“The main reason we chose the Aries 16 over others is that we could get the sensitivity we needed without using an EMCCD, which would require really high EM gain and noise. It has been trouble-free to capture single molecules with this camera.”

- Mohtadin Hashemi, Auburn University, Alabama



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Group Research Aims

The Hashemi group studies how individual biological molecules behave, with a focus on proteins and DNA that play important roles in health and disease such as neurological disorders and cancer.

Their work looks at proteins relevant to neuroscience and cellular signalling, examining how these molecules interact over very small time scales & sizes. By observing these processes one molecule at a time, they aim to better understand how biological systems function at their most fundamental level.

Group Website
Single molecule fluorescence diagram setup in Hashemi lab, Auburn University using Aries 16

Equipment & Experiment

The groups uses single-molecule fluorescence microscopy (SMFM). Target proteins or protein–DNA constructs are tagged with fluorescent markers and tethered to a functionalised surface at low density so individual molecules can be observed in isolation. Excitation light is directed through a high-numerical-aperture objective from TIRF, and the emitted fluorescence is collected to image molecular interactions, conformational changes, or binding events. This allows the team to monitor dynamic biological processes one molecule at a time rather than averaging over large populations.

The Tucsen Aries 16 is used to capture this very faint fluorescence in real time at between 10-30 fps, which allows for a balance of sensitivity and speed. The 16 μm pixels helps detect signals from single molecules, while its speed allows rapid changes to be recorded without missing key events. Using the MicroManager software, the recorded images are then analysed to follow how molecules such as proteins and DNA interact, giving insight into how biological systems function at the smallest scale.

Experience with Tucsen

"The Aries 16 provides the performance we need to detect faint fluorescence from individual molecules. Tucsen made this process very easy to select the right camera for our application through a product demo and remote support that allowed us to get set up and capturing data in good time." – Mohtadin Hashemi, Auburn University, Alabama

Dhyana BSI V3 camera

Aries 16

The Aries 16 features 16 μm pixels, allowing the ultimate sensitivity of EMCCDs while also surpassing binned sCMOS.

  • 90% Peak QE
  • 60 fps
  • 0.9 e- Read Noise
  • 800 x 600 Pixels
  • 16 Micron Pixels
  • CameraLink & USB3.0