ILLUMINATOR SYSTEMS HAVING LIGHT EMITTING DIODES WITH UV ACTIVATION

An imaging system including an illuminator apparatus or an epi-illumination apparatus that has LEDs for illuminations is provided for stain-free gel activation and fluorescent sample visualization. The illuminator apparatus includes a housing, a light source array disposed on at least one side surface of the housing and including at least one plurality of LEDs having each LED individually operable to output light of a predetermined color within a range of wavelengths, and a controller for controlling ranges of operational parameters of the at least one plurality of LEDs. The light emitted from the light source array incidents upon a sample having a gel that includes a product of UV light induced reaction between tryptophan and a haloalkane and the light emitted from the light source array includes ultraviolet (UV) light to excite a fluorescent response of the sample.