Designing and Building a Combined Magnetic Tweezer and Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscope

Abstract

This thesis describes the work of designing and assembling a modular magnetic tweezers and total internal reflection fluorescence (MT/TIRF) instrument. It began with looking at instruments others had built, and with that inspiration, designing the current instrument. Next came assembly of the instrument, solving issues as they arose including several parts which were custom machined or 3D printed. Software control for the instrument, was developed with Python utilizing the MagScope framework. Each individual component of the instrument was integrated into the whole, taking into account the correct API to use in each case as the instrument utilizes parts from multiple manufacturers. Finally, the device was tested to ensure that each part worked properly and that the calibration process proceeded smoothly. With all these steps completed a modular microscope that incorporates magnetic tweezers and total internal reflection fluorescence has been successfully designed and built.