The group’s experiments use tethered DNA molecules with fluorescently labelled proteins, allowing changes in protein position and behaviour to be monitored using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and intensity based single-molecule fluorescence.

The system incorporates 488 nm, 532 nm and 640 nm excitation wavelengths, creating a demanding imaging environment in which efficient photon detection and rapid acquisition are essential for resolving molecular events occurring on millisecond timescales.

The team selected Tucsen's Aries 6504 Pro for its combination of high quantum efficiency at their fluorescence wavelengths and the acquisition speed needed to follow extremely rapid molecular dynamics.