Notizie

Charité has opened the AMBIO – a center of excellence for microscopy

set 22, 2015

Charité – University Hospital of Berlin has opened the new Center of Excellence for microscopy “Advances in Medical Bioimaging”(AMBIO) today. This high tech unit for biomedical research has been setup in close cooperation with Nikon. It is the first Nikon Centre of Excellence in Germany with a focus on live cell imaging and making cutting edge imaging technologies available to scientists. With these imaging technologies sub-cellular structures can be resolved and modern scientific questions can be investigated. Based on a free exchange and development of ideas, methods and technologies between science and industry, the new Centre of Excellence comes along with a long term perspective and with an innovative power for both partners.

“It is very pleasing to experience how our two organizations have cooperated to establish this first-class facility" says the Dean for Research, Prof. Christian Hagemeier. "Through this collaboration, our scientists are able to work in a microscopy unit with top quality personnel and technical equipment, to an unprecedented extent. Furthermore - Nikon can get qualified feedback and requests from researchers for future innovation" he adds.

In recent years advanced microscopy technologies have gained more and more importance in the field of biomedical research. For many research groups modern imaging techniques became indispensable instruments.

Within the cooperation Charité has now purchased four high-end instruments, which can display even the finest details with extremely high spatial and temporal resolution. The so-called "Live-Cell Microscopy" enables the scientists to observe dynamic processes, for example the division of cancer cells, in real time. However - to use these highly complex technologies successfully in scientific practice and to obtain the best results requires a high level of expertise.

"The researchers will be trained on the complex and modern microscope systems and on the related software by experienced staff” said Prof. Britta Eickholt, initiator of the project and director of the Institute of Biochemistry and Charité Centrum 02 (Grundlagenmedizin). The management of the Nikon Centre of Excellence will be taken over by Dr. Jan Schmoranzer, who previously worked for many years at the Leibniz Institute for Molecular Pharmacology. He pointed out: "The scientists are intensively supervised and advised both in the planning and execution of the experiments, as well as in the analysis, data processing and data interpretation:"

As well as serving experienced scientists, the promotion of young researchers will benefit from the new Core Facility of the Charité. In the centre young scientists can acquire extensive knowledge in compact courses and training in the field of microscopy.

"We are very pleased to cooperate with Charité in this exciting project" says Dr. Michael Möller, General Manager of the business unit Nikon Microscope Solutions in Germany. "We hope that this Nikon Center of Excellence contributes to a dynamic exchange between the users and Nikon as a manufacturer of microscopy equipment.

In this sense, the Center is dedicated to contribute to the common goal, to promote research and develop to new technologies. "

Contact:

Dr. Jan Schmoranzer
Leiter der Core Facility Advances in Medical Bioimaging (AMBIO)
Nikon Centre of Excellence
Campus Charité Mitte
Charité – Univeristätsmedizin Berlin