Alfred Millett-Sikking
@amsikking.bsky.social
I'm a Physicist and R&D Engineer. Fascinated by optimal designs, I seek to improve and invent technologies.
Homepage: amsikking.github.io
Homepage: amsikking.github.io
Pinned
Has anyone had this problem? A hydrophobic water objective? The objective is great but we struggle to keep the water on the lens...
-> Maybe a solution is to paint a circle around the nose with a 'hydrophobic barrier pap pen" (link below). Has anyone tried this?
www.fishersci.com/shop/product...
-> Maybe a solution is to paint a circle around the nose with a 'hydrophobic barrier pap pen" (link below). Has anyone tried this?
www.fishersci.com/shop/product...
November 12, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Has anyone had this problem? A hydrophobic water objective? The objective is great but we struggle to keep the water on the lens...
-> Maybe a solution is to paint a circle around the nose with a 'hydrophobic barrier pap pen" (link below). Has anyone tried this?
www.fishersci.com/shop/product...
-> Maybe a solution is to paint a circle around the nose with a 'hydrophobic barrier pap pen" (link below). Has anyone tried this?
www.fishersci.com/shop/product...
Another huge advantage of miOPM is that it's gentle! A light-sheet microscope that's compatible with standard slides and multi-well plates!
-> Here we show 3D mitochondrial membrane potential in mammalian cells (GFP/RFP for mito, Cy5 for DNA). The cells move around freely!
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
-> Here we show 3D mitochondrial membrane potential in mammalian cells (GFP/RFP for mito, Cy5 for DNA). The cells move around freely!
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
November 9, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Another huge advantage of miOPM is that it's gentle! A light-sheet microscope that's compatible with standard slides and multi-well plates!
-> Here we show 3D mitochondrial membrane potential in mammalian cells (GFP/RFP for mito, Cy5 for DNA). The cells move around freely!
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
-> Here we show 3D mitochondrial membrane potential in mammalian cells (GFP/RFP for mito, Cy5 for DNA). The cells move around freely!
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Celebrating science with art! Every 2 weeks for 1 year, the full alphabet. Like, reply or repost with your favorite "S" scientist!
(19/26) -> "S" is for Squirrel, Strawberry, and...Snell?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willebr...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
(19/26) -> "S" is for Squirrel, Strawberry, and...Snell?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willebr...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
November 9, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Celebrating science with art! Every 2 weeks for 1 year, the full alphabet. Like, reply or repost with your favorite "S" scientist!
(19/26) -> "S" is for Squirrel, Strawberry, and...Snell?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willebr...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
(19/26) -> "S" is for Squirrel, Strawberry, and...Snell?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willebr...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
A huge advantage of miOPM is 3D imaging with an air objective (previous post), but for extra depth you can also use a water objective!
-> Here's mouse alveolar organoids with Muc1 AT2 cells (green), TOM20 mitochondria (blue), RAGE AT1 cells (gray) and DAPI (magenta).
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
-> Here's mouse alveolar organoids with Muc1 AT2 cells (green), TOM20 mitochondria (blue), RAGE AT1 cells (gray) and DAPI (magenta).
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
October 26, 2025 at 5:15 PM
A huge advantage of miOPM is 3D imaging with an air objective (previous post), but for extra depth you can also use a water objective!
-> Here's mouse alveolar organoids with Muc1 AT2 cells (green), TOM20 mitochondria (blue), RAGE AT1 cells (gray) and DAPI (magenta).
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
-> Here's mouse alveolar organoids with Muc1 AT2 cells (green), TOM20 mitochondria (blue), RAGE AT1 cells (gray) and DAPI (magenta).
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Celebrating science with art! Every 2 weeks for 1 year, the full alphabet. Like, reply or repost with your favorite "R" scientist!
(18/26) -> "R" is for Rabbit, Radish, and...Raman?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._V._R...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
(18/26) -> "R" is for Rabbit, Radish, and...Raman?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._V._R...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
October 26, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Celebrating science with art! Every 2 weeks for 1 year, the full alphabet. Like, reply or repost with your favorite "R" scientist!
(18/26) -> "R" is for Rabbit, Radish, and...Raman?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._V._R...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
(18/26) -> "R" is for Rabbit, Radish, and...Raman?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._V._R...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
The future of High-Content Imaging has arrived.
-> Ultra-fast 3D imaging of multi-well plates at high resolution using an air objective!
See previous posts and the new miOPM preprint for details: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
-> Ultra-fast 3D imaging of multi-well plates at high resolution using an air objective!
See previous posts and the new miOPM preprint for details: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
October 13, 2025 at 12:44 AM
The future of High-Content Imaging has arrived.
-> Ultra-fast 3D imaging of multi-well plates at high resolution using an air objective!
See previous posts and the new miOPM preprint for details: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
-> Ultra-fast 3D imaging of multi-well plates at high resolution using an air objective!
See previous posts and the new miOPM preprint for details: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Celebrating science with art! Every 2 weeks for 1 year, the full alphabet. Like, reply or repost with your favorite "Q" scientist!
(17/26) -> "Q" is for Quail, Quince, and...Quinn?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Q...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
(17/26) -> "Q" is for Quail, Quince, and...Quinn?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Q...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
October 13, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Celebrating science with art! Every 2 weeks for 1 year, the full alphabet. Like, reply or repost with your favorite "Q" scientist!
(17/26) -> "Q" is for Quail, Quince, and...Quinn?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Q...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
(17/26) -> "Q" is for Quail, Quince, and...Quinn?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Q...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
Reposted by Alfred Millett-Sikking
Playing around with how to represent volume in #Snouty light sheet data. Here is a dividing hiPSC with endogenously tagged histone in all three orthogonal projections. Bluer is further away. If anything, it distracts from politics.
October 8, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Playing around with how to represent volume in #Snouty light sheet data. Here is a dividing hiPSC with endogenously tagged histone in all three orthogonal projections. Bluer is further away. If anything, it distracts from politics.
Reposted by Alfred Millett-Sikking
We present multi-immersion Oblique Plane microscope (miOPM), a light-sheet platform that can be adapted to a wide range of applications, from sensitive live cell imaging to imaging organs and cleared tissues.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
October 6, 2025 at 5:52 PM
We present multi-immersion Oblique Plane microscope (miOPM), a light-sheet platform that can be adapted to a wide range of applications, from sensitive live cell imaging to imaging organs and cleared tissues.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The culmination of many years work. One of the most advanced light-sheet microscopes in the world!
-> A large field of view Snouty light-sheet microscope, with any immersion remote refocus and real-time multi-angle projections!
For details see previous posts and here: github.com/amsikking/HT...
-> A large field of view Snouty light-sheet microscope, with any immersion remote refocus and real-time multi-angle projections!
For details see previous posts and here: github.com/amsikking/HT...
September 28, 2025 at 6:33 PM
The culmination of many years work. One of the most advanced light-sheet microscopes in the world!
-> A large field of view Snouty light-sheet microscope, with any immersion remote refocus and real-time multi-angle projections!
For details see previous posts and here: github.com/amsikking/HT...
-> A large field of view Snouty light-sheet microscope, with any immersion remote refocus and real-time multi-angle projections!
For details see previous posts and here: github.com/amsikking/HT...
Celebrating science with art! Every 2 weeks for 1 year, the full alphabet. Like, reply or repost with your favorite "P" scientist!
(16/26) -> "P" is for Pelican, Pineapple, and...Planck?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Pla...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
(16/26) -> "P" is for Pelican, Pineapple, and...Planck?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Pla...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
September 28, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Celebrating science with art! Every 2 weeks for 1 year, the full alphabet. Like, reply or repost with your favorite "P" scientist!
(16/26) -> "P" is for Pelican, Pineapple, and...Planck?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Pla...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
(16/26) -> "P" is for Pelican, Pineapple, and...Planck?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Pla...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
Reposted by Alfred Millett-Sikking
@tanner-fadero.bsky.social told me there was a discussion about the unofficial name for #snouty V3. We have had Mr. Snouty and King Snouty, and there were people suggesting Emperor Snouty. I think it is time for a Lady or EMPRESS snouty. I have created Art to support this.
September 18, 2025 at 3:02 AM
@tanner-fadero.bsky.social told me there was a discussion about the unofficial name for #snouty V3. We have had Mr. Snouty and King Snouty, and there were people suggesting Emperor Snouty. I think it is time for a Lady or EMPRESS snouty. I have created Art to support this.
What if we could get good 3D imaging in 'any' sample refractive index? Previously we showed how remote refocus optics can get good 3D imaging in a 'watery' sample (RI=1.33) with any immersion objective.
-> Here we show how a zoom lens can adjust remote refocus optics to any sample refractive index!
-> Here we show how a zoom lens can adjust remote refocus optics to any sample refractive index!
September 14, 2025 at 11:20 PM
What if we could get good 3D imaging in 'any' sample refractive index? Previously we showed how remote refocus optics can get good 3D imaging in a 'watery' sample (RI=1.33) with any immersion objective.
-> Here we show how a zoom lens can adjust remote refocus optics to any sample refractive index!
-> Here we show how a zoom lens can adjust remote refocus optics to any sample refractive index!
Celebrating science with art! Every 2 weeks for 1 year, the full alphabet. Like, reply or repost with your favorite "O" scientist!
(15/26) -> "O" is for Octopus, Orange, and...Ohm?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Ohm
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
(15/26) -> "O" is for Octopus, Orange, and...Ohm?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Ohm
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
September 14, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Celebrating science with art! Every 2 weeks for 1 year, the full alphabet. Like, reply or repost with your favorite "O" scientist!
(15/26) -> "O" is for Octopus, Orange, and...Ohm?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Ohm
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
(15/26) -> "O" is for Octopus, Orange, and...Ohm?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Ohm
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
Reposted by Alfred Millett-Sikking
Thrilled to share our new work in Cell Reports Methods: MCT-ASLM, a multiscale light-sheet microscopy platform that captures biology from tissue landscapes down to organelles, revealing rare events like sparse neurons and micrometastases. www.cell.com/cell-reports...
Feature-driven whole-tissue imaging with subcellular resolution
Lin et al. present a self-driving light-sheet microscope that integrates whole-organ
surveys with automated, high-resolution targeting of either user-specified or autonomously
identified features. By ...
www.cell.com
September 2, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Thrilled to share our new work in Cell Reports Methods: MCT-ASLM, a multiscale light-sheet microscopy platform that captures biology from tissue landscapes down to organelles, revealing rare events like sparse neurons and micrometastases. www.cell.com/cell-reports...
What if we could use 'any' immersion objective and get good 3D imaging? Normally we can't as we must refractive index match the immersion to the sample (previous post).
-> However, I realized a few years ago that we can get good 3D imaging with any immersion using remote refocus optics!
-> However, I realized a few years ago that we can get good 3D imaging with any immersion using remote refocus optics!
September 1, 2025 at 6:20 PM
What if we could use 'any' immersion objective and get good 3D imaging? Normally we can't as we must refractive index match the immersion to the sample (previous post).
-> However, I realized a few years ago that we can get good 3D imaging with any immersion using remote refocus optics!
-> However, I realized a few years ago that we can get good 3D imaging with any immersion using remote refocus optics!
Celebrating science with art! Every 2 weeks for 1 year, the full alphabet. Like, reply or repost with your favorite "N" scientist!
(14/26) -> "N" is for Narwhal, Nasturtium, and...Newton?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_N...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
(14/26) -> "N" is for Narwhal, Nasturtium, and...Newton?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_N...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
September 1, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Celebrating science with art! Every 2 weeks for 1 year, the full alphabet. Like, reply or repost with your favorite "N" scientist!
(14/26) -> "N" is for Narwhal, Nasturtium, and...Newton?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_N...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
(14/26) -> "N" is for Narwhal, Nasturtium, and...Newton?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_N...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
Reposted by Alfred Millett-Sikking
Some first raw (not deskewed) data of live human induced pluripotent stem cells from #Snouty now ready for some serious live imaging. Light sheet moving at a 38-degree angle through the cell layer; coverslip is on the bottom.
August 28, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Some first raw (not deskewed) data of live human induced pluripotent stem cells from #Snouty now ready for some serious live imaging. Light sheet moving at a 38-degree angle through the cell layer; coverslip is on the bottom.
Reposted by Alfred Millett-Sikking
Bluesky is now the platform of choice for the scientific community.
From @jenlucpiquant.bsky.social on @arstechnica.com
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
From @jenlucpiquant.bsky.social on @arstechnica.com
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
Bluesky now platform of choice for science community
It’s not just you. Survey says: “Twitter sucks now and all the cool kids are moving to Bluesky”…
arstechnica.com
August 27, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Bluesky is now the platform of choice for the scientific community.
From @jenlucpiquant.bsky.social on @arstechnica.com
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
From @jenlucpiquant.bsky.social on @arstechnica.com
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
Reposted by Alfred Millett-Sikking
👀 What if your flow cytometer could see the invisible?
Our new preprint introduces single-molecule flow cytometry (smFC), pushing detection sensitivity 10–80× beyond conventional flow cytometry.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Our new preprint introduces single-molecule flow cytometry (smFC), pushing detection sensitivity 10–80× beyond conventional flow cytometry.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Single-molecule flow cytometry
Flow cytometry (FC) is a powerful tool for high-throughput characterisation of cell populations, yet its ensemble fluorescence detection and the autofluorescence of cells impose a sensitivity limit of...
www.biorxiv.org
August 27, 2025 at 6:39 AM
👀 What if your flow cytometer could see the invisible?
Our new preprint introduces single-molecule flow cytometry (smFC), pushing detection sensitivity 10–80× beyond conventional flow cytometry.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Our new preprint introduces single-molecule flow cytometry (smFC), pushing detection sensitivity 10–80× beyond conventional flow cytometry.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Why use water or oil immersion objectives instead of air?
1) The higher refractive index (RI) ups the numerical aperture and can improve resolution.
2) It can greatly improve 3D imaging!
-> Here we show how 'standard focus' only works well if the RI of the immersion matches the RI of the sample.
1) The higher refractive index (RI) ups the numerical aperture and can improve resolution.
2) It can greatly improve 3D imaging!
-> Here we show how 'standard focus' only works well if the RI of the immersion matches the RI of the sample.
August 25, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Why use water or oil immersion objectives instead of air?
1) The higher refractive index (RI) ups the numerical aperture and can improve resolution.
2) It can greatly improve 3D imaging!
-> Here we show how 'standard focus' only works well if the RI of the immersion matches the RI of the sample.
1) The higher refractive index (RI) ups the numerical aperture and can improve resolution.
2) It can greatly improve 3D imaging!
-> Here we show how 'standard focus' only works well if the RI of the immersion matches the RI of the sample.
Reposted by Alfred Millett-Sikking
How many photons are in a GFP? — more than last year, and more than you thought. Here's a simple, cheap, and practical method to break a fundamental limit in fluorescence microscopy. But it only works in light sheet!
August 19, 2025 at 7:31 PM
How many photons are in a GFP? — more than last year, and more than you thought. Here's a simple, cheap, and practical method to break a fundamental limit in fluorescence microscopy. But it only works in light sheet!
Reposted by Alfred Millett-Sikking
Here's a six-month time-lapse of me building the single objective light sheet fluorescence microscope at the UCSF Center for Advanced Light Microscopy!
Also pictured is @nicostuurman.bsky.social and @kahsage.bsky.social.
#snouty
Also pictured is @nicostuurman.bsky.social and @kahsage.bsky.social.
#snouty
August 20, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Here's a six-month time-lapse of me building the single objective light sheet fluorescence microscope at the UCSF Center for Advanced Light Microscopy!
Also pictured is @nicostuurman.bsky.social and @kahsage.bsky.social.
#snouty
Also pictured is @nicostuurman.bsky.social and @kahsage.bsky.social.
#snouty
Before inventing Any Immersion Remote Refocus (AIRR) microscopy, which enables air objectives to image deep into liquids, I tried other ways to alleviate the immersion problem...
-> He's an objective 'hat' I designed to wick oil towards the sample for multi-well plate imaging. AIRR is better!
-> He's an objective 'hat' I designed to wick oil towards the sample for multi-well plate imaging. AIRR is better!
August 18, 2025 at 4:55 AM
Before inventing Any Immersion Remote Refocus (AIRR) microscopy, which enables air objectives to image deep into liquids, I tried other ways to alleviate the immersion problem...
-> He's an objective 'hat' I designed to wick oil towards the sample for multi-well plate imaging. AIRR is better!
-> He's an objective 'hat' I designed to wick oil towards the sample for multi-well plate imaging. AIRR is better!
Celebrating science with art! Every 2 weeks for 1 year, the full alphabet. Like, reply or repost with your favorite "M" scientist!
(13/26) -> "M" is for Mouse, Mandarin, Mango and...Maxwell?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_C...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
(13/26) -> "M" is for Mouse, Mandarin, Mango and...Maxwell?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_C...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
August 18, 2025 at 4:49 AM
Celebrating science with art! Every 2 weeks for 1 year, the full alphabet. Like, reply or repost with your favorite "M" scientist!
(13/26) -> "M" is for Mouse, Mandarin, Mango and...Maxwell?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_C...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).
(13/26) -> "M" is for Mouse, Mandarin, Mango and...Maxwell?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_C...
Art by @annesikking.bsky.social (my Mum).