Veeco Instruments Inc. has introduced the BioScope(TM) II, an innovative, high-performance atomic force microscope (AFM) designed to facilitate advanced bioscience research.
"Veeco's new BioScope II has the highest AFM resolution and lowest noise available on the market today and enables AFM imaging under a wide range of dynamic and biologically relevant conditions," commented Jeannine Sargent, Executive Vice President, Veeco Metrology and Instrumentation. "This exciting next-generation instrument allows Veeco to expand our leading position in nano-bio research applications, an area where we see strong growth opportunities." Of Veeco's over 7,000 research AFMs installed at universities and nanoscience centers worldwide, approximately 1,500 are currently in use in bioscience applications.
Craig Prater, Ph.D., Veeco's Director of Instrumentation Technology Development, added, "This highly versatile, state-of-the-art research instrument is ideal for a wide array of cutting-edge bioscience applications, such as spatial identification of protein molecules and cellular structures, investigations of cell response to mechanical stimulation and nanomanipulation, and in situ pharmacological studies of live cells. The revolutionary design of the BioScope II makes it easy to use in conjunction with today's most powerful inverted and confocal optical microscopes, providing our research customers with high quality data and bio sample compatability."
Helen A. McNally, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, Purdue University Center for Paralysis Research, commented, "The top-down optics access of the BioScope II make it easy to use -- we began scanning our samples on the day the instrument arrived."
The ergonomic, "open" physical design of the BioScope II affords safe, simple, top-down access to materials (i.e., samples and liquids) or probes without interfering with the optics. Low-noise, closed-loop probe positioning enables point-and-shoot, molecular pulling and force curves, and nanomanipulation.
The BioScope II delivers greater than 15 micron Z range for imaging large structures (e.g., cells), as well as greater than 150 micron X-Y range for matching cell or sample size to scan area and correlating AFM data with optical/fluorescence images. True top-down optical access permits uncompromised use of phase contrast, DIC (Differential Interference Contrast) and brightfield optical microscopy. Setup is fast and easy, even for complex perfusion experiments. A soft-sealed environmental/perfusion chamber and sample heater allows sensitive biological samples to be maintained and imaged under physiological conditions by controlling the chemistry of the fluid and gaseous environment.
http://www.veeco.com/
Posted 12th December 2005
