History

The Molecular Biosensor and Imaging Center (MBIC), at Carnegie Mellon University has existed in some form as a Center for almost 30 years and is now directed by Marcel Bruchez, PhD. The National Institutes of Health named us a National Technology Center for Networks and Pathways, a collaboration among Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh (The Center for Biologic Imaging and the Department of Pharmacology), The University of California at Berkley and Stanford University. The Center will focus on the development of optical biosensors and imaging informatics for the detection of molecular interactions within living cells.

The Center, originally named The Center for Fluorescence Research was founded in 1982 by D. Lansing Taylor, PhD. In 1991, it was renamed The Center for Light Microscope Imaging and Biotechnology, joining fluorescent probe technologies and computerized fluorescence microscopy to study temporal and spatial interactions of living cells. The Center was a National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center for 11 years with innovative research, technology transfer, and outreach and education programs. It has pioneered automated, multicolor fluorescence imaging technologies that have now been adopted by Carl Zeiss, Nikon, Olympus and other major imaging microscope manufacturers. The Center is also famous for its development of the CyDye labeling technologies that are used worldwide in biomedical research and diagnostics in place of radioisotopes. The center is particularly strong because of the interdisciplinary collaboration of its scientists, engineers and medical doctors. This interdisciplinary research brings international prestige to the center. For example, in June 1996, the center was honored with the Computerworld Smithsonian Award for Science and Innovation, one of the most prestigious awards for scientific innovation. The Center has continued with funding from NIH, NSF, NASA, the Keck, Moore and Fine Foundations.

MBIC, established in 2000 by Prof. Alan Waggoner, functions within the Mellon College of Science of Carnegie Mellon University. Laboratory facilities include organic chemistry, imaging microscopy, flow cytometry (both analytical and high-speed sorting), cell biology, biochemistry, tissue culture, and instrumentation development.