Correlation of light and electron microscopy leads to better insight into macromolecules in a biological context

WALTHAM, Mass. and WETZLAR, Germany, April 27, 2018 — (PRNewswire) —  Thermo Fisher Scientific and Leica Microsystems today announced a technology collaboration to develop an integrated and comprehensive cryo-tomography workflow for life sciences. The hardware and software solution is intended to seamlessly integrate light microscopes from Leica with cryo-electron microscopes from Thermo Fisher providing researchers and scientists faster and better insight into the mechanisms of diseases to accelerate scientific discoveries.

"By combining expertise from our respective companies, the cryo-tomography workflow should provide our customers with improved ease of use and reliability," said Rob Krueger, vice president and general manager, life sciences, Thermo Fisher. "Combining the supramolecular structure information scientists receive from light microscopy with the highly resolved perspective offered by electron microscopy creates the structural framework to gain deeper insight into biological processes."

In order to understand the complexity of molecular machines, it is important to investigate them using both light and electron microscopy. The integrated approach allows researchers to safely transfer vitrified samples from a cryo-light microscope to a cryo-electron microscope. In addition, the new cryo-tomography workflow will be designed to allow a full data transfer from the light to the electron microscope and to enable users to easily navigate to the targeted protein structure using specific coordinates in the electron microscope. This ensures comprehensive insight in the macromolecule architecture.

"Our customers have asked for an integrated and reliable solution for the correlation between light and electron microscopy data, so called CLEM approaches," said Markus Lusser, President of Leica Microsystems. "The collaboration insights about cellular dynamics given by light microscopes can be combined in a straightforward way with the structural knowledge that electron microscopes provide. This advancement will boost research and understanding of unresolved questions about cellular mechanisms that are the missing links in treating mankind´s diseases."  

More information about the comprehensive cryo-tomography workflow for Life Sciences can be found at thermofisher.com/cryo-tomography or leica-microsystems.com/cryo-tomography.

About Leica Microsystems

Leica Microsystems develops and manufactures microscopes and scientific instruments for the analysis of microstructures and nanostructures. Widely recognized for optical precision and innovative technology, the company is one of the market leaders in compound and stereo microscopy, digital microscopy, confocal laser scanning and super-resolution microscopy with related imaging systems, electron microscopy sample preparation, and surgical microscopy. For more information, please visit www.leica-microsystems.com.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with revenues of more than $20 billion and approximately 70,000 employees globally. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We help our customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics, deliver medicines to market and increase laboratory productivity. Through our premier brands – Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services – we offer an unmatched combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and comprehensive services. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.

Media Contact Information:

Kathy Gill
Thermo Fisher Scientific
+1 503-726-7684
kathy.gill@thermofisher.com

Alexander Weis
Leica Microsystems GmbH
+49 6441 29-2550
corporate.communications@leica-microsystems.com  

 

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SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific

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Company Name: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Leica Microsystems Web: http://www.thermofisher.com