The new tool is called a confocal microscope and is so powerful it can measure a single molecule within a cell. Scientists at the school will use it in their study of diseases of the eye, bone and blood, among other tissues.
Kirk Czymmek, an associate professor in the school's Department of Biological Sciences, says the microscope is about eight to 10 times more sensitive than older instruments. It's also able to reconstruct smaller images into a panoramic image.
The university used a $500,000 grant from a division of the National Institutes of Health to buy the microscope. There are fewer than 20 in use in the United States.
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Information from: The News Journal of Wilmington, Del., http://www.delawareonline.com
