in the international scientific journal HardwareX.

One of the greatest challenges was developing a sufficiently compact and stable laser system capable of delivering the precision required for single-molecule research. The researchers chose MatchBox lasers manufactured by the Lithuanian company Integrated Optics, enabling them to integrate six different light sources into a single system.

“The opportunity to work directly with laser manufacturers and receive prompt support and advice was extremely important to us. It helped us develop this unique system within a limited budget. Moreover, our constructive collaboration with Integrated Optics enables both sides to explore new technological applications and solutions,” adds Assoc. Prof. Dr Marijonas Tutkus.

The system developed by the researchers makes it possible to conduct advanced single-molecule super-resolution studies in Lithuania using equipment designed and built by the team itself. The researchers are currently continuing to develop their microscopy technologies and are working on a second laser system.

Source: VU LSC. More detailed information about the developed microscope is available on the Integrated Optics website