Feinberg Center Provides Revolutionary Live-Cell Imaging

CHICAGO -- Nikon Instruments Inc. (www.nikoninstruments.com) and Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine have announced the opening of a collaborative core microscopy imaging center, establishing a partnership that brings improved research capabilities to Northwestern, while providing critical feedback for Nikon product development.

One of only three such centers in the U.S., the Northwestern Nikon Imaging Center will be equipped with the latest technology in light microscopy imaging systems and will be instrumental in ongoing biomedical research.

The Feinberg School's Cell Imaging Center will house the latest generation of microscopy equipment, beginning with the Nikon C1Si Confocal and Live Scan Swept-filed Confocal microscopes. The Live Scan Swept-field Confocal microscope allows users to rapidly capture images of fast moving live cell events and samples that are sensitive to light. The C1Si Confocal microscope combines two imaging techniques, confocal and spectral imaging, to view a complete "stack" of images, providing 3D spectrally separated cellular information that is acquired at faster rates and higher resolution than typically available when these techniques are done separately.

"Nikon has joined forces with Northwestern University to offer researchers and students access to the cutting-edge microscopy imaging tools that are enabling a revolution in live-cell imaging research," said Lee C. Shuett, executive vice president, Nikon Instruments. "They, in turn, will provide input from a user's point-of-view about our instruments and applications. This information will help us to fine tune our newest microscopes and peripherals."

As part of the collaboration between the two entities, Nikon will sponsor microscopy workshops at the Feinberg School to ensure researchers and students can achieve the greatest return on their work with the new microscope systems. Several individuals at the Feinberg School were instrumental in establishing the collaboration between Nikon and Northwestern, including Vladimir Gelfand, the Leslie B. Arey Professor of Cell, Molecular, and Anatomical Sciences; Rex Chisholm, the Adam and Richard T. Lind Professor of Medical Genetics and Dean for Research; and Robert Goldman, the Stephen Walter Ranson Professor and chair of cell and molecular biology.

"Having the Nikon Imaging Center at the Feinberg School of Medicine brings many advantages to our students and faculty, most importantly, open access to state-of-the-art imaging technology," said Teng-Leong Chew, director of the Cell Imaging Facility.
The new Nikon imaging facility hosted a grand opening ceremony Wednesday, June 4. The facility joins imaging centers at Harvard Medical School and the University of California, San Francisco. Globally, the exclusive list of top imaging centers that house a Nikon Center include Oxford University, England; Curie Institute, France; Heidelberg University, Germany; Singapore Bioimaging Consortium; and Hokkaido University, Japan.