The LITC (Light Imaging Toulouse CBI) is a research technology platform providing expertise and support in optical imaging methods for researchers at the "centre de biologie integrative" de Toulouse. The LITC is created in January 1th, 2016 and unify fluorescence microscopy within Paul-Sabatier campus of Toulouse's University. This platform is created by the fusion of existing platform of fluorescence imaging at three different location in the campus: CBD, LBCMCP and IBCG building . This platform reachs critical size by synergizing advanced fluorescence imaging of five research unit (CRCA, CBD, LBCMCP, LBME and LMGM).

With more than 16 image acquisition workstations, the LITC has a large panel of wide field image acquisition (including High Throughput Microscopy), confocal (LSM and spinning disk), biphoton, optogenetics and super-resolution microscopy. LITC explore innovative solutions in biophotonics in topics ranging from developmental biology, including molecular genetics, to microbiology. The LITC benefit from a well-established expertise in tissue imaging and living cell microscopy (from human cell to bacteria). LITC benefit from key technologies and master specific know-hows in innovative methods including:

• Live Imaging:
  • Specialized microscopes on site (Spinning Disk for confocal live imaging; FRAP; Laser ablation), use of microfluidic devices.
  • Innovative technologies for loci tracking (multiple FROS, such as ANCHOR/ParB-INT systems);
  • Single cell analyses
  • Advanced images analyses and tracking algorithms (Statistical position maps, geometrical analysis, SVM, machine learning)
• High Resolution Microscopy:
  • On site electron microscopy platform allows correlative fluorescence-EM microscopy
  • Dedicated fluorescence microscopy for small organisms (bacteria, yeasts)
  • Super-resolution sptPALM
• High Throughput Microscopy:
  • On Site High Throughput Microscopy.
  • Innovative statistical methods for high throughput microscopy analyses such as statistical mapping of locus position in cell population using in-house algorithms.
• On site expertise in images analyses (quantitation, automation, statistics deconvolution, filtering) with two permanent engineers.
• Optogenetics (photo-activation and inactivation), in FRET (Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer ), FRAP (fluorescence recovery after-photobleaching), CALI (Chromophore assisted light inactivation) and laser ablation.

Located on the Paul Sabatier University campus in Toulouse, LITC is part of the “Toulouse Réseau Imagerie” (TRI) cell imaging network, which benefits of the IBiSA label and obtained the ISO9001:2008 certification in January 2010. This facility is open to both academic and industrial users.

A team of four permanent technical staff maintains the pool of fluorescent microscopy devices, and are acquiring new complementary setups to implement state of the art imaging techniques, such as super resolution, optogenetics and microfluidic systems.