A recent Nature Biotechnology Research Briefing, titled “Affordable centimeter-scale 3D microscopy with sub-micrometer resolution,” highlights the significance of the HySIL (hybrid solid–liquid optics) framework developed by Dr. Raju Tomer and collaborators.

The article discusses how HySIL addresses longstanding challenges in volumetric imaging by combining inexpensive long-working-distance air objectives with hybrid solid–liquid optics. This innovative approach enables scalable, submicrometer-resolution imaging of centimeter-scale samples while maintaining compatibility across a wide range of tissue-clearing methods.

Traditionally, achieving high-resolution imaging of large cleared tissues has required expensive immersion objectives with limited working distances and compatibility with only specific immersion media. HySIL overcomes these limitations by using a refractive framework with index-matched components that improves light collection, corrects aberrations, and expands imaging flexibility across diverse sample preparation methods.

The Nature Biotechnology editorial team highlighted the broader impact of this approach in the accompanying Research Briefing:

“The authors take an interesting approach to tackle the limitations of light-sheet microscopy. They pair a solid optical element with a refractive index-matched liquid to form a continuous optical system, enabling a long-working-distance air objective to achieve high resolution. The implementation makes light-sheet microscopy more scalable and less costly.”

— Editorial Team, Nature Biotechnology

As highlighted in the Research Briefing, this approach has the potential to make advanced 3D imaging more affordable, scalable, and accessible to researchers worldwide, supporting applications ranging from organ-scale biology to 3D histopathology and expansion microscopy.

The innovations described in the HySIL work have helped shape the development of the award-winning SLICE™ benchtop light sheet microscope, bringing high-performance light-sheet imaging to a broader scientific community.

We are proud to see Dr. Raju Tomer and collaborators’ innovative work continue to receive recognition from the broader scientific community and highlighted by Nature Biotechnology.

Read the full Research Briefing here: Affordable centimeter-scale 3D microscopy with submicrometer resolution

Read the original HySIL publication here: Hybrid solid−liquid optics enable scalable, high-resolution light-sheet microscopy across diverse immersion media

The post Nature Biotechnology Research Briefing Highlights the Impact of Hybrid Solid–Liquid Optics appeared first on MBF Bioscience.

Williston, VT – MBF Bioscience is honored to announce that Dr. Raju Tomer’s laboratory at Columbia University has published groundbreaking research in Nature Biotechnology, with SLICE serving as a key validation platform. The paper, titled “Hybrid Solid-Liquid Optics Enable Scalable, High-Resolution, Multi-Immersion Light-Sheet Microscopy,” introduces and validates SCOPE—an optical technology developed by Dr. Tomer’s team that enables submicron-resolution imaging using affordable, long-working-distance objectives. 

The research, led by Dr. Tomer with biologist collaborators from Columbia University, NIH/NIMH, Lehigh University, NYU Langone Health, and other institutions, showcases diverse applications including whole-brain neuronal mapping, expansion microscopy, and 3D histopathology of human cancer tissues—all performed using the SLICE platform. 

Dr. Tomer invented pLSM (projected light-sheet microscopy), which MBF Bioscience commercialized as SLICE. This collaboration demonstrates how academic innovation can be translated into accessible commercial instruments that serve the broader research community. 

“We’re grateful to support Dr. Tomer’s vision of enabling advanced microscopy in labs of all sizes,” said Jack Glaser, CEO of MBF Bioscience and co-author on the paper. “His team’s SCOPE innovation, combined with SLICE’s accessibility, is making high-resolution volumetric imaging available to laboratories worldwide.” 

The SCOPE-SLICE system demonstrated: 

• Submicron lateral resolution (<0.75 μm) using standard air objectives 

• Compatibility with diverse tissue clearing and expansion methods 

• Whole-organ imaging at cellular and subcellular resolution 

• Cost-effective 3D histopathology for research and clinical applications 

Read the full publication: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-026-03172-7

Learn more about SLICE: https://www.mbfbioscience.com/products/slice

The post Columbia University Researchers Publish SCOPE Technology in Nature Biotechnology; SLICE Platform Supports Validation appeared first on MBF Bioscience.

Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) has become an important tool for imaging large cleared tissue specimens because of its ability to rapidly acquire volumetric datasets while minimizing photobleaching and photodamage. However, many traditional light-sheet systems require complex optical engineering, expensive hardware, and specialized infrastructure that can limit accessibility for many laboratories.

The article explores how SLICE integrates projected light-sheet microscopy (pLSM), HySIL/SCOPE optics, and long-working-distance imaging configurations into a compact and scalable platform, SLICE helps reduce the complexity and cost traditionally associated with advanced light-sheet microscopy systems while maintaining the same or better research-grade imaging performance.

From large-scale brain mapping and connectomics to developmental neuroanatomy and disease-model research, SLICE enables researchers to generate high-quality whole-brain datasets with speed, flexibility, and accessibility. The system is compatible with a wide range of tissue clearing methods, including iDISCO, CLARITY, CUBIC, SHIELD, and BINAREE workflows.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone involved in the development of this technology, especially Dr. Raju Tomer and his collaborators at Columbia University.

Read the full article: Light-Sheet Microscope Design Puts Whole-Brain Imaging in Reach for Scientists

The post Making High-Performance Whole-Brain Imaging More Accessible appeared first on MBF Bioscience.

Reference

Fay, M. G., Lang, P. J., Denu, D. S., et al. (2026). ClearScope: A Fully Integrated Light-Sheet Theta Microscope for Sub-Micron-Resolution Imaging Without Lateral Size Constraints. Journal of Imaging. https://doi.org/10.3390/jimaging12030118

Background

Three-dimensional imaging of intact organs and large tissue samples is critical for studying neural connectivity and structural changes in neurological disorders. While light sheet microscopy has become a leading tool for imaging cleared tissues, conventional systems face a fundamental limitation: the orthogonal arrangement of illumination and detection optics constrains the lateral size of specimens that can be imaged — making it impossible to capture intact large rodent brains or human tissue sections in their entirety.

About ClearScope

ClearScope is based on light sheet theta microscopy (LSTM), a technology developed by Professor Raju Tomer and colleagues at Columbia University. Unlike traditional light sheet systems, LSTM uses two oblique illumination paths paired with perpendicular detection optics — enabling imaging of specimens with effectively unconstrained lateral dimensions while maintaining subcellular resolution.

Part of our broader light sheet microscopy platform – built to push the boundaries of 3D imaging

ClearScope is a technological cousin to SLICE, MBF Bioscience’s newest light sheet microscope system. Together they reflect our commitment to expanding the boundaries of 3D biological imaging — from connectomics and systems neuroscience to vascular biology, cancer biology, and organoid research.

We’re grateful to our collaborators at Columbia University and NYU Langone Health for their partnership in this work.

The post Breaking the size barrier: ClearScope light sheet microscope paper published in Journal of Imaging appeared first on MBF Bioscience.

MBF Bioscience Introduces SLICE™: We Reimagined Light Sheet Microscopes From the Ground Up

Breakthrough system combines high performance with unprecedented affordability and compact design, making cutting-edge light sheet microscopy accessible to labs of all sizes

WILLISTON, VT – June 9, 2025 – MBF Bioscience, a world leader in quantitative microscopy solutions, today announced the commercial launch of SLICE™, a revolutionary light sheet microscope that represents a paradigm shift in advanced imaging technology. Invented by leading researchers at Columbia University, this patent-pending innovation delivers advanced 3D imaging capabilities to research labs of all sizes while offering performance that surpasses systems costing ten times more.

Breaking Down Barriers to Advanced Imaging

SLICE addresses one of the most significant challenges in modern biological research: the limited accessibility of high-performance light sheet microscopy due to high costs and complex infrastructure requirements. This innovative system offers high sub-micron resolution imaging of biological samples, making it ideal for both individual laboratories and core facilities, effectively democratizing access to what was previously available only to well-funded institutions.

“For over three decades, MBF Bioscience has been committed to putting powerful research tools in the hands of scientists everywhere,” said Jack Glaser, President and Co-founder of MBF Bioscience. “To advance science, we had to change the math. SLICE represents the embodiment of that mission—delivering the performance researchers need at a price point that makes advanced light sheet microscopy accessible to labs that previously couldn’t afford this technology. We’re not just selling a microscope, we’re opening doors to discoveries that might never have happened otherwise.”

Dr. Raju Tomer, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University and inventor of the technology underlying SLICE, added: “When we developed this approach, our goal was to overcome the fundamental limitations that have kept light sheet microscopy out of reach for so many researchers. SLICE realizes that vision—it’s a system that doesn’t compromise on scientific capability while dramatically reducing the barriers to entry. I’m excited to see how the broader research community will use this technology to push the boundaries of what’s possible in biological imaging.”

Technical Innovation Meets Practical Design

SLICE comes equipped with powerful software for tera-voxel visualization, seamless image stitching, and sophisticated post-processing. The system’s compact, benchtop-ready design enables placement in diverse research environments, including higher biosafety level facilities, small lab spaces, and even inside incubators where experiments are conducted.

Key features of SLICE include:

• Exceptional Performance-to-Cost Ratio: Performance surpassing systems costing ten times as much
• Multi-wavelength Compatibility: 3 illumination wavelengths for popular labels such as: GFP, Thy1-GFP, eYFP, Alexa 514, 633, 647, mCherry, tdTomato
• Versatile Clearing Compatibility: Compatible with iDISCO, CLARITY, SHANEL, CUBIC, BINAREE and virtually all other optical clearing techniques
• Comprehensive Software: BrightSLICE software for acquisition, visualization, and post-processing
• Seamless Integration: Seamlessly integrates with MBF Bioscience’s suite of analytical tools, including Neurolucida 360, NeuroInfo and NeuroDeblur

Expanding Research Capabilities

The SLICE system enables researchers to image labeled cells and neuronal processes throughout cleared tissue with exceptional clarity and speed. A wide range of proteins and dyes can be used with SLICE, including c-Fos, tdTomato, mCherry, podocalyxin, CD31, Acta2, mScarlet, and Thy1-eYFP, making it suitable for diverse research applications across neuroscience, developmental biology, cancer research, and beyond.

Advanced image stitching produces 3D image volumes suitable for MBF Bioscience’s AI-based quantitative analysis software to produce accurate data for analyzing morphometry, cell populations, sub-cellular processes, vasculature and fluorescence properties, enabling researchers to conduct sophisticated analyses previously limited to specialized facilities.

About MBF Bioscience

MBF Bioscience is a biotech company that develops microscopy software and hardware for bioscience research and education. MBF Bioscience’s primary location is Williston, Vermont, United States and has offices that market, sell, and support its line of hardware and software products in Ashburn, Virginia; San Diego, California; Europe, and Asia. The company was founded in 1988 as MicroBrightField, Inc. by the father and son team of Dr. Edmund Glaser and Jack Glaser, and has been instrumental in advancing quantitative microscopy for over three decades.

MBF has received numerous awards for innovation, customer service, and employee satisfaction, including the US Small Business Administration’s Tibbetts Award for excellence in high technology, the Vermont Small Business Person of the Year award, and the Best Places to Work in Vermont award. MBF’s tools have been cited in over 16,000 peer-reviewed journal publications, underscoring the company’s impact on global scientific research.

Availability and Pricing

SLICE is now available for order, with 30-day lead time for delivery. The complete system, including the light sheet microscope, BrightSLICE software, and computer workstation, is priced under $75,000 – representing exceptional value for advanced 3D imaging capabilities. For demonstrations, technical specifications, or ordering information, visit www.mbfbioscience.com/products/slice or contact MBF Bioscience directly.

Media Contact: Pasang Sherpa, Marketing Manager

Phone: +1 (802) 288-9290

Email: pasang@mbfbioscience.com

The post MBF Bioscience Introduces SLICE™: We Reimagined Light Sheet Microscopes From the Ground Up appeared first on MBF Bioscience.

In just a few days, at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago, we will be unveiling SLICE – our new affordable light sheet microscope that truly redefines what’s possible in imaging technology. SLICE is the result of our collaboration with leading microscopy researchers at Columbia University, embodying our mission to support “Big Science in labs of all sizes”.

What makes SLICE extraordinary and such a transformative technology? Let me share some key points:

• Performance on par with systems costing ten times as much
• Resolution of ~1 μm laterally and ~5 μm axially, resolves cells and neuronal processes throughout the brain
• Three-wavelength imaging capability
• Compatible with iDISCO, CLARITY, SHANEL, BINAREE and other optical clearing techniques

Most importantly, we’re offering SLICE at an introductory price under $50,000 for a limited time, including lasers and a computer workstation. This is not just a price point; it’s a statement of our commitment to democratizing access to advanced research tools.

I personally invite you to visit us at Booth 781 during SfN to learn about our exclusive conference offers designed to make this innovative technology even more accessible. See SLICE in action, and let’s discuss how it can propel your research forward. If you can’t make it to SfN, please visit our website SLICE for detailed information.

In my 30 years in this field, I’ve seen many advances, but SLICE stands out as a true game-changer. It has the potential to accelerate research across multiple disciplines, and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with you.

We pride ourselves in helping scientists make new discoveries, which is why we are determined to do things that allow more researchers to make more discoveries.

I look forward to your feedback and to seeing the groundbreaking research that SLICE will enable in your labs.

Sincerely,

Jack Glaser

President, MBF Bioscience

The post Introducing SLICE™: A new era in low-cost, high-performance light-sheet microscopy appeared first on MBF Bioscience.

At Dr. Patrick R. Hof’s lab at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, researchers imaged the cerebral cortex using light-sheet fluorescence microscopy and quantified the number of neurons, including those that express proteins involved in Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia, using the Image Volume Fractionator¹. This work marks the beginning of an important and ambitious project to build an atlas of cortical cells, using a multi-resolution imaging pipeline. At the pipeline’s highest level of resolution, both the Image Volume Fractionator, for use with thick sections of cleared tissue, and the Optical Fractionator, for much thinner sections, are being used to estimate cell number. The researchers will also use automatic cell detection and plan to compare results obtained using the three methods.

In the paper A Multimodal Imaging and Analysis Pipeline for Creating a Cellular Census of the Human Cerebral Cortex¹, the authors describe the beginning of the effort to build a census of the human cerebral cortex, a laminar structure, that contains layers comprised of different cell types visible using high resolution microscopy. There are a number of different neuronal cell types in each layer, including projection neurons and interneurons, as well as excitatory and inhibitory neurons. Layers can be identified based on different proteins contained in certain cells using fluorescence immunohistochemistry. Calretinin, a calcium-binding protein, is found in a subpopulation of the inhibitory interneurons that contain GABA. Neurofilament protein, which can be found in the cytoskeleton, makes up 30 percent of cortex cells. Parvalbumin, another calcium-binding protein, is also found in a subset of cortical cells.

The cells in the cortex have a purpose that is supported by their neurochemical and anatomical characteristics. Here are two examples involving Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. Calretinin-positive cells in the cortex are spared in Alzheimer’s disease², but neurofilament protein-positive cells degenerate, and that degeneration may predict cognitive decline³. The parvalbumin-containing basket cell is an inhibitory GABAergic interneuron in the cortex that inhibits the main output cell—the pyramidal neuron. Problems with this cell type may affect gamma oscillations, leading to the deficits in cognitive control that accompany schizophrenia⁴.

Wouldn’t it be valuable to have an atlas or census of the cortex that is “zoomable” like a GPS map, and shows the cell types and their connections? Hof. et.al., demonstrate that this is possible using three imaging techniques at increasing resolutions (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 The three imaging modalities used in this study. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the lowest resolution. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is the mid-resolution. Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy (LSFM) is the highest resolution. The Image Volume Fractionator probe is carried out using LSFM. Those images are registered to eliminate distortion to help match them to OCT and the MRI images.

At the most highly resolved level, LSFM, two unbiased stereology techniques are used to build a census inside the atlas: the Optical Fractionator and the new, Image Volume Fractionator. The latter is made possible by tissue clearing methods, which in turn allows for the use of tissue sections that are, in this case, 10 times thicker than for the Optical Fractionator (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2 The Image Volume Fractionator (IVF) was designed to be used on thick sections or large intact specimens. It is much more efficient than working on traditional histological sections that were not cleared and therefore need to be, in this case, 10 times thinner. N is the estimate of number of cells. Systematic random sampling and disector rules are followed while counting.

Since the LSFM images are ten times thicker than the thinner sections needed in the absence of tissue clearing, counting with the Image Volume Fractionator probe can be done more quickly. It is much more efficient to count cells in one large image than in ten separate thinner tissue sections. There is also less sectioning artifact, which helps with registering the higher resolution LSFM images back to the larger volume MRI images.

We are excited to see this new use of the Image Volume Fractionator, which increases efficiency and reduces imaging distortions from physical sectioning. The potential that cleared tissue offers for increasing efficiency is great, but is still largely untapped. As this method is used more frequently, we look forward to hearing feedback from the research community to further improve the capabilities and usability of the Image Volume Fractionator in Stereo Investigator – Cleared Tissue Edition.

References:

1) A Multimodal Imaging and Analysis Pipeline for Creating a Cellular Census of the Human Cerebral Cortex 2021, Constantini, et al., https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.20.464979v1

2) Hof, P. R., Nimchinsky, E. A., Celio, M. R., Bouras, C. & Morrison, J. H. Calretinin, Immunoreactive neocortical interneurons are unaffected in Alzheimer’s disease. 861 Neurosci Lett 152, 145-148 (1993).

3) Bussiere, T. et al. Progressive degeneration of nonphosphorylated neurofilament protei enriched pyramidal neurons predicts cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease: Stereologic analysis of prefrontal cortex area 9. Journal of Comparative Neurology (2003).

4) Glausier, J. R., Fish, K. N. & Lewis, D. A. Altered parvalbumin basket cell inputs in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of schizophrenia subjects. Mol Psychiatry 19, 30-36 (2014). Lewis, D. A., Curley, A. A., Glausier, J. R. & Volk, D. W. Cortical parvalbumin interneurons and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. Trends Neurosci 35, 57-67 (2012).

The post Researchers quantify cortical cell numbers in cleared tissue with new unbiased stereology technique appeared first on MBF Bioscience.

Williston, VT (December 10, 2020) — The ability to image large, intact biological specimens is about to get a whole lot better. Developed in collaboration with Columbia University, MBF Bioscience’s revolutionary light sheet theta microscope system, ClearScope®, has the ability to image whole tissue quickly and gently, in high resolution 3D.  

The ClearScope system features a unique, two-axis scanning mode that goes beyond the capabilities of typical light sheet microscopy. The patent pending design ensures the specimen is constantly illuminated using the thinnest section of the light sheet optimizing axial resolution. Shadow effects and uneven illumination, which hindered analysis in the past, are eliminated by the new technology, so that even the smallest subcellular structures within the tissue can be visualized with precision.  

Compatible with a range of tissue clearing techniques, including CLARITY, iDISCO, uDISCO, SeeDB and Sca/e, ClearScope has the ability to capture the details of very thick, very large specimens, such as intact tissue from human and primate brains. President and co-founder of MBF Bioscience, Jack Glaser says, “With low photo-bleaching, fast imaging speed, and high image quality, ClearScope is the most advanced tissue-imaging system in development today, and is set to revolutionize brain research.” 

Designed to work with a wide range of cleared specimens, the system is completely customizable and easily adapted to address the specific needs of researchers across a variety of disciplines.  

If you are interested in learning more about MBF Bioscience’s advanced new system for imaging large tissue specimens, visit: https://www.mbfbioscience.com/clearscope  

###

About MBF Bioscience: MBF Bioscience integrates the world’s leading microscope systems with our revolutionary quantitative imaging and visualization software to accelerate research in the fields of: stereology, neuron and microvasculature reconstruction, vascular analysis, worm tracking, brain mapping and big image data management in medical research and education. 

Since 1988, MBF Bioscience has forged a rich history of creating innovative products to empower biological researchers with the quantitative analysis tools they need to obtain accurate, unbiased results. With offices in North America, Europe, Japan, and South Korea, MBF Bioscience has helped researchers across the globe publish over 15,000 peer-reviewed papers in peer reviewed journals. MBF Bioscience partners with the NIH and distinguished scientists across the world to continue their commitment to neuroscience research with their software technology, and also in the fields of stem cells, pulmonology, oncology, and toxicology. For more information visit www.mbfbioscience.com or follow MBF Bioscience on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. 

###  

Media Contact: 

Pasang Sherpa 
Marketing Manager 
1-802-288-9290 
pasang@mbfbioscience.com 

The post MBF Bioscience Release ClearScope, Revolutionary Light Sheet Microscope for Imaging Large and Small Cleared Tissue Specimens appeared first on MBF Bioscience.

Williston, VT (February 04, 2020) — MBF Bioscience’s revolutionary light sheet microscope system, ClearScope, sets a new standard for microscopic imaging.

The new decade is poised to bring about incredible scientific innovations, and MBF Bioscience is leading the charge in 2020 with the creation of the “light sheet theta microscope” system, ClearScope.

MBF Bioscience secured exclusive license from Columbia University to develop the light sheet theta microscope technology invented by Dr. Raju Tomer. This patent-pending technology in ClearScope leap frogs a number of inherent limitations of other light sheet microscopes. ClearScope will be commercially released this year.

ClearScope performs high-resolution, 3D imaging of intact, cleared specimens that are larger than any other light sheet microscope is capable of imaging. The technology permits fast imaging speed, high- quality imaging and low photo-bleaching. With the exclusive dual, oblique light sheets providing homogeneous illumination, MBF Bioscience has created a microscope system superior to all existing commercial light sheet microscopes. It is compatible with tissue clearing techniques including CLARITY, uDISCO, SeeDB, Scale and Binaree.

President and co-founder of MBF Bioscience, Jack Glaser says, “Dr. Tomer’s, revolutionary design of light sheet theta microscopy, and the new capabilities it provides, will have a dramatic impact in scientific research. We are excited to bring this technology to market in ClearScope. ”

Dr. Raju Tomer, assistant professor of biological sciences at Columbia University says, “I am very excited about the licensing of our light sheet theta microscope technology to MBF Bioscience for developing a robust and user-friendly ClearScope product. This technology has clear potential to revolutionize high-resolution, quantitative imaging of very large cleared samples. It will also be a valuable instrument for dynamic imaging of live specimens. I think MBF Bioscience, with its extensive expertise in neuroscience imaging and data analytics, is a natural partner to take it beyond a lab instrument stage, to benefit the scientific community at large.”

With the ability to image cleared tissue of virtually any XY size, ClearScope has the ability to completely revolutionize the way researchers image and collect data of tissue specimens. ClearScope image data can be analyzed with MBF’s flagship software solutions, Neurolucida 360, Vesselucida 360 and Stereo Investigator.

To learn more about ClearScope visit: www.mbfbioscience.com/clearscope

About MBF Bioscience: MBF Bioscience integrates the world’s leading microscope systems with our revolutionary quantitative imaging and visualization software to accelerate research in the fields of: stereology, neuron and microvasculature reconstruction, vascular analysis, worm tracking, brain mapping and big image data management in medical research and education.

Since 1988, MBF Bioscience has forged a rich history of creating innovative products to empower biological researchers with the quantitative analysis tools they need to obtain accurate, unbiased results. With offices in North America, Europe, Japan, and South Korea, MBF Bioscience has helped researchers across the globe publish over 15,000 peer-reviewed papers in peer reviewed journals. MBF Bioscience partners with the NIH and distinguished scientists across the world to continue their commitment to neuroscience research with their software technology, and also in the fields of stem cells, pulmonology, oncology, and toxicology. For more information visit www.mbfbioscience.com or follow MBF Bioscience on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, or compete in our image contest at www.neuroart.com

###

Media Contact:
Pasang Sherpa
Marketing Manager
1-802-288-9290/ pasang@mbfbioscience.com

The post MBF Bioscience Secures Exclusive License from Columbia University to Create New Light-Sheet Microscope System appeared first on MBF Bioscience.