Open-Source DIY Microscopy

UCLA Miniscope: An Open-Source Fluorescence Microscope

For neuroscience researchers, studying neural activity on freely behaving animals is critical for research, but traditional microscopes used to study animal brains tend to be cumbersome and expensive, and must be stationary when used. This makes them extremely inconvenient for observing the neurons of a mouse exploring its environment or interacting with other animals. The Khakh, Silva, and Golshani labs at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) created an open-source, head-mounted miniature fluorescent microscope to study neural activity on freely behaving mice. Any neuroscience lab can build this optical device at a fraction of the cost of a commercial fluorescence microscope.

Figure 2: Cross-sectional view of the Miniscope

The Miniscope mounts onto the head of a mouse to image neurons firing and identify the differences in neural activity between healthy brains and those with neurological conditions. True to their goal of being open-source, the UCLA research team created the design for this microscope and posted the parts list, instructions for building and using the Miniscope, and links to video tutorials on a custom wiki website. This wiki provides a centralized location for sharing design files, source code, and other relevant information so that a community of users and scientists from around the world can share ideas and developments related to this important imaging technique. The central location of information helps spread the technology to the larger neuroscience community, establishing a foundation of users that will continue advancing this technology and contribute back to the project.

Figure 3: Exploded view of the Miniscope

This DIY microscope includes off-the-shelf components from Edmund Optics^® including achromatic lenses, half-ball lenses, and GRIN lenses. The Miniscope represents the building block of a stable platform for labs to add components to in order to support their specific usage of the microscope. Over 300 labs are using this Miniscope today, many of which have customized the device to their unique research needs. To learn more or purchase the complete set of components for the Miniscope, visit this webpage.