AMSTERDAM– Nikon Europe B.V. has announced that its first European Nikon BioImaging Lab (NBIL) based in the prestigious Leiden Bio Science Park (LBSP) is now officially open.
The official opening took place on September 22nd with a welcome by Ziryan Othman, Team Leader Biotechnology Solutions, Nikon Europe Healthcare Division, followed by addresses by representatives of the organisations involved in helping Nikon Europe B.V. locate and develop the partnership with the Leiden Bio Science Park: Paul Dirkse, Vice Mayor of the City of Leiden; Hilde van der Meer, Commissioner, Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency; Chris van Voorden, Director Foreign Investments of InnovationQuarter; Ida Haisma, Director of Stichting Leiden Bio Science Park; Thijs de Kleer, Director of Biopartner Leiden, and Amito Haarhuis, Director of Rijksmuseum Boerhaave. Bo Kajiwara, Corporate Vice President, Nikon Corporation, Director & President, Nikon Europe B.V. led the opening program for Nikon Europe B.V.
The inauguration and ribbon cutting took place with a symbolic transfer of the famous 17th century van Leeuwenhoek’s microscope, by Amito Haarhuis. World famous for his pioneering work and discoveries in microscopy, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek developed this single-lens microscope, which proved capable of more powerful magnification than other lenses.
Takaharu Sasaoka, Director and Executive Vice President, Healthcare Business Head, Nikon Europe B.V., appreciates the symbolism of the microscope transfer, “It is very appropriate that Nikon, with over 100 years of expertise in optical technology, should open its first European Nikon BioImaging Lab (NBIL-Leiden) here in the Netherlands, the home of Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, the ‘father of microbiology’, whose systematic and extensive research laid the foundations of medical and scientific research. Our mission also is to advance healthcare and provide a better quality of life.
“We are very excited to be located here in the Leiden Bio Science Park, the largest life sciences cluster in the Netherlands, and I would like to thank all the organisations that helped Nikon Europe B.V. locate and develop this partnership. Following the success of our Nikon BioImaging Labs in the US and Japan, NBIL-Leiden will provide services for microscope-based imaging and analysis to the European biotech, pharma, and larger research communities. We are more than a core facility – our full-service capabilities include not only access to Nikon’s innovative microscopy instrumentation and software, but also the services of expert biologists and microscopists, who are available to provide quality cell culture, sample preparation, data acquisition, and data analysis services.”
Daniel Ciepielewski, General Manager, Healthcare Division, Nikon Europe B.V., explains further, “NBIL-Leiden provides full-service imaging, data analysis, and cell cultures using cutting-edge Nikon microscope systems and software solutions, including the new laser scanning confocal AX R, the incubated high content imaging platform LIPSI, deep learning software NIS.ai, research inverted microscope Ti2-E, and compact live-cell imaging microscope BioStudio-T. Unlike other imaging facilities the lab offers full-service cell culture capabilities – our experienced staff is equipped to handle cell thawing, maintenance, expansion, differentiation, and other essential operations.
“The level of service and involvement of the lab is determined individually for each client based on need. Some need only access to equipment and are capable of data acquisition/analysis on their own, while others may require full-service imaging and analysis support. Additional applications include high content imaging and analysis, 3D imaging, fluorescence imaging, high-resolution imaging, color imaging, label-free imaging, cell screening and high throughput imaging, among others. NBIL-Leiden is now open, providing expert imaging support – on demand.”
Nikon Europe B.V. is grateful to InnovationQuarter, the regional economic development agency for the Province of Zuid-Holland, which assisted us in finding the right location and helped coordinate communication to develop the partnership with the Leiden Bio Science Park.
Nikon Europe B.V. is also grateful to the following contributing companies who have partnered with NBIL-Leiden: Clean Air Baker, PHC, Crest Optics, Photometrics, CoolLed, and Precipoint.
