Abstract
Vertically focussed ion beams such as the Surrey Vertical Nanobeam are useful tools for examining the effects of particle radiation on individual cells, allowing single cells to be irradiated and observed. The length of time that cells can be observed is limited by environmental factors, such as ambient CO2, temperature and relative humidity. The Automated Microbeam Observation Endstation for Biological Analysis (AMOEBA) is a control system designed for controlling the environment on the end of vertically focussed ion beams that has been implemented on three different vertical focused ion beam in two different labs. The AMOEBA system allows cells to be observed for up to 36 hours after irradiation without having to move the cell dish. An additional drawback to vertically focussed ion beams are that they are currently unable to perform experiments in low or high oxygen conditions. To expand their capabilities, a microfluidic AMOEBA system was developed to allow vertically focused ion beams to irradiate cells in hypoxic conditions.