Abstract: A compact microscope including an enclosure, a support element, a primary optical support element located within the enclosure and supported by the support element, at least one vibration isolating mount between the support element and the primary optical support element, a sample stage supported on the primary optical support element to support a sample, a return optical system to receive returned light from a sample and transmit returned light to a detection apparatus, wherein the return optical system is mounted on the primary optical support element, and wherein the compact microscope include a at least one of the following elements; a) an objective lens system, b) a temperature-control system, and c) the return optical system being operable to separate returned light into at least a first wavelength band and a second wavelength band.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of functionalizing a particle, as well as methods of optically tracking a particle, isolating enveloped viral particles from a sample, quantifying enveloped virus particles in a sample and assessing enveloped viral aggregation in a sample. Kits are also provided. The particle is typically a viral particle.

Abstract: A compact microscope including an enclosure, a support element, a primary optical support element located within the enclosure and supported by the support element, at least one vibration isolating mount between the support element and the primary optical support element, an illumination section, an objective lens system, a sample stage mounted on the primary optical support element, an illumination optical system to direct an illumination light beam from the illumination section to the sample stage, and a return optical system to receive returned light from sample stage and transmit returned light to a detection apparatus, wherein the illumination optical system and return optical system are mounted on the primary optical support element.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of sequencing a nucleic acid molecule, in particular the method comprising: (a) providing the nucleic acid immobilised on a surface; (b) forming a single-stranded gap section by partially duplexing the nucleic acid such that the single-stranded gap section is flanked by duplex sections, wherein the sequence to be sequenced is a sequence of the single-stranded gap section; (c) providing a set of at least four fluorescently labelled oligonucleotide probes, (d) detecting binding, or absence thereof, of the fluorescently labelled oligonucleotide probes with the gap section of the immobilised nucleic acid, wherein the identity of the interrogated nucleotide of the gap section of the immobilised nucleic acid is identified as the complementary base of the nucleotide X of the fluorescently labelled oligonucleotide probe that has the highest incidence of binding; (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) for interrogating subsequent nucleotide positions of the gap section of the immobilised nu

Abstract: A compact microscope including an enclosure, a support element, a primary optical support element located within the enclosure and supported by the support element, at least one vibration isolating mount between the support element and the primary optical support element, a sample stage supported on the primary optical support element to support a sample, a return optical system to receive returned light from a sample and transmit returned light to a detection apparatus, wherein the return optical system is mounted on the primary optical support element, and wherein the compact microscope include a at least one of the following elements; a) an objective lens system, b) a temperature-control system, and c) the return optical system being operable to separate returned light into at least a first wavelength band and a second wavelength band.

Abstract: A compact microscope including an enclosure, a support element, a primary optical support element located within the enclosure and supported by the support element, at least one vibration isolating mount between the support element and the primary optical support element, a sample stage supported on the primary optical support element to support a sample, a return optical system to receive returned light from a sample and transmit returned light to a detection apparatus, wherein the return optical system is mounted on the primary optical support element, and wherein the compact microscope include a at least one of the following elements; a) an objective lens system, b) a temperature-control system, and c) the return optical system being operable to separate returned light into at least a first wavelength band and a second wavelength band.

Abstract: A compact microscope including an enclosure, a support element, a primary optical support element located within the enclosure and supported by the support element, at least one vibration isolating mount between the support element and the primary optical support element, an illumination section, an objective lens system, a sample stage mounted on the primary optical support element, an illumination optical system to direct an illumination light beam from the illumination section to the sample stage, and a return optical system to receive returned light from sample stage and transmit returned light to a detection apparatus, wherein the illumination optical system and return optical system are mounted on the primary optical support element.

Abstract: A compact microscope including an enclosure, a support element, a primary optical support element located within the enclosure and supported by the support element, at least one vibration isolating mount between the support element and the primary optical support element, an illumination section, an objective lens system, a sample stage mounted on the primary optical support element, an illumination optical system to direct an illumination light beam from the illumination section to the sample stage, and a return optical system to receive returned light from sample stage and transmit returned light to a detection apparatus, wherein the illumination optical system and return optical system are mounted on the primary optical support element.

Abstract: A compact microscope including an enclosure, a support element, a primary optical support element located within the enclosure and supported by the support element, at least one vibration isolating mount between the support element and the primary optical support element, a sample stage supported on the primary optical support element to support a sample, a return optical system to receive returned light from a sample and transmit returned light to a detection apparatus, wherein the return optical system is mounted on the primary optical support element, and wherein the compact microscope include a at least one of the following elements; a) an objective lens system, b) a temperature-control system, and c) the return optical system being operable to separate returned light into at least a first wavelength band and a second wavelength band.

Abstract: A compact microscope including an enclosure, a support element, a primary optical support element located within the enclosure and supported by the support element, at least one vibration isolating mount between the support element and the primary optical support element, an illumination section, an objective lens system, a sample stage mounted on the primary optical support element, an illumination optical system to direct an illumination light beam from the illumination section to the sample stage, and a return optical system to receive returned light from sample stage and transmit returned light to a detection apparatus, wherein the illumination optical system and return optical system are mounted on the primary optical support element.

Abstract: The invention relates to an assay method for determining the base sequence in a nucleic acid sample which comprises detection of a single base in said sequence using a polymerase modified to include at least one fluorophore and a dark quencher group; detecting and deducing the amount of energy transfer.

Abstract: There is described a method of detection of the protein-dependent coincidence of DNA in a sample which comprises detection using luminescence of one or more luminophores introduced into DNA with one, two or more DNA fragments which fragments are bound using one or more DNA-binding proteins.

Abstract: Fluorescence, spectroscopy is used to analyze small numbers of molecules that are present in a relatively small detection volume or zone. Information regarding physical and chemical properties of these molecules is determined by rapidly modulating the wavelength, intensity and/or polarization of laser energy to excite fluorophores that are attached either to the molecule of interest or a molecule that interacts with the molecule of interest. The emission profile of the fluorophores is used to determine useful information about the labeled and/or non-labeled molecules including molecular interactions between the molecules.

Abstract: Fluorescence, spectroscopy is used to analyze small numbers of molecules that are present in a relatively small detection volume or zone. Information regarding physical and chemical properties of these molecules is determined by rapidly modulating the wavelength, intensity and/or polarization of laser energy to excite fluorophores that are attached either to the molecule of interest or a molecule that interacts with the molecule of interest. The emission profile of the fluorophores is used to determine useful information about the labeled and/or non-labeled molecules including molecular interactions between th molecules.