This August, JEOL USA
will demonstrate the first correlative microscope to enable concurrent light
microscopy and atmospheric scanning electron microscopy (ASEM) for observation
of and experimentation on samples in their native state.
The new JEOL ClairScope will make its debut in the United States at Microscopy
& Microanalysis (M&M) in Portland, Oregon August 2-5, 2010, just prior
to installation at Northwestern University’s Biological Imaging Facility
where it will be used for demonstrations and applications development.
Acknowledging the significance of this new instrument, the R&D 100 Award,
known as the “Oscar of Innovation,” was bestowed on the JEOL ClairScope
on July 8 by the editors of R&D Magazine.
“We’re very excited about introducing this unique microscope to
the United States,” Donna Guarrera, Asst. Director of the Scanning Microscopy
Division of JEOL USA reports. “I had the opportunity to work with the
principal developers of the ClairScope at JEOL headquarters in Japan last month.
With just one mouse click, it switches from the optical microscope mode to the
ASEM mode. SEM imaging in an open environment will provide a lot of new opportunities
to the scientific community.”
Guarrera will be giving one-on-one demonstrations of the ClairScope at M&M
2010, the industry’s largest trade show, in the JEOL booth #636. A ClairScope
Workshop will be held from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 2. To preregister
or to see a list of related posters to be presented during M&M, visit the
Events section of the JEOL USA website at www.jeolusa.com.
Northwestern University to Develop New Applications with ClairScope
JEOL has selected Northwestern University’s Biological Imaging Facility
(BIF) as only one of two sites in the world where the ClairScope will be used
for applications development. BIF is a research and training facility that serves
the imaging needs of over 500 scientists representing 144 different labs, including
investigators in the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Howard
Hughes Medical Institute, and the Daniel F. and Ada L.Rice Foundation.
“Making this novel technology available to our users will be of significant
benefit to their projects and undoubtedly open new research avenues,”
said BIF Manger, Dr. William Russin.
On the other side of the globe, the JEOL ClairScope will also be installed
at the University of York (York, England) Department of Biology, where scientists
will employ the correlative techniques of fluorescence microscopy and atmospheric
SEM in their development of novel probes for biological exploration.
ClairScope Enables High Resolution Observation of Life Science and Materials
Experiments As They Occur
Using the ClairScope, life science researchers can harness the powerful imaging
capability of the SEM to observe biological processes such as platelet generation,
distribution of sugar chains, and microbe growth. Materials scientists will
be able to observe and record crystallization, electrochemical reactions, emulsion
technology, self-assemblies, and dendrite growth as they occur.
The ClairScope makes it possible for biologists to perform routine fluorescent
imaging then examine the specimen at high resolution, high magnification without
changing instruments or sample position. The wide-field light microscope with
emersion lens is co-axially aligned with the A-SEM column. The specimen dish
features an ultrathin SiN film window that allows electron beam transmission
while the sample is open to atmospheric pressure. Now scientists can add reagents,
drugs, and other substances to the sample in order to perform experiments and
observe reactions in both liquid and gas environments.
JEOL is a world leader in electron optical equipment and instrumentation for
high-end scientific and industrial research and development. Core product groups
include electron microscopes (SEMs and TEMs), instruments for the semiconductor
industry (electron beam lithography and a series of defect review and inspection
tools), and analytical instruments including mass spectrometers, NMRs and ESRs.
JEOL USA, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of JEOL, Ltd., Japan, was incorporated
in the United States in 1962. The company has 13 regional service centers that
offer unlimited emergency service and support in the U.S.