Ashoka University partners with Carl Zeiss India to establish state-of-art ‘Core Imaging Facility’
New Delhi : Ashoka University has entered into a partnership with Carl Zeiss India (Bangalore) Pvt. Ltd. (ZEISS Group) to establish a state-of-art ‘Core Imaging Facility’. Under this partnership, the company will provide the university with latest cutting-edge microscopy technology, including High Resolution, Super Resolution, High Content microscopes. The Facility will serve researchers, students and collaborators in fields such as cell biology, biophysics, soft matter, and structural biology. Anyone can avail the Facility for research, which will be housed at the university’s campus in Sonepat.
The MoU was signed between the university and Research Microscopy Solutions (RMS) division of ZEISS. The company is a part of Carl Zeiss AG, a German manufacturer founded in 1846, which is a global leader in optical systems and optoelectronics. This is the first such facility in India created by ZEISS, and its first ever collaboration with a private university in the country.
Under the agreement, ZEISS will station Expert System Operators at the Facility to assist researchers in adequately utilizing the equipment during their scientific explorations. Furthermore, the two partners will work together to create awareness and provide opportunities to the Indian research community through the Facility. This includes periodic microscopy courses, conferences, and workshops for STEM students.
Speaking on the development, Amarjeet Singh Tak, Head of RMS Division for India and Neighbouring Countries stated, “The partnership with Ashoka University signifies a momentous union between ZEISS’s rich legacy in microscopy solutions and the academic prowess of the university. ZEISS has been at the forefront of microscopy innovation for over 175 years, and this collaboration is a testament to our commitment to bridging the gap between industry and students’ community while advancing scientific research in India. The Core Imaging Facility by ZEISS at Ashoka University will not only showcase ZEISS’s cutting-edge technology but also serve as a testament to our enduring heritage in microscopy solutions. We believe that by combining our expertise with the academic excellence of Ashoka University, we can create a platform that fosters groundbreaking discoveries and sets new standards in scientific exploration”.
“We are delighted to establish the Core Imaging Facility in partnership with ZEISS, providing researchers and students access to highly sophisticated microscopic technology and know-how, which are a critical bedrock for explorations and discoveries. Notably, the Facility will have latest microscopes that only a handful of labs currently possess in the country. This partnership is a step in Ashoka University’s mission to make India a hub and global leader in cutting-edge scientific research”, said Somak Raychaudhury, Vice Chancellor, Ashoka University.
“Much of today’s science—from materials research, biological sciences, medicine, all the way to astronomy— require the collection of quality images and their analysis. The Zeiss facility at Ashoka University is a pioneering step that will scale the use of cutting-edge microscopy in country. Through teaching, training and research, I am sure that this collaboration strikes a new, and much- needed, path at the frontier of research,” K Vijay Raghavan, Former Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India and Chairperson, Ashoka University’s Science Advisory Council added.
The university will receive LSM 980 NLO, Lattice Lightsheet 7, Elyra 7 and CD 7 with LSM 900 Airyscan microscopes from ZEISS.
For more details about the microscopes, please visit this link.