Nikon Instruments Europe opens Center of Excellence in STORM at The Institute of Photonic Sciences in Barcelona

State-of-the-art super-resolution systems provide boost to research

June 1, 2011 – Nikon Instruments Europe has partnered with The Institute of Photonic Sciences in Barcelona, Spain to open the Nikon Center of Excellence in STORM in Europe. Focusing on STORM super-resolution technology, this unique partnership will allow researchers access to groundbreaking Nikon N-STORM super-resolution microscopy systems to advance ICFO’s ongoing cutting edge research in this area.

Silvia Carrasco, Knowledge and Technology Transfer Director ICFO, Peter Drent, General Manager Nikon Instruments Europe and Melike Lakadamyali, Assistant Professor and Group Leader ICFO at the opening of the Center of Excellence in STORM at ICFO, Barcelona.

“We are very pleased to partner with Nikon in such an exciting venture pushing the boundaries of traditional light microscopy.” commented Professor Lluis Torner, Director of the Institute, and recipient of the 2011 Optical Society of America Leadership Award. “The Center of Excellence in STORM will make a key contribution to our program that aims at the development of unique techniques for advanced imaging and probing, early diagnosis and new therapies in healthcare and further our research immensely, enabling us to maintain our position at the cutting-edge of super-resolution imaging technologies.”

Peter Drent, General Manager of Nikon Instruments Europe, added, “The Institute of Photonic Sciences hosts a world class Super-resolution Light Microscopy & Nanoscopy (SLN) Facility, equipped with front-end microscopy techniques. Over the past few years Nikon has been the world leader in developing innovative imaging systems that can provide unique solutions for cell imaging. Having now developed the groundbreaking N-STORM microscope system, it was a natural progression for us to partner with such a leading facility. Through this partnership, we can anticipate providing some of the world’s foremost researchers with the tools they need to develop novel approaches in healthcare. Nikon’s team in Europe is also looking forward to using the Nikon Center of Excellence in STORM at ICFO for user group workshops and demonstrations for other interested customers.”

The N-STORM has been developed by Nikon through a licensing agreement with Harvard University granting Nikon the rights to use the Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM) technology.

ICFO is a leading European institute for photonic and light science, conducting cutting-edge, wide-ranging research – from telecommunications and information technologies to healthcare. Healthcare research is targeted by an increasing number of unique techniques based on light for advanced imaging aiming at providing new understanding, new solutions early diagnosis and new therapies, including revolutionary nano-medicine concepts and minimally invasive tools.

Source: Nikon Instruments Europe B.V.

www.nikoninstruments.eu