Library Research in Action: Building a Better Microscope at the Bollinger Digital Fabrication Lab

As a third-year PhD candidate in the Mir Lab at the University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, my project focuses on the development and implementation of a low-cost, modular light-sheet microscope. The Bollinger Digital Fabrication Lab has been a highly beneficial resource, enabling me to rapidly prototype and experiment with various build configurations for my microscope system components. 

My research required several custom components for the light sheet microscope: precise optical mounts, custom sample chambers, specialized lens holders, and modular housing components that needed to be tested and iterated quickly. Building a low-cost system meant I couldn't rely on expensive commercial optical components, so custom fabrication was essential to my project's success. 

Over the course of my thesis work, the Bollinger Lab has printed dozens of iterations of my designs, all at no cost for my academic research project. When early prototypes didn't work exactly as planned, I was able to quickly modify my design and get a new version printed within days. This rapid iteration cycle has been crucial for refining my experimental setup. 

One key example of this process was developing a custom tube lens mount that was not commercially available. The Bollinger Lab helped me print multiple versions until I created specialized geometry with retaining rings and locking mechanisms that perfectly fit our mounting requirements.

The modular design of this system required multiple custom components for sample mounting that were impractical to purchase commercially. The Bollinger Lab printed these essential system components, including a 25mm sample holder for specimen positioning, dual-bath chambers for dye storage and sample imaging, and a complete mounting solution. Multiple iterations of each component were printed to optimize both material properties and experimental parameters.  

The system also requires precise control over the laser beam profile and diameter, which we are achieving by integrating an electronically-controlled iris aperture to ensure repeatable beam profiles. The Bollinger Lab printed custom mounting components to securely position and align the electronic iris within the optical path while mounting the control electronics to the optical breadboard. 

Thanks to the Bollinger Lab's support, I have been able to develop a functional light sheet microscope system that aims to achieve our research goals at a fraction of the cost of commercial alternatives. The iterative design process they enabled has been crucial for optimizing both the optical performance and modular design of the system as development continues. What could have been prohibitively expensive custom machining became an accessible and collaborative development process. 

More than just printing services, the team provided genuine research support. They were always friendly, eager to help me achieve the print I needed, and communicated valuable feedback about how my designs and prints could be improved. The build is nearing completion, and the Bollinger Digital Fabrication Lab has been crucial to enabling the rapid development and prototyping capabilities that made this system possible.