Nobel Prize 04: Nobel Prize Underscores Value of Superresolution Microscopy

JENA/Germany, 10.10.2014.

ZEISS congratulates Eric Betzig, Stefan Hell and William Moerner on winning the 2014 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. All three underscored the value of microscopy in research with their discovery of methods to achieve superresolution.

The limit of optical resolution calculated by Ernst Abbe, company founder Carl Zeisss partner, in the 19th century has been considerably improved through the use of modern technologies. Today, photo-activated localization microscopy (PALM) enables scientists to view processes in living cells and tissues down to the molecular level in other words, with resolution in the range of 10 nanometers. As a result, they now have tools to better understand the causes of illnesses and damage to organism, and develop corresponding medicines and treatments.

ZEISS is particularly excited about the recognition now given to Eric Betzigs work, which led to the development of the first commercially available superresolution microscope based on PALM technology. The ZEISS ELYRA microscope system enables the imaging of fluorescence signals with resolution of just a few 10s of nanometers by sequentially activating and deactivating fluorescence proteins. Eric Betzig conducted his work together with Harald Hess. Both are now at Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Janelia Research Campus in Ashburn, Virginia, USA.

Imaging of the cytoskeleton

ZEISS ELYRA

Dr. Jochen Tham

Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH

Phone: +49 3641 64-3949

Fax:

jochen.tham@zeiss.com

About ZEISS

ZEISS is an international leader in the fields of optics and optoelectronics. The more than 24,000 employees of ZEISS generated revenue of about 4.2 billion euros in fiscal year 2012/13. Founded in 1846 in Jena, the company is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. ZEISS has been contributing to technological progress for more than 160 years. ZEISS develops and produces solutions for the semiconductor, automotive and mechanical engineering industries, biomedical research and medical technology, as well as eyeglass lenses, camera and cine lenses, binoculars and planetariums. ZEISS is present in over 40 countries around the globe with more than 40 production facilities, around 50 sales and service locations and over 20 research and development sites. Carl Zeiss AG is fully owned by the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung (Carl Zeiss Foundation).

The Microscopy Business Group

The Microscopy business group is the worlds only one-stop manufacturer of light, X-ray and electron microscopes. Its extensive portfolio enables research and routine applications in the life and materials sciences. The Microscopy business group is headquartered in Jena. Additional production and development sites are located in Oberkochen, G ttingen and Munich, as well as in Cambridge in the UK, in Peabody, MA and Pleasanton, CA in the USA. The business group has around 3,000 employees. It generated revenue of 629 million euros in fiscal year 2012/13.

Number: 0127-2014-ENG MI

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