About the Center for Advanced Microscopy

The Center for Advanced Microscopy, a Michigan State University Core Facility, is the central microscopy laboratory for the Michigan State University Campus. We provide MSU researchers with formal graduate level instruction and 24/7 access to scanning electron microscopes, transmission electron microscopes, laser capture microscopes, and confocal laser scanning microscopes. We support all research disciplines including newly emerging areas in nanotechnology.  We serve in excess of 400 MSU researchers per year from 40 different University departments, as well as several dozen off-campus customers.

A key strength at CAM is synergy – many research projects benefit by using more than one type of microscopy analysis.  With many different microscopy capabilities together in one facility, CAM is in a unique position to facilitate research projects using multiple microscopes.

CAM staff members collectively have in excess of one-hundred years experience in all phases of microscopy and make this knowledge and expertise available to the University community and outside individuals.  All services are available to off-campus individuals in academia, government, and industry.  Non-disclosure agreements can be arranged if needed.

User access to CAM microscopes is via our graduate level courses or by service work.  After completion of a class, students are qualified to operate the microscopes at the self-operator rate and are granted 24/7 access.  Special arrangements can be made for faculty and post-docs to attend classes.  As an alternative, CAM staff can process samples and operate microscopes as service work at the operator assisted rates.