Upright microscopy
AmScope T670
An upright microscope complements the inverted imaging platform and supports routine microscopy, sample inspection, and experimental development.
Facilities & Instrumentation
Tools for connecting molecules, materials, and microbial behavior.
The Durantini Lab combines fluorescence microscopy, photochemistry, microbiology, spectroscopy, and additive manufacturing to study reactive oxygen species and develop light-activated antimicrobial strategies.
Fluorescence Microscopy
Time-resolved and single-cell imaging of microbial responses.
Photochemistry
Controlled photoexcitation, ROS generation, and photodynamic studies.
Microbiology & Biochemistry
Bacterial culture, viability assays, biochemical measurements, and sample preparation.
Additive Manufacturing
Filament preparation, 3D printing, and fabrication of photoactive materials.
Imaging
Fluorescence microscopy
Microscopy is central to the lab's work on bacterial heterogeneity, membrane permeabilization, oxidative stress, and spatially resolved photochemical processes.
Primary imaging platform
Nikon ECLIPSE Ti2 inverted fluorescence microscope
The Ti2 platform supports fluorescence imaging of living and fixed samples and is used extensively for single-cell studies of bacterial responses to oxidative and photodynamic stress.
- Inverted fluorescence imaging configuration
- Lumencor SPECTRA-X solid-state illumination
- Multi-channel fluorescence imaging
- Time-lapse experiments and quantitative image analysis
- Single-cell membrane-permeabilization and ROS-related measurements
Quantitative image analysis
Single-cell and field-level measurements
Imaging experiments are paired with quantitative analysis of fluorescence intensity, cell populations, membrane permeability, spatial profiles, and time-dependent responses.
Solid-state fluorescence illumination
Lumencor SPECTRA X Light Engine
Multi-channel solid-state excitation source used with the Nikon Ti2 for controlled fluorescence excitation across multiple spectral bands.
Plate-Based Measurements
Spectroscopy and multimode plate measurements
Optical measurements complement microscopy by enabling absorbance, fluorescence, luminescence, spectral, and kinetic analysis across cuvette- and microplate-based experiments.
Multimode well-plate reader
BioTek Synergy HTX
Used for absorbance, fluorescence, and luminescence measurements in microplates, supporting growth curves, fluorescence-based assays, kinetic measurements, and quantitative biochemical experiments.
- Absorbance measurements
- Fluorescence measurements
- Luminescence measurements
- Plate incubation and shaking for kinetic assays
Fluorescence / UV–Vis spectroscopy
Vernier Go Direct Fluorescence/UV-VIS Spectrophotometer
Used for absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy, full-spectrum measurements, Beer’s law experiments, kinetics, and optical characterization of photosensitizers and related samples.
- UV–visible absorbance measurements
- Fluorescence emission measurements
- Full spectral scans and kinetic traces
- Cuvette-based sample analysis
Materials & Fabrication
3D printing and photoactive materials
The lab develops polymeric systems that incorporate photosensitizers and other functional components into printable or surface-active materials.
Fused-filament fabrication
Prusa i3 MK3S
Used to fabricate experimental platforms, antimicrobial test objects, holders, educational models, and custom laboratory components.
Filament extrusion
3devo Composer 350
Enables preparation of custom polymer filaments containing photosensitizers and other additives prior to 3D printing.
Resin printing
Prusa SL1S
High-resolution resin printing supports detailed model fabrication and small, geometrically complex components.
Wash & cure
Prusa CW1S
Post-processing of resin-printed parts provides reproducible washing and controlled curing before use in research or teaching applications.
Spin coating
Laurell WS-650 Series
Used to prepare reproducible thin coatings on coverslips and other substrates for fluorescence, photochemistry, and surface-based experiments.
Microbiology & Biosafety
Biological safety cabinet
Contained microbiological work is supported by a Class II, Type A2 biosafety cabinet for aseptic manipulation of bacterial cultures and other biological samples.
Class II biological containment
NuAire LabGard Class II, Type A2
Provides HEPA-filtered containment for microbiological procedures while protecting personnel, samples, and the surrounding laboratory environment.
- Class II, Type A2 containment
- HEPA-filtered airflow
- Aseptic bacterial-culture handling
- Support for BSL-2 laboratory workflows
Integrated Workflow
From molecular design to biological response
Many Durantini Lab projects move through a connected experimental workflow rather than relying on a single instrument or technique.
Prepare
Photosensitizers, polymer formulations, microbial samples, and functional surfaces are prepared for testing.
Photoactivate
Samples are irradiated under controlled conditions to generate reactive oxygen species and initiate photochemical processes.
Measure
Fluorescence, optical changes, microbial viability, and related biochemical responses are quantified.
Image
Microscopy resolves cell-to-cell variability and spatially localized responses that are hidden in bulk measurements.
Research Environment
Laboratory and shared resources
The lab combines dedicated instrumentation with shared research resources at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville to support interdisciplinary projects in chemistry, biology, and materials science.
Microbiology & biochemical work
Laboratory space supports bacterial culture, antimicrobial testing, staining, buffer preparation, sample processing, and biochemical assays.
Optical & spectroscopic measurements
Absorbance, fluorescence, and related optical measurements complement microscopy and photochemical experiments.
Interdisciplinary collaboration
Projects routinely integrate chemistry, microbiology, imaging, engineering, and materials fabrication through collaborations within and beyond SIUE.