UC San Diego and Leica Microsystems on Friday announced the opening of the school’s new microscopy center of excellence on the medical school campus.

The facility includes Leica microscopes and imaging technology which will be used to further the school’s medical research efforts.

UCSD School of Medicine interim dean Dr. Steven Garfin and Leica Microsystems America General Manager Greg Eppink participated in a signing ceremony Thursday to christen the new building.

“The science and practice of medicine are relentlessly more complicated and nuanced, requiring physicians and scientists to understand the workings of the human body in ever-increasing detail,” Garfin said. “The new Leica center offers another, powerful tool, one that can be used by students and faculty alike.”

UCSD researchers and Leica engineers plan to continue collaborating through the facility to improve medical imaging software and workflow. UCSD researchers also plan to use the facility to educate up-and-coming scientists and make medical breakthroughs by using imaging technology that can capture scientific processes at a molecular level.

“Collaborating with a world class organization like UC San Diego to enable them to push the limits of what is seen is truly exciting for Leica and we look forward to working with UC San Diego today and for many years into the future,” Eppink said.

— City News Service

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