The Russian Science Foundation’s project «Science in 360°» (Russian language) is a series of 3D tours of leading scientific institutions. It allows anyone to get into the «clean» areas of the laboratories, meet the scientists, and learn more about the ongoing studies and the equipment involved.
We invite you to take a virtual tour of the laboratories and learn more about using ZEISS microscopes to solve problems across a wide range of scientific fields, including:
You can also take an even closer look at ZEISS products for science and research during a 3D tour of the ZEISS Russia & CIS Demonstration Center, where a variety of ZEISS Connecting Solutions are on display.
Archeology
The Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the RAS studies how ancient people inhabited Eurasia, as well as who lived on its territory from ancient times to the new millennium, and how they lived.
For example, in the pottery study laboratory of the Department of Paleometal Era Archaeology of the IAET they investigate preliterate period pottery in Siberia. With a ZEISS Stemi 508 stereomicroscope, ethnographers examine the smallest traces left by the craftsman on the clay vessels to discover what materials, methods and tools were used to make, process and decorate them. This project helped us learn how pottery evolved over a period of 6,500 years — from the early Neolithic to the Middle Ages.
And the staff of the Laboratory of Natural Scientific Methods in Archaeology («PaleoData») of the IAET are trying to reconstruct the environmental conditions typical of Eurasia during the Quaternary period. For example, with the help of a ZEISS Axio.Imager microscope, dendrochronological scientists determine the age of archaeological finds by the characteristics of the annual tree rings. The thickness and shape of the rings reflect the conditions under which the tree grew: droughts and floods, climate change, volcanic eruptions and other environmental extremes.
A ZEISS Stemi microscope helps palynologists examine plant pollen and spores, microscopic remains of animals and algae, as well as particles of coal. From the information obtained, scientists draw conclusions about the climate, plants and animals, as well as human activities during the period under study.
Cell Biology
The Institute of Cytology of the RAS studies normal, stem and tumor cells in humans and looks for new ways to treat severe diseases. For example, the staff of the Laboratory of Cell Biotechnologies of the RAS Research Center are developing biomedical cellular products for tissue and organ repair. Main areas of development are repair of damaged cornea and genitourinary organs.
Scientists cultivate cells in a nutrient medium until they have grown enough for an experiment, transfer or freezing. The condition of the cells and their number are monitored using a ZEISS Axio Observer inverted microscope. Thus, after freezing the cells for storage, it is necessary to precisely count them in order to assess their quality and viability after thawing.
The Laboratory of Cellular Defense Mechanisms of the RAS Research Center is searching for ways to make cancer cells more vulnerable. Scientists are investigating how tumor cells use chaperone proteins, which are responsible for 3D structure and resistance to chemotherapy. The main goal of the laboratory staff is to find drugs that deactivate the tumor’s defense system. They will make chemotherapy more effective while reducing the severity of side effects. For this purpose, the cells are treated with drugs that should potentially shut down its defenses. The cells are then studied using a ZEISS Axio Vert inverted microscope to determine which drugs work best and in what concentration.
Exploring the World Ocean
Scientists of the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the RAS are studying the ocean floor in order to understand how the climate of the oceans will change, predict possible disasters and find the best strategy for the development of the ocean and its resources.
Take a virtual tour of the IO RAS Laboratory >>
Plant Biology
The employees of the Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the RAS are developing and using new methods to study plant peptides. These are protein molecules that are responsible for the growth and development of plants, their appearance and other properties. To understand how peptides work, scientists switch them on and off one at a time using CRISPR Cas genome editing technology.
ZEISS microscopes are used in other laboratories around the world. They help to study living cells and architectural monuments, as well as to conduct medical scientific research. If you want to learn more about ZEISS equipment for research in materials science and biology, we invite you to take a virtual tour of the ZEISS demonstration center.