CLF OCTOPUS Highlights

OCTOPUS Highlights

Scientists Identify Achilles Heel of Lung Cancer Protein
Researchers have shown that a crucial interface in a protein that drives cancer growth could act as a target for more effective treatments.
A Guiding Light: The Role of Photon Emissions in Plant Development
Researchers at the CLF and the University of Westminster have demonstrated how their detection system can be used together with mung beans to study light that is naturally emitted from the metabolism of living organisms.
From solar cells to living cells: Octopus finds use for energy conversion nanoparticles in biological imaging
Researchers have recently demonstrated at the CLF’s Octopus facility that a new class of nanoparticles initially designed to be used in solar cells may have applications in cellular imaging.
Creating a sensitive chemical detector using optical trapping
Dr Susan Quinn (University College Dublin) used optical trapping at Octopus to investigate the synthesis of gold coated particles to create a sensitive chemical detector. They hope to continue to develop this research for biomedical applications.
New method for high-yield production of proteins from E. coli
Scientists from the University of Kent and Fujifilm-Diosynth Biotechnologies have explored a non-traditional method of extracting functional proteins from E. coli. These proteins have a wide range of applications in biotechnology and medicine.
Defence mechanism discovered in cells that may be preventing effective gene therapy
Through fluorescence and phosphorescence lifetime imaging, scientists have recently discovered a peculiar defence mechanism in cells that may be preventing effective gene therapy.
Investigating DNA damage and repair to improve radiotherapy
When cells are damaged, they sometimes are triggered to repair themselves, depending on the severity. In general, this is a feature that greatly benefits living organisms, but not always.
Studying fluorescent cells to improve lung-cancer treatment
A review by Professor Marisa Martin-Fernandez (OCTOPUS) has highlighted the usefulness of fluorescence imaging to help improve the effectiveness of a common type of lung cancer treatment.
Scientists mimic an inkjet printer by levitating droplets with lasers
Researchers at the CLF OCTOPUS Facility, Royal Holloway University of London and University of Birmingham have studied in “slow-motion” how micro-droplets react in air and the ways they can merge into structures whilst airborne.
Interaction between growth signal receptors in muscle provides clue to muscle degenerative disease mechanism
The research may point to fine tuning the response of androgen receptors to testosterone as a promising target for treatments for Spinal Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SMBA) and similar diseases.
Combining state of the art with traditional microscopy at Octopus reveals new insights into protein function regulation
Research combining the newest technique available at Octopus with one of the oldest, to investigate a novel interaction between proteins, has just been published online ahead of full publication in the Structure journal.
Investigating sol-gel catalyst chemistry
Sol-gels are a way to create a small scale ‘framework’. So, imagine, if you will, a microscopic honeycomb. By combining optical trapping and spectroscopy, researchers have been able to shed light on the mechanism of catalyst synthesis itself.
Levitating droplets to help understand air pollution.
Air pollution doesn’t come solely from car exhausts and fossil fuel power stations; another key component are tiny droplets of oils from, amongst other things, cooking. The presence of these fatty acids may add to the pollution of our environment.
CLF Octopus: How Do Viruses “Hitch-Hike” on Airborne Droplets?
STFC's Central Laser Facility (CLF) has just received funding from the UK government to investigate, in microscopic detail, how viruses are transmitted from person to person, and how this varies in different settings and environments.
CLF Newsbite: Uncovering Disease States in Chromosomes
Zooming in on Zeolites
Using multiple imaging techniques at the CLF leads to novel insights about industrial zeolite catalysts.
Professor Marisa Martin-Fernandez Featured as part of UKRI’s International Women and Girls in Science Day
Porous Carbon Microparticles - Potential Future of Safe Drug Delivery
Researchers from Dublin and the Central Laser Facility demonstrate the potential of porous carbon microparticles as a vehicle to transport agents, such genetic material and anti-cancer drugs, to cells.
Octopus Analyses Chlamydia’s Lesser Known Role in Respiratory Infections
“The majority of Chlamydia pneumonia infections occur from early childhood to teenage years, and while its symptoms are often mild, it can cause complications."
Cooking oil emissions polluting urban environments
The University of Birmingham has collaborated with the Central Laser Facility and Diamond, alongside researchers from the University of Bath, to lead to a new insight on urban pollution.
CLF News Bite: Octopus Paper Selected as a PrePrint Highlight by the PreLights: Nuclear myosin VI regulates the spatial organization of mammalian transcription initiation
Octopus manuscript in contention in Cells Best Paper 2021 Awards
OCTOPUS article in the LaserLab Europe
Article “From molecules to tissue models: Investigating cancer using the Octopus imaging cluster" was published in July 2020 issue
OCTOPUS 10th Anniversary
Congratulations OCTOPUS! It's been 10 fantastic years of delivering innovative science.
Recent NERC funded collaboration between OCTOPUS and ISIS
Quantifying the light scattering behaviour and oxidation rate of atmospheric aerosol
Cover article in Angewante Chemie
Cover article in Angewante Chemie describes new live cell probes with long fluorescence lifetimes (>160 -1000 ns) when bound to DNA and shorter lifetimes in the cytoplasm.
Cover article in ChemComm
A recent cover article in ChemComm showing drug behaviour models in the human respiratory system.
Lasers for Science Facility & Artemis User Meeting 2019
This year’s “Lasers for Science Facility/Artemis User Meeting” ran from the 9th – 11th of April in St Catherine’s College, Oxford. Delegates gathered to discuss research from the CLF’s Octopus, Ultra and Artemis Facilities.
New study on anti-cancer drug treatment could greatly lessen negative side effects on patients
Zooming in at the molecular level with OCTOPUS
The cell structures of plant and mammal bacteria have been brought into focus thanks to a new technique used at the OCTOPUS imaging cluster at the Central Laser Facility (CLF).
OCTOPUS imaging cluster identifies protein structures on the surface of cells that can help with cancer drug development
In a new Nature Communications publication, the research group have identified at least three different structures on the surface of the cell that interchange depending on certain cellular factors - membrane compositions and mutations.
CLF collaborative study highlights flaws in breast cancer drug
A consortium of scientists from across the UK have used the OCTOPUS imaging facility at the CLF to prove that a well-established breast cancer drug paradoxically boosts the growth of tumour cells in vitro.
Artemis and Research Complex User Meeting 2017
Tuesday 5th September saw the beginning of the LSF and Artemis user meeting, made particularly pertinent by the future plans to move Artemis to join Ultra and Octopus in the Research Complex.
New research overturns decades of thinking on how Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signals
Four decades of thinking on signal transduction has been overturned thanks to a research project involving contributions from scientists and engineers in the UK.