MBF Bioscience Secures Exclusive License from Columbia University to Create New Light-Sheet Microscope System

Posted on February 4, 2020 by MBF Bioscience

For Immediate Release:

Williston, VT (February 04, 2020) — MBF Bioscience’s revolutionary light sheet microscope system, ClearScope, sets a new standard for microscopic imaging.

The new decade is poised to bring about incredible scientific innovations, and MBF Bioscience is leading the charge in 2020 with the creation of the “light sheet theta microscope” system, ClearScope.

MBF Bioscience secured exclusive license from Columbia University to develop the light sheet theta microscope technology invented by Dr. Raju Tomer. This patent-pending technology in ClearScope leap frogs a number of inherent limitations of other light sheet microscopes. ClearScope will be commercially released this year.

ClearScope performs high-resolution, 3D imaging of intact, cleared specimens that are larger than any other light sheet microscope is capable of imaging. The technology permits fast imaging speed, high- quality imaging and low photo-bleaching. With the exclusive dual, oblique light sheets providing homogeneous illumination, MBF Bioscience has created a microscope system superior to all existing commercial light sheet microscopes. It is compatible with tissue clearing techniques including CLARITY, uDISCO, SeeDB, Scale and Binaree.

President and co-founder of MBF Bioscience, Jack Glaser says, “Dr. Tomer’s, revolutionary design of light sheet theta microscopy, and the new capabilities it provides, will have a dramatic impact in scientific research. We are excited to bring this technology to market in ClearScope. ”

Dr. Raju Tomer, assistant professor of biological sciences at Columbia University says, “I am very excited about the licensing of our light sheet theta microscope technology to MBF Bioscience for developing a robust and user-friendly ClearScope product. This technology has clear potential to revolutionize high-resolution, quantitative imaging of very large cleared samples. It will also be a valuable instrument for dynamic imaging of live specimens. I think MBF Bioscience, with its extensive expertise in neuroscience imaging and data analytics, is a natural partner to take it beyond a lab instrument stage, to benefit the scientific community at large.”

With the ability to image cleared tissue of virtually any XY size, ClearScope has the ability to completely revolutionize the way researchers image and collect data of tissue specimens. ClearScope image data can be analyzed with MBF’s flagship software solutions, Neurolucida 360, Vesselucida 360 and Stereo Investigator.

To learn more about ClearScope visit: www.mbfbioscience.com/clearscope

About MBF Bioscience: MBF Bioscience integrates the world’s leading microscope systems with our revolutionary quantitative imaging and visualization software to accelerate research in the fields of: stereology, neuron and microvasculature reconstruction, vascular analysis, worm tracking, brain mapping and big image data management in medical research and education.

Since 1988, MBF Bioscience has forged a rich history of creating innovative products to empower biological researchers with the quantitative analysis tools they need to obtain accurate, unbiased results. With offices in North America, Europe, Japan, and China, MBF Bioscience has helped researchers across the globe publish over 15,000 peer-reviewed papers in peer reviewed journals. MBF Bioscience partners with the NIH and distinguished scientists across the world to continue their commitment to neuroscience research with their software technology, and also in the fields of stem cells, pulmonology, oncology, and toxicology. For more information visit www.mbfbioscience.com or follow MBF Bioscience on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, or compete in our image contest at www.neuroart.com

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Media Contact:
Pasang Sherpa
Marketing Manager
1-802-288-9290/ pasang@mbfbioscience.com

MBF Bioscience receives NIH funding to support innovative research program on the peripheral nervous system

Posted on January 8, 2019 by MBF Bioscience

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MBF Bioscience Williston, VT – January 9, 2019 – MBF Bioscience is pleased to announce our participation in the Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC) program. Funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), this extensive research initiative is a vast collaborative effort, which aims to deepen the understanding of how the peripheral nervous system impacts internal organ function.

“We are honored to be working in collaboration with over 40 research teams in the United States and around the world who are making revolutionary discoveries about how the network of nerves located outside the brain and spinal cord affect organs such as the heart, stomach, and bladder, and what role these nerves play in diseases like hypertension and type II diabetes as well as gastrointestinal and inflammatory disorders,” says Jack Glaser, President of MBF Bioscience.

To facilitate this important research, MBF Bioscience will provide the collaborating research scientists with both software and support. Specifically, we will provide image segmentation tools developed to handle large and diverse amounts of scientific image data. Software applications such as Neurolucida 360^®, Tissue Mapper™ and Tissue Maker™ will enable researchers to image and analyze nerves, tissues, and entire organs in 2D and 3D.

“Representing the innervation patterns accurately and robustly is an essential contribution to the generation of representative models that can be used for simulations. We are working with our partners at the University of Auckland, under the direction of Professor Peter Hunter, to create these models for each organ system that will be an enduring resource for scientists for years to come,” says Susan Tappan, Scientific Director at MBF Bioscience.

Researchers involved in the SPARC program are making important advances in health and medicine, which may lead to the development of new therapies for managing an array of illnesses and disorders. Some examples of research areas include subcutaneous nerve stimulation for arrhythmia control, sensory neuromodulation of the esophagus, and mapping of the neural circuitry of bone marrow. We are thrilled about this opportunity to work in partnership with such an impressive array of research teams on this ground-breaking project.

Continue reading “MBF Bioscience receives NIH funding to support innovative research program on the peripheral nervous system” »

Huron Digital Pathology and MBF Bioscience Partner to Enable Large-scale, Repeatable Whole Slide Imaging Workflows for Life Science Research

Posted on October 23, 2018 by MBF Bioscience

MBF Bioscience now offers customized models of Huron Digital Pathology’s TissueScope™, a line of whole slide scanners, and supports TissueScope images across its range of analysis software.

October 23, 2018 – Huron Digital Pathology and MBF Bioscience are proud to announce their partnership to offer customized models of Huron’s TissueScope whole slide scanners integrated with MBF’s Stereo Investigator^® – Whole Slide Edition, NeuroInfo^®, Biolucida^®, and BrainMaker^® software. The partnership gives researchers new tools to visualize and analyze tissue specimens throughout entire organs, large and small, at high-resolution.

“Combining our analysis software with Huron’s whole slide scanners means that researchers can get the most advanced systems for large-scale, repeatable whole slide imaging workflows,” says Jack Glaser, President of MBF Bioscience. “We are pleased to partner with Huron Digital Pathology to provide Huron/MBF whole slide research systems. As the recognized leader in the fields of stereology, brain mapping, and neuron tracing, we are proud to offer systems with such a distinguished company as Huron. This partnership will now allow researchers to effectively work with microscopic specimens that range in size from mice brains to human brains. It is invaluable for researchers working with large brain specimens, especially those investigating the microscopic intricacies of the human brain.”

“By partnering with MBF Bioscience, our goal is to help accelerate life science research,” says Patrick Myles, CEO of Huron Digital Pathology. “Being able to scan any size tissue and then easily manage, visualize, and quantify the data opens up amazing new possibilities for scientific research and exploration.”

The partnership enables Stereo Investigator, NeuroInfo, Biolucida, and BrainMaker software to efficiently provide quantitative analysis workflows for large sets of slides from both individual tissue sections and series of tissue sections. Stereo Investigator – Whole Slide Edition offers analyses for counting and measuring morphological aspects relevant to disease state characterization. BrainMaker and NeuroInfo offer full-resolution section alignment and brain mapping. Biolucida offers slide management and slide access for viewing and analysis at unprecedented speeds from any web-enabled device. The customized versions of TissueScope scanners are available for purchase from MBF Bioscience.

Continue reading “Huron Digital Pathology and MBF Bioscience Partner to Enable Large-scale, Repeatable Whole Slide Imaging Workflows for Life Science Research” »

MBF Bioscience’s New Software Vesselucida 360 Reconstructs Microvascular Networks in 3D

Posted on September 5, 2018 by MBF Bioscience

Williston, VT – September 5, 2018 – Researchers studying microvascular networks and vessels have a groundbreaking new software application to facilitate their work. Developed by MBF Bioscience, Vesselucida^® 360 automatically reconstructs and analyzes microvascular networks in 3D.

Specifically designed to recognize the intricacies of the vascular system, Vesselucidafeatures sophisticated algorithms that quickly and accurately create 3D reconstructions of images and tissue specimens. Built-in analyses provide data on segments and node counts, frequency of anastomoses, as well as metrics on vessel surface and volume.

Automatic reconstruction of vascular structure labeled with tomato lectin
Image courtesy Dr. Stan Watson, University of Michigan, USA

Vesselucida 360 also features a full suite of tools, which lets researchers manually trace and edit 3D reconstructions to fine-tune particularly complex image data. Companion analysis software, Vesselucida Explorer performs sophisticated data analysis for scientists seeking answers to their most challenging research questions.

Continue reading “MBF Bioscience’s New Software Vesselucida 360 Reconstructs Microvascular Networks in 3D” »

MBF Bioscience Launches Stereo Investigator Whole Slide Edition for Quantitative Analysis of Whole Slide Image Data

Posted on June 29, 2018 by MBF Bioscience

Williston, VT – June 29, 2018 – MBF Bioscience is pleased to announce the launch of the Whole Slide Edition of Stereo Investigator. This is a new version of our renown Stereo Investigator software, designed especially for conducting stereology on images from slide scanners.

Featuring a streamlined, user-friendly interface, this new product includes a variety of probes for quantifying number, length, volume, and surface area of cells, structures, and regions of biological tissue. The software works with all 2D microscope images, and is an especially attractive solution for researchers who work mostly, or exclusively, with slide scanners.

The main benefits of Stereo Investigator – Whole Slide Edition include:
· Accurate, unbiased quantitative analysis of images from slide scanners
· Designed workflows and user-interface specifically for analyzing whole slide images
· Compatible with all popular slide scanning file formats
· Enhanced user interface that is easy to use for 2D stereology probes
· Integrates with our Biolucida image management system
· Affordable
· Includes MBF technical and scientific support
· Free trial versions are available

“We’re very excited about the opportunity this gives to many of our customers who want to use stereology to perform quantitative analysis of their whole slide image data. Stereo Investigator – Whole Slide Edition provides a powerful, lower-cost version of Stereo Investigator with a user interface designed specifically for 2D image data,” says MBF Bioscience Director of Sales & Marketing Mark Barton.

For over a decade, Stereo Investigator has been considered the gold standard for carrying out stereological studies on biological tissue, and is cited in peer reviewed publications ten times more than any other stereology system. With the release of Stereo Investigator – Whole Slide Edition, MBF Bioscience continues its dedication to further assisting the research of our valued customers.

For more information about Stereo Investigator Whole Slide Edition and to request a quote, visit http://www.mbfbioscience.com/stereo-investigator-whole-slide-edition

American Association of Anatomists Launches Virtual Microscopy Database powered by Biolucida

Posted on January 16, 2018 by MBF Bioscience

Free resource for educators and researchers features thousands of downloadable histology slides

Educators and researchers around the world now have free access to a database of whole slide images (also known as virtual slides) for histology and pathology. Featuring thousands of virtual slides contributed by 15 universities, The Virtual Microscopy Database, VMD, (http://www.virtualmicroscopydatabase.org/) is an online resource that allows educators to view and download virtual images and share their own.

Powered by MBF Bioscience‘s Biolucida^® for Medical Education solution, VMD gives educators an overview of individual slides and allows examination of various parts of the image at magnifications up to 40x. The users can take a screenshot or download the file at any time.

Funded by an Innovations Program Grant awarded by the American Association of Anatomists (AAA), the resource was developed by researchers from the University of Colorado, Drexel University College of Medicine, and the University of Michigan with corporate support from MBF Bioscience. With thousands of freely accessible virtual microscopy images, the VMD helps meet a growing need for better access to histology slides among educators and non-profit research organizations. The AAA foresees the images being used in a variety of educational ways such as for lectures, exams, and for creating supplementary course material as well as for non-profit research initiatives.

Collection of Virtual Slides in the Biolucida Viewer

“The greatest strength of the VMD is the availability of a large number of high quality virtual microscopy images to its users. The diversity and multiple examples of histological variations available in the VMD collections will enable histology and pathology educators to elevate the quality of their teaching by exposing their students to a broader variety of images and by experimenting with new pedagogical techniques in their classrooms.” (Lisa Lee, Ph.D., University of Colorado)

“We are proud to be part of the AAA’s efforts to improve the access of histology and pathology digital slides for medical educators and students by providing the underlying technology for this important resource. Any of the virtual slides in this new resource can be downloaded and used on an organization’s Biolucida on-premise or cloud-based server,” says Jack Glaser, president of MBF Bioscience.

Individuals affiliated with educational or research institutions may register to access the database. Once approved, users can browse files, or search for specific types of tissue. Currently, the VMD site includes over 2,600 virtual microscopy files, but as new users join the VMD file sharing community that number will grow as will the diversity of tissue and species type.

About AAA:

The American Association of Anatomists was founded by Joseph Leidy in Washington, D.C. in 1888 for the “advancement of anatomical science.” Today, via research, education, and professional development activities, AAA serves as the professional home for an international community of biomedical researchers and educators focusing on the structural foundation of health and disease.

About MBF Bioscience:

MBF Bioscience produces advanced microscopy imaging and analysis systems for biomedical research and education. The award-winning company was co-founded in 1988 by Edmund and Jack Glaser.

www.mbfbioscience.com

Contact:

Nathan O’Connor, Ph.D.

Product Manager/Technical Sales

nate.oconnor@mbfbioscience.com

1-802-288-9290

MBF Bioscience unveils whole mouse brain automatic region delineation and cell mapping with the Allen Mouse Brain Reference Atlas

Posted on November 7, 2017 by MBF Bioscience

An experimental coronal mouse brain section automatically aligned to the Allen Mouse Brain Reference Atlas

Analyzing cellular populations within specific anatomies in brain images requires expertise in both neuroanatomy and cellular identification. This typically involves a scientist comparing experimental images with a reference atlas and manually delineating anatomical regions and marking cell populations within. NeuroInfo^®, a revolutionary new technology from MBF Bioscience, enables researchers to automatically identify and delineate mouse brain regions based on the publicly available Allen Mouse Brain Reference Atlas.

“NeuroInfo has the potential to greatly improve our understanding of how mental disorders influence neuronal cell populations,” says Nathan O’Connor Ph.D., product manager at MBF Bioscience. “Because it makes identifying brain regions substantially faster and more accurate, researchers will be able to explore many more brain regions.”

“The Allen Mouse Brain Reference Atlas is a valuable tool to assist scientists in their research. We’re thrilled that MBF has chosen to integrate this resource into NeuroInfo,” stated Amy Bernard, Ph.D., Product Architect at the Allen Institute for Brain Science.

“Using this remarkable technology, neuroscientists will obtain more repeatable, objective analyses that have been possible to date. Thanks to the integration with the Allen Mouse Brain Reference Atlas, these analyses will be more standardized so that they can be compared across experiments and laboratories,” says Jack Glaser, President.

NeuroInfo can be used with MBF Bioscience’s slide scanning software and virtually all commercial whole slide scanners. The data from NeuroInfo seamlessly integrates with MBF Bioscience’s products including Neurolucida, Stereo Investigator, Biolucida, and BrainMaker.

The tools in NeuroInfo allow researchers to automatically delineate anatomies in the experimental specimens, and detect cells within these anatomies. NeuroInfo yields data that can be invaluable to better understand the organization and composition of the nervous system, and to further knowledge in neurogenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and connectomics.

The National Institute of Mental Health provides funding to support the development of NeuroInfo.

Leica Microsystems and MBF Bioscience announce a partnership in the United States to offer analysis systems for life science research

Posted on May 21, 2014 by Kristin

Leica Microsystems’ microscopes can now fully integrate with Neurolucida and Stereo Investigator software for analyzing cells in neuroscience research.

Buffalo Grove, IL, USA. Leica Microsystems and MBF Bioscience today announce a partnership to offer Leica Microsystems’ microscopes fully integrated with MBF’s Neurolucida and Stereo Investigator software in the United States. This partnership gives researchers new tools to analyze tissue specimens and discover information about the brain, spinal cord, eye, and lung.

“Combining our analysis software with Leica microscopes means that researchers can get a fully integrated system for collecting accurate, reliable data from their tissue specimens,” says Jack Glaser, President of MBF Bioscience. “We are pleased to partner with Leica Microsystems to provide integrated systems. As leading companies in the fields of stereology and neuron tracing, we are proud to offer systems with such a distinguished company as Leica Microsystems.”

This tight integration allows Neurolucida and Stereo Investigator software to display the microscope image onto a computer monitor for analysis. The software automatically adjusts Leica microscope components, such as the fluorescent filters and objective lenses, based on the research task. Integration is necessary for researchers performing unbiased stereology with Stereo Investigator, which requires the software to drive the motorized stage to random locations on the tissue specimen for unbiased quantification of cell populations. Researchers using Neurolucida software for neuron reconstruction, a technique to analyze the shape and size of neurons, will save a lot of time using a fully integrated system. For example, Neurolucida will automatically move the microscope stage when a researcher reconstructs a neuron that extends beyond the field of view.

Continue reading “Leica Microsystems and MBF Bioscience announce a partnership in the United States to offer analysis systems for life science research” »