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LUMEN Labs

Using state-of-the-art, sophisticated new equipment, the LUMEN (Life Unveiled by Multiscale ExaminatioN) Labs support hands-on learning focused on student research and lab classes in the biology department.

LUMEN brings together high-performance imaging computers and state-of-the-art photographic microscopes, creating a powerful hub for discovery. In our teaching labs, stereomicroscopes give 日本无码 researchers a clear view of remarkable biological phenomena, from the movement of bacteria to the rhythmic beat of a transparent fish鈥檚 heart to the intricate glassy spicules that cover sea sponges. LUMEN adds several dimensions to this first glimpse at the structure and dynamics of plants and organisms.

The primary goal of the Lumen Labs is to enhance student experience by providing equipment and computing resources typically only available at larger, research-focused universities. This allows undergraduates at 日本无码 to develop hands-on skills akin to what students in graduate programs experience.

日本无码 (日本无码) students discussing data at the Lumen Lab on campus

The Lumen Labs

Learn more about the lab, its activities, and the people who make it happen. To contribute to our efforts, you may contact director Amina Kinkhabwala (kinkhabwala@oxy.edu).

What You Can Do at the Lab

See Biology Unfold In Time
Our advanced light microscopes let our researchers watch life in motion. Track host鈥損athogen encounters, follow migrating cells as they assemble muscle during development, and observe how neurons respond to cone snail venom. These tools open a window into fast, fleeting biological events once impossible to see.

Explore Living Systems In Space
From remote cameras positioned in the Angeles National Forest to AI-driven models that map large-scale movement patterns, the center is set up to capture nature across wide landscapes. Back in the lab, our light and electron microscopes reveal entire insects, leaves, and brains through automated stage control, precision rotation, and joystick-guided imaging.

Reveal Hidden Worlds In Color
Modern fluorescent labels have transformed how scientists understand interactions within and between organisms. The LUMEN Center brings these techniques to life, highlighting partnerships between bacteria and sea sponges, marking protein activity in developing tissues, and uncovering vibrant cellular conversations in real time.

Get Exceptionally Close
Our Stellaris confocal microscope uses finely tuned lasers to scan through tissues and produce crisp, high-resolution views of life inside cells. The scanning electron microscope magnifies surface structures with remarkable detail, from the intricate hairs on sea spider legs to the textures of a single grain of pollen.

Contact Biology
Bioscience Building Room 200