Introduction
Microscopic studies of single cells, their dynamics, signalling and behaviour require a whole toolbox of different microscopic techniques, highly specific gadgets and methods that can easily exceed the budget for new lab equipment.
OpenCM team (left to right): Maziyar Jalaal, Nico Schramma, Stephanie Höhn and Kyriacos Leptos
The open technology community is continually developing new, innovative and inexpensive solutions for easy-to-build microscopes and other equipment, aiming to democratize microscopy and enhancing the applicability of custom-built devices to approach novel questions. The OpenCM team aimed to provide one of the solutions needed to make open-source microscopes even more utile, namely a setup for micromanipulation.
Multi-axis micromanipulation is used for in-vitro fertilization, imaging of highly motile cells, microinjections, patch-clamp methods, mechanical probing of cells with micropipettes and is - simply put - the microscopists tiny helping hand to interact with the sample mechanically.
The project
Key to the OpenCM project is the close collaboration with Benedict Diederich and René Lachmann from the UC2 group, which started after the OpenPlant forum in July 2019. UC2 builds 3D-printed modular optical elements, which can be easily assembled into various microscopes. The OpenCM project aims to make this system even more versatile, by adding a module for micromanipulation.
During the BioMaker challenge the team was able to design the first prototype two-axis micromanipulator, which fitted the UC2 system and was controlled via Arduino. The team followed the online documentation of their collaborators in order to 3D-print a microscope, which is controlled with an open source Python based GUI on a Raspberry Pi. The team was among the first to reproduce the UC2 microscope and helped evaluate and enhance their current quality of the online documentation.
In the end, the team was able to build a fully integrated microscope and micromanipulation system and to showcase it at the BioMaker Fayre. The most important outcome of the BioMaker Challenge is establishing a very close collaboration with the UC2 project, which is still persisting.
Future work
The team plans to undertake the final steps in developing a 3-axis micromanipulator (OpenCM2). The hardware will be integrated into the UC2 system, and free software will be provided for position controlling with a wireless joystick and the UC2 GUI via Raspberry PI and wifi controllers.
First prototype as presented at the BioMaker Fayre 2019, an inverted microscope with 2 axis micro
manipulator.
The project will continue in close collaboration with the laboratory of UC2 in Jena, Germany, and the financial support in the context of the programme “Creativity and Studies” of the University of Gottingen by the AKB Stiftung, a non-profit foundation of the Büchting Family (secured by Nico Schramma and Björn Kscheschinski).
Furthermore, the team found the UC2 setup very useful to provide hands-on experience at the intersection between physics, mechanical engineering, microscopy and cell biology. Hence, as a side project, the team also started preparing workshops for children and students.
In a joint effort, and with the financial help of the UK's Women Engineering Society and the Public Engagement office at the University of Cambridge, the members of UC2 and OpenCM participate at the Women in Engineering Society 100 Violets Challenge in order to give a first "Optics for Everybody" workshop. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the exhibition at the Brunel Museum in London has been postponed.
During the BioMaker challenge and driven by the community's open-mindedness, the team was encouraged to branch out ideas, communicate openly, and team up with others to find and combine new and innovative solutions. In the end, the BioMaker spirit inspired the OpenCM team to reach out to the broader community.
Acknowledgments
We thank David Page-Croft for fruitful discussions and his help with 3D printing. We also thank Benedict Diederich, René Lachmann and Barbora Marsikova from the UC2-Project, and Alexandra Ting, Dieuwertje van Esse - van der Does and Jim Haseloff from the BioMaker Challenge.
Written by Maziyar Jalaal, Nico Schramma, Stephanie Höhn and Kyriacos Leptos.
References
Diederich, Benedict, et al. "UC2-A Versatile and Customizable low-cost 3D-printed Optical Open-Standard for microscopic imaging." bioRxiv (2020).