The David H Murdock Research Institute (DHMRI) in Kannapolis, NC has chosen Carl Zeiss MicroImaging to supply its light microscopy and biological imaging systems for the Microscopy Core Facility
Opening in Summer 2008, the DHMRI will be equipped with the latest and most innovative technology available for advanced biological research.
The visionary billion dollar research center is funded by business magnate and philanthropist David Murdock, chairman and CEO of Dole Food.
The state-of-the-art facility will attract leading scientists from around the world to perform cutting edge research in the fields of medicine, nutrition, translational medicine, drug discovery and nanotechnology.
Microscopy and imaging are integral in better understanding the complex models associated with these fields of research, and the breadth of techniques available will surpass that of the most sophisticated facilities.
Available microscopy and imaging techniques at Kannapolis will include the latest in two-photon microscopy, laser scanning microscopy, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, high content cellular screening, laser microdissection, epi-fluorescence microscopy and many other modes of stereo and compound light microscopy.
The DHMRI will be among the first institutions in the world to take delivery of the new LSM 710 confocal microscopes, further ensuring their position at the forefront of imaging technology.
Special care has been taken to ensure that the capabilities of the facility will meet the most diverse imaging requirements ranging from extremely low abundance fluorescence detection, to ultra high-speed wide-field fluorescence and confocal imaging, to extremely long term live cell imaging.
To ensure optimum training and support for the researchers during the challenging start-up phase, Carl Zeiss, the oldest and most respected name in research microscopy with a tradition of technical excellence of over 160 years, will place a full time Carl Zeiss embedded consultant on campus to offer outstanding support to the Institute.
In addition to the company's rich history of technical excellence, recent innovations have also gained recognition, including the prestigious R+D 100 award in five of the last six years.
In addition to cutting edge research, the campus will provide education and public outreach programmes.
High school and university students from Kannapolis will be able to interact with internationally renowned scientists to learn both about nutrition and advanced research techniques.
In keeping with Murdock's philanthropic initiatives, Carl Zeiss and the DHMRI have agreed to partner in offering microscopy and fluorescence imaging courses for light and confocal microscopy at the facility in order to teach tomorrow's researchers the basic principles of microscopy and expose them to the latest cutting edge research techniques.
These courses will also be open to the North Carolina research community to add another dimension of continuing education and exposure to the expertise of Carl Zeiss.
"This investment from the North Carolina Research Campus represents one of the largest single transactions made by any institute with Carl Zeiss MicroImaging, and includes the most sophisticated microscopy systems currently available", states Ulrich Simon, president and CEO of Carl Zeiss MicroImaging in Jena, Germany.
According to Simon, "this instrumentation will make the DHMRI one of the most advanced microscopy and imaging centers in the world".
"The Carl Zeiss instrumentation, when integrated with the other capabilities of the core lab, will allow us to study and understand complex biological systems at a level that couldn't be imagined even a few years ago", states Steve Lommel, assistant vice chancellor of research and member of the DHMRI board of directors.
