The Plant Imaging Center

The Plant Imaging Center (PIC) is a multi-user research center in the Department of Botany offering expertise, instruction, and instrumentation in modern microscopy to the research community at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Current research in the PIC covers a broad range of plant biology topics including calcium signaling, tropism responses, mechanical signaling, embryo development, leaf development, hormone signaling, pollen phenotyping, protein degradation, and membrane dynamics. Additionally, PIC instrumentation is available to researchers interested in non-plant topics including bacteria, biofilms, fungi, neurons, mammary tissue, collagen, insect structures, mineral crystals, or synthetic materials.

PIC users not only include the faculty, staff, students, and visiting scientists from the Department of Botany but also researchers from the Genetics, Horticulture, Biochemistry, Soil Science, Bacteriology, Bioengineering, Physics, and Agronomy Departments, plus non-UW research groups such as the USDA Forest Products Lab. In addition to research, Botany faculty regularly use the PIC for microscopy demonstrations and a plant imaging course is taught in the PIC by Botany faculty and staff.

Researchers in the Plant Imaging Center examine a sample using the confocal laser scanning microscope.