Two new innovative developments at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rechovot will help scientists worldwide to see their subjects better and thus improve the quality of medical research.
One such Israeli innovation solves a problem researchers have been facing for 50 years, ever since the scanning electron microscope (SEM) was incorporated as a basic research tool. To overcome the problems inherent in observing biological samples with the SEM, which requires a liquid-vaporizing vacuum, scientists have had to resort to various complicated procedures, which often distorted the samples. But now, scientists at the Weizmann Institute have found a way to view samples of biological materials in their natural, "wet" state. Their secret lies in the production of a very thin but tough polymer capsule to enclose the sample, allowing it to withstand the force of the vacuum.
Dr. Ory Zik, who worked on the capsule with Professor Elisha Moses of the Physics of Complex Systems Department, said: "The material for the capsule is a result of advances in the area of semiconductors. We came across it while researching ways to apply automation techniques used in the semiconductor industry to the life sciences' scanning electron microscopes."
The development was detailed in the March 9 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA (PNAS).
The capsule's polymer is unique in that it is allows the electrons with which a SEM works to pass through unobstructed, giving scientists a clear view of what lies within. Researchers hope the new method will advance the studies of biological materials, such as the lipids that make up fat, which are easily destroyed by the old sample preparation methods.
In the case of large-scale imaging, as well, Israeli innovation will serve to advance the cause of medical research. A new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method has been developed by Weizmann's Prof. Hadassa Degani, allowing scientists to see much greater detail in kidneys than previously possible.
Standard hospital MRI scanners, used to view many organs of the body, work by imaging water molecules in the body. But in water-logged kidneys, the image may not distinguish between different functional parts. However, Prof. Degani and her lab team have found a way to see into the kidneys using sodium ion scans. Their method takes advantage of the fact that kidneys filter blood by employing a gradient - a rising concentration of sodium - from the outer layer towards the center, where levels reach up to five times the norm. The Israeli scientists enlisted the help of Dr. Joel Mispelter from the Institut Curie in France to help them build the special accessory needed to detect the sodium. Working at a high resolution allowed them to pick up the fine details of changing sodium concentration, particularly localized variations in the sodium gradient, thus obtaining a more complete picture of kidney function and architecture.
Prof. Degani commented modestly, "The method is so logical, it's a wonder it had not been applied before."
One such Israeli innovation solves a problem researchers have been facing for 50 years, ever since the scanning electron microscope (SEM) was incorporated as a basic research tool. To overcome the problems inherent in observing biological samples with the SEM, which requires a liquid-vaporizing vacuum, scientists have had to resort to various complicated procedures, which often distorted the samples. But now, scientists at the Weizmann Institute have found a way to view samples of biological materials in their natural, "wet" state. Their secret lies in the production of a very thin but tough polymer capsule to enclose the sample, allowing it to withstand the force of the vacuum.
Dr. Ory Zik, who worked on the capsule with Professor Elisha Moses of the Physics of Complex Systems Department, said: "The material for the capsule is a result of advances in the area of semiconductors. We came across it while researching ways to apply automation techniques used in the semiconductor industry to the life sciences' scanning electron microscopes."
The development was detailed in the March 9 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA (PNAS).
The capsule's polymer is unique in that it is allows the electrons with which a SEM works to pass through unobstructed, giving scientists a clear view of what lies within. Researchers hope the new method will advance the studies of biological materials, such as the lipids that make up fat, which are easily destroyed by the old sample preparation methods.
In the case of large-scale imaging, as well, Israeli innovation will serve to advance the cause of medical research. A new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method has been developed by Weizmann's Prof. Hadassa Degani, allowing scientists to see much greater detail in kidneys than previously possible.
Standard hospital MRI scanners, used to view many organs of the body, work by imaging water molecules in the body. But in water-logged kidneys, the image may not distinguish between different functional parts. However, Prof. Degani and her lab team have found a way to see into the kidneys using sodium ion scans. Their method takes advantage of the fact that kidneys filter blood by employing a gradient - a rising concentration of sodium - from the outer layer towards the center, where levels reach up to five times the norm. The Israeli scientists enlisted the help of Dr. Joel Mispelter from the Institut Curie in France to help them build the special accessory needed to detect the sodium. Working at a high resolution allowed them to pick up the fine details of changing sodium concentration, particularly localized variations in the sodium gradient, thus obtaining a more complete picture of kidney function and architecture.
Prof. Degani commented modestly, "The method is so logical, it's a wonder it had not been applied before."