Rostock (dpa/mv) - In the future, researchers will be able to gain previously unknown insights using a high-performance microscope in Rostock. The electron microscope, which costs 3.6 million euros, not only makes individual atoms and molecules visible, as the University of Rostock announced on Thursday. It also makes it possible to follow biological or chemical reactions, such as cell processes, live under the microscope. The facility is unique in the Northeast and belongs to the Electron Microscopy Center (ELMI-MV) that opened on Thursday.
"Not only will the research institutions involved benefit from the new electron microscope, but also the regional economy," explained State Science Minister Bettina Martin (SPD). It offers opportunities, for example, for vehicle construction, medical technology or wind energy technology. In the future, the microscope will be used by the universities in Rostock and Greifswald as well as by non-university research institutions.
The state subsidized the purchase with more than 1.5 million euros and supported construction measures with almost 600,000 euros. The German Research Foundation, the University of Rostock, the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis and the Rostock University Medical Center also participated.
