Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center And Leica Microsystems Establish Center Of Excellence In Microscopy

Seattle, WA /PRNewswire/ - Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Fred Hutch) and Leica Microsystems, Inc. have combined efforts to establish the Leica Microsystems Center of Excellence at Fred Hutch. The new Center will support a mission to drive new discoveries and insights from scientific research performed using the imaging systems.

A signing ceremony will take place Thursday afternoon, September 5, 2019, at Fred Hutch's Thomas Building between Dr. Gary D. Gilliland, Fred Hutch president and director, and Greg Eppink, General Manager Microscopy, Leica Microsystems Americas. The Center of Excellence features sixteen imaging systems, including cutting-edge confocal microscopy technology such as FALCON fast lifetime contrast fluorescence imaging as well as Laser Microdissection, allowing researchers to capture images and video of the cellular and molecular processes of life.

"The Center of Excellence will accelerate our goal of becoming the top imaging core laboratory in the pacific northwest," said Rajesh Uthamanthil, associate vice president of Shared Resources at Fred Hutch. "By providing our faculty with early access to cutting edge imaging technology, this partnership will allow our researchers to beta test the new equipment, gather pilot data and potential collaborative technology development thus positioning us as a leader in the region."

"It's very exciting to be able to serve the future of scientific research in collaboration with a top-tier institution like Fred Hutch," said Eppink. "With this agreement, we're enabling researchers to push beyond boundaries of what can be visualized and quantified and fulfilling Leica Microsystems' mission to provide unrivaled insight for our customers. We look forward to continuing this alliance for years to come."

"At Leica Microsystems we are actively seeking to collaborate with leading research institutions. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center scientists are world-renowned and their dedication to advancing our understanding of cancer is truly inspiring," said Douglas Giszczynski, Director of Academic Programs, Leica Microsystems Americas. "We at Leica Microsystems are proud that they have chosen us as collaborators on this road to discovery."

The Center of Excellence will provide valuable feedback necessary to drive innovation in software, systems and workflow solutions while informing the applications and advanced imaging and analysis techniques of tomorrow. This supports the Leica Microsystems leitmotif of "with the user, for the user," established by Ernst Leitz I, the entrepreneur who led the business to world renown. For 170 years, Leica Microsystems has helped shape the future and continues to do so today with its latest digital innovations enabling new insights for research, medical, and industrial applications.

The opening ceremony for the Center of Excellence will begin at 4:30 pm in the Thomas Atrium and will be followed by a brief reception featuring refreshments with the opportunity to discuss research opportunities at the Center.

Hands-on demonstrations of the imaging systems will be available to researchers at Fred Hutch the following week. The Center of Excellence will be located in the Cellular Imaging core.

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.

Leica Microsystems has six major plants and product development sites located in Wetzlar and Mannheim (Germany), Vienna (Austria), Heerbrugg (Switzerland), Morrisville (USA), and Singapore. The company is represented in over 100 countries, has sales and service organizations in 20 countries, and an international network of distribution partners. Its headquarters are located in Wetzlar, Germany. Leica Microsystems is part of Danaher.