Our Department of Chemistry has created the first laser scanning confocal microscope capable of tracking left- and right-handed molecules within living cells.

This breakthrough will enable researchers to gain new information about chiral molecules, and allow them to analyse previously unknown parts of biology or chemistry. The new laser microscope CPL Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope, also known as CPL-LSCM, is the first microscope of its kind to distinguish left-handed from right-handed molecules. It can even emit bright light. When emitting light, the left- and right-handed molecules create an optical fingerprint that includes information about the molecular environment and conformation. Scientists around the globe will now be able examine and study this information for the first time using the new microscope. Research excellence is what makes us thrive Our Chemistry Department is 5th in the UK according to the Guardian University Guide 2022. This is due to the world-leading research that our scientists do in chemical sciences. This groundbreaking new light microscope will enable researchers and academics around the world to study fundamental interactions between cells and organelles. The CPL Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope has a lot of potential for use by the imaging and biomedical communities around the world.