Two of Jeol's cryo-electron microscopes will be key instrumentation for multi-disciplinary scientific advances in a new research center in Kannapolis, North Carolina.
The David H Murdock Research Institute (DHMRI) has selected Jeol's high-resolution electron microscopes for its laboratory, which will serve as a central resource to multiple university research institutes and private companies.
The vision and impetus behind this collaborative research institute is that of David H Murdock, chairman and sole owner of Dole Food and Castle and Cooke.
DHMRI was established through a private grant to escalate groundbreaking health and nutritional research and to initiate new discoveries in a number of areas, including biotechnology, obesity, cancer, agriculture and medical devices.
'Mr Murdock has assembled together the world's most advanced and diverse instrumentation under one roof so that investigators at the NCRC will have access to the latest cutting-edge technologies,' said Dr Randy Allen, director of business development for DHMRI.
Duke University, North Carolina State University, University of North Carolina (UNC) Greensboro, UNC Chapel Hill, UNC Charlotte, Appalachian State University, NC Central University, and NC AandT State University are among the institutions locating on the research campus.
Jeol US president and chief executive officer Robert Santorelli said: 'I was particularly pleased to join our senior management team in the finalisation of the contract with David Murdock.
'Although there are competitive products out there, Mr Murdock demonstrated his shrewd decision-making ability by selecting the best and most practical electron microscopes from the a stable provider.' DHMRI board member Dr Steven Lommel, assistant vice chancellor for research and graduate studies at North Carolina State University, added: ''The Jeol electron microscopes, in synergy with the other spectroscopy and imaging facilities, will allow scientists to observe biological properties at the molecular and atomic level for the first time.' To select the critical instrumentation for a wide range of research studies, Murdock selected Dr John Mackenzie, professor of microbiology and co-ordinator, Center for Electron Microscopy at North Carolina State University, to serve as interim director of the Electron Microscopy Core Lab.
'We are equipping the Core Lab with state-of-the-art instrumentation for standard and cryogenic samples,' said Mackenzie.
'In addition, the Core Lab will have state-of-the-art sample preparation capabilities.' The Jeol Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), model JSM-2200FS, was selected for its ability to perform cryotomography, or 3D reconstruction, of plant viruses and plant proteins, and its inline energy filter and high resolution camera.
'The ability to operate with the high-resolution camera systems over large sample areas is critical when examining the ultra-structural pathology of plant and animal disease,' said Mackenzie.
The Jeol Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), model JSM-7600F, is an ultra-high-resolution thermal field emission SEM.
The semi-in-lens objective lens, in-lens detectors, in-column energy filter, low-angle BSE detector and beam deceleration technology provide an FE SEM with ultra-high resolution (down to the one nanometer scale) even at low accelerating voltage on uncoated, charge sensitive and beam sensitive samples.
'This SEM also provides an extremely stable beam over very long periods of time,' said Mackenzie.
'This microscope can image many diverse biological samples at the DHMRI in both standard and cryogenic modes.' Providing access to the most advanced scientific instrumentation, the DHMRI will attract distinguished researchers from around the globe.
An open house is scheduled for 20 October.
