Xradia Receives $1.4 Million Grant for Nano-scale X-ray Microscope
Xradia, Inc., a developer and manufacturer of ultra-high-resolution x-ray imaging systems for 3D tomography and nanotechnology applications, today announced receipt of a $1.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the development of an ultra-high-resolution x-ray microscope for the three-dimensional imaging of complex biological systems.
Nanotechnology is emerging as a critical field essential to enabling fundamental breakthroughs in biomedicine and other disciplines. In this respect, single-cell tomography using x-rays has been identified as a major technology need by NIH.
“With unique capabilities in developing ultra-high-resolution x-ray nano-tomography systems, Xradia is in an ideal position to meet this emerging need,” said Dr. Michael Feser, engineering vice president at Xradia.
The company will expand its product line by introducing a new x-ray tomography system designed specifically for biomedical applications. This new product will include capabilities of automated 3D tomographic imaging with single cell or tissue sections at 30nm resolution, and high throughput. A cryogenic sample stage will preserve samples in a frozen-hydrated state, and enable simple preparation without the need for sectioning.
“The new x-ray microscope developed with these funds will bridge the gap between visible light and electron microscopy, and will provide biologists with a powerful and unique vision tool offering new insights on the structure and behavior of cellular organelles,” said Dr. Wenbing Yun, Xradia’s founder and president. “Development of the new microscope is expected to be complete in less than 12 months.”
About Xradia, Inc.
Xradia, Inc. is a privately held company established in 2000 to commercialize high-resolution x-ray microscopes for nondestructive inspection and nano-scale imaging. Initially targeted at failure analysis in the semiconductor IC industry, subsequent developments have led to a suite of commercial x-ray imaging products that have permitted expansion into markets that include metrology in semiconductor IC production, scientific equipment, biomedical research and nanotechnology development. These advanced systems offer outstanding nondestructive imaging capabilities, including nanometer resolution 3D imaging of complex objects, such as IC chips and biological specimens, and element-specific imaging for process control and monitoring in IC manufacturing. The company also supplies advanced x-ray imaging components and state-of-the-art imaging systems to the synchrotron research community. The company is rapidly expanding in response to demand for its unique x-ray imaging products