Every year, the Nanoinitiative Bavaria holds a competition for schools to give students an opportunity to prove their resourcefulness. Leica Microsystems is sponsoring this year’s competition. Students of all grammar schools, secondary schools and technical colleges in Bavaria are eligible to submit projects, coursework or individual contributions. The only rule is that the entry should deal with the subject of nanotechnology in an informative, enlightening, humorous or innovative way.

Science on Tour

An important element of the student program is the ‘NanoShuttle’ packed with high-tech analysis and presentation equipment that has traveled from school to school in Bavaria for more than two years. Since September 2009, the NanoShuttle, which is equipped with an atomic force microscope and a particle analyzer, has also featured a Leica DCM 3D.

The NanoShuttle reaches approximately 15,000 students per year. “The interested students of today will be the scientists and entrepreneurs of tomorrow,” says Dr. Matthias Nüchter, member of management of the Cluster Nanotechnology Bavaria. “This is why we want to generate interest in this key technology of the 21st century at an early stage.”

Cell phone chips and hair in nanofocus

Using the Leica DCM 3D, students look in astonishment at the surface structure of their cell phone chips, which on the nanoscale look like high mountains. Fascinated as well by nanostructures of different petals, the students also compare their own hair to industrial carbon fibers. “The Leica DCM 3D is a great addition to our NanoShuttle,” emphasizes Christoph Petschenka from the Nanoinitiative Bavaria.

Cluster Nanotechnology / Nanoinitiative Bavaria

http://www.nanoinitiative-bayern.de

Cluster Nanotechnology, Nanoinitiative Bavaria GmbH and Nanonetz Bavaria e.V.

Nanotechnology competition for schools
http://www.nanoinitiative-bayern.de/schulwettbewerb.php

Register online!

Register online for your chance to win a "Formula Experience"

Terms & Conditions

The duration of the training is 1 day. The package includes training, food and hotel accommodation. Your own transportation costs to the race track and other expenses are not included in this prize.
The winner will be notified by post by no later than 30th July 2010 including the full terms and conditions of your prize.
To qualify into the prize draw, you must be one of the first 500 clients to book a product demonstration before July 15th, 2010.  A product demonstration can take place at any Leica exhibition booth, workshop or customer site. *Any demonstrations booked after this date will not be entered into the prize draw.
This offer is subject to change at any time and without prior notice.

High resolution, fast scanning, and intelligent automation provide more content as the basis for superior statistical analysis.

The combination of Leica HCS A with sophisticated image analysis using the Open Microscopy Environment (OME) for real time data exchange results in comprehensive insight and amplifies the scope of your life science research!

High Content Screening (HCS) is the answer to the change from descriptive to quantitative fluorescence imaging in Life Science research.

More and more statistically relevant data are required and the experiments are becoming more complex.

High resolution imaging automation answers complex questions in shorter time: Cell biology, Genetics, Drug discovery & testing, Systems biology.

High Content Screening automation discloses interrelationships in cells and
organisms efficiently. Leica Microsystems offers a set of innovative tools to
complement your high-resolution microscope into a high content imaging device.

• Learn more about HCS by watching our webinar. You need to login or register to view it.

User safety

UVC radiation is capable of disinfecting exposed surfaces and the air within the irradiated working space of the cryostat at cold temperatures. It effectively minimizes the risk of contamination by inactivating microorganisms. The automatic immediate deactivation of the UVC lamp when the sliding window is opened effectively protects operators from accidental exposure to radiation.

Efficient workflow

UVC disinfection can be started and stopped at any time, does not require a change of temperature inside the cryochamber, and does not produce by-products capable of polluting the environment.  Please note, that Leica Microsystems supplies a certificate from an independent laboratory that documents the testing procedures used and effectiveness of the UVC disinfection system against specific pathogens.

Leica’s AgProtect™ antimicrobial nanosilver surface coating deters the propagation of infectious agents on the outside of the instrument and creates a safer environment for the user and others in the immediate work area. The antimicrobial effect of silver ions, which blocks the metabolism and division of bacterial cells, has been known for centuries and is now available as a protective instrument coating on most of Leica’s cryostats.

Certified Effectiveness

Leica Microsystems continually updates Cryofect certification documentation and disinfection guidelines for specific pathogens. The easy-to-use spray solution can be used at cold temperatures when cleaning a cryostat after a shift or between cutting sessions by applying the solution  to cryochamber and microtome surfaces for the recommended time.  If the cryostat also has UVC capabilities, disinfection can be enhanced with its use as well. Please note: Cryofect is not available in the U.S.

Product Leica CM1850 UV

Product Leica CM1950

Leica HM500 combines the flexible properties of the human eye with the magnification capabilities of loupes.

Click here to see the video in the product showcase.

Easy to learn

"A Practical Guide to Frozen Section Technique" offers an easy to learn approach to frozen section technique in the form of a highly illustrated handbook intended for onsite use in the laboratory. The book begins with a novel, clearly delineated, step by step approach to learning continuous motion brush technique. Emphasis is placed on recognizing and correcting artifacts during the preparation process.

Preparation of slides

The book addresses all of the steps in the preparation of slides from cutting through coverslipping. The author’s unique, original techniques for tissue embedding including face down embedding in steel well bars, frozen block cryoembedding and paper cryoembedding are detailed. Variables key to the quality of the preparation including block temperature, tissue properties and section thickness are detailed. The book also covers understanding the cryostat and basic maintenance and care. Sections covering techniques used in Mohs dermatologic surgery, and techniques used in basic animal and human research are discussed by noted experts in their field.

Great value

"A Practical Guide to Frozen Section Technique" will be of great value to pathologists, pathology residents in training and also experimental pathology researchers that rely upon this methodology to perform tissue analysis in research.

Order and pricing information

The ordering number (ISBN) and pricing information are included in the attached product flyer.

Read more

Read about Dr. Peters' applications here: "The Art of Embedding Tissue for Frozen Section" and "Paper Cryoembedding"

Top research needs top instruments

This is exactly the basis for the close and fruitful cooperation between the ITT and Leica Microsystems. Almost at the same time as the market launch of the Leica TCS STED CW, the first system worldwide was inaugurated at the IIT.

"The new STED CW opens up new avenues for us in nanoscopy. This technology helps us to develop new scientific models and find answers to questions that we can use for new technological developments", commented Professor Alberto Diaspro, Head of the Nanophysics Department at the IIT during the official inauguration of the STED CW.

Prof. Diaspro has already worked closely with Leica Microsystems for many years in the field of high-end confocal microscopy, long before he started working at the IIT, in fact. Diaspro and his team at the ITT were also involved this time in the development of the Continuous Wave STED – the IIT was one of the first institutes to subject the new system to intensive testing. Professor Fabio Benfenati, Research Director of the Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, who also attended the inauguration, stressed: "The cooperation with Leica Microsystems as one of the innovation and market leaders in optical microscopy puts our work in Nanophysics, Neuroscience, and Neurotechnology at the cutting edge of research in this field."

"The cooperation with the IIT is extremely important for us, because the IIT has one of the highest excellence standards in optical microscopy worldwide", says Martin Hoppe, Head of Confocal Market Development at Leica Microsystems. "The close personal contact with the top research scientists at the IIT, who use various microscope systems of Leica Microsystems, gives us valuable feedback for the further development of our products. And it’s extremely exciting for us to see how our microscopes help to master new scientific challenges."

Seven important new products

• Novolink™ Polymer Detection System (1250 tests); RE7320-K
• Novolink™ Polymer Detection System (250 tests); RE7310-K
• Novolink™ Polymer Detection System (50 tests); RE7300-K
• Enzyme Proteinase K (IHC) 100mL; RE7330-K
• IHC Antibody Diluent 500mL; RE7179
• Epitope Retrieval Solution ph6 (x10 concentrate) 1L; RE7189
• Epitope Retrieval Solution ph9 (x10 concentrate) 1L; RE7224 

Many important benefits

• New Novolink™ Compact Polymer™ detection systems increase primary antibody dilutions to reduce costs and give great results every time. Endogenous biotin is never a problem with this product as it is polymer based (not ABC or LSAB).
• New Enzyme Proteinase K for robust and reliable retrieval of antigens for IHC where enzymatic digestion is recommended in the antibody protocol.
• New Immunohistochemistry (IHC) Antibody Diluent ensures dilutions are made in a buffer optimized for Novocastra™ antibodies.
• New Epitope Retrieval Solutions, pH6 and pH9, take away the uncertainty and batch-to-batch variation of laboratory made buffers where heat epitope retrieval is recommended in the antibody protocol.

These new products are now available from Leica Microsystems representatives in China and selected countries.

Alternative IVD equivalent products are available in other regions including the USA, Canada and the EU.