DA0192 Falcon Upgrade

Tender description

The FALCON module enables Protein – Protein association studies. This is important for HGU and IGC work as it enables researchers to see where molecules are binding within a cell, organoid or model organism. There isn’t another IGC piece of equipment which can do this work. The studies are live so travel to the closest working system in Dundee Is very challenging. This is an upgrade to an existing piece of equipment already installed within the university. The Leica Stellaris was originally purchased in 2021 from the funding the MRC received to boost medical research during the Covid Period. The decision making at that point had to be very quick as the funding was on a short turn around. Emerging research, particularly since the QQR has identified a need for an upgrade which would enable ‘F-techniques’ such as FRET and FLIM for association studies. The Stellaris is much more sensitive and fast than other similar AIR confocals. Which is likely why at the time of initial purchase there was no research ask for this work. However as users have discovered what the instrument is capable of they now want to make use of its extended functionality. The increase in usage of the current confocal has highlighted that an increase in functionality will increase its chargeable core working time, this increase in functionality will come from the proposed upgrade with the addition of the falcon module