UVEN is a UV-LED irradiation device for biological specimen. It was designed to shine very high-intensity 365 nm light onto a sample, while protecting it from heat and desiccation. Therefore, sample and LEDs are housed in two chambers separated by a glass window.
Irradiation occurs from below the sample with an array of 16 high-powered UV-LEDs on an air-cooled heat sink. Homogenous irradiation can be achieved with an intensity of 2 W/cm2 (optical) for cell culture dishes of up to 15 cm in diameter (pictured). For samples smaller than 1 cm in diameter the LEDs can be moved closer to the glass window leading to intensities of up to 10 W/cm2.
To prevent electrical danger from accidental spillages of cell culture media, UVEN is powered from a 1600 W control unit in a separate housing. The entire device operates under safe 18 V DC and each of the LEDs can be controlled independently.
Data from our preprint: The photo-reactive nucleotide 4-thiouridine (4SU) dissolved in water was irradiated with a conventional 365 nm UV bulb (bottom) or UVEN (top) and absorbance spectra recorded on a NanoDrop spectrophotometer. MS analysis of the same samples showed rapid formation of 4SU photo-dimers only under UVEN irradiation.