QSTORM Biological Imaging Research

The QSTORM Collaborative Research Project was funded by NSF to explore a potential high-risk, high-reward advance in biological imaging using quantum dots, super-resolution microscopy, and adaptive optics. It began in 2010 with teams from Brown University, Carnegie Mellon, Ohio State, the University of Georgia, and the Museum of Science. In 2015, a subsequent NSF award (DBI-1544441) focused the Ohio State, University of Georgia and Museum of Science teams on further instrument development. The Museum team has provided interdisciplinary team coordination and communication, as well as education and outreach. We created the publicly accessible QSTORM website and team blog and produced Museum presentations, videos and animation, guest researcher presentations and podcasts, and simplified explanations of the research as it proceeded (see the QSTORM playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHlDljovBPle1nvJV6kCsRqbsBvC5m6ru). In 2021, the Museum team launched a 31-minute film documentary called THE BRAIN MAPPERS about the quest to produce a digital 3D map of every neural connection in the brain. The film is posted at: www.mos.org/brainmappers.

• See THE BRAIN MAPPERS movie
• See THE BRAIN MAPPERS 1-minute promo video
• See the “Making Molecular Movies with QSTORM” stage presentation video
• Visit the QSTORM website and the QSTORM Legacy website (2010-2015)