Microscopic Race for New Cures

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Microscopic Race for New Cures

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-12/bi-tbb120808.php

Jeff Price, M.D., Ph.D. has created a next generation robotic

microscope which can be used for high-throughput cellular image

analysis to discover new potential drugs. The novel instrumentation

utilizes chromatic aberration—the difference in focus between different

colors of light in optical systems—to simplify and speed auto-focusing

of the microscope via digital color cameras. This advancement will

increase screening from the 20,000 -- 40,000 compounds possible per day

with existing technology, to more than 100,000 screens per day, a five-

fold increase in productivity.