Carl Zeiss announced it has received the 2008 Thuringian Innovation Award for its LSM 710 laser scanning microscope. This is the fourth time in the competition's 11-year history that Carl Zeiss has received the award, which is presented to highlight the significance of future-oriented innovations and design excellence for manufacturing companies and research institutes. To be eligible for the award, products must have been developed or produced predominantly in Thuringia, Germany. According to Carl Zeiss, the LSM 710 provides high-contrast, detailed images -- even of complex specimens such as thick, living tissue samples. Its new illumination and detection design provides absolute freedom in the selection and simultaneous imaging of up to 10 fluorescence signals and the definite focus module maintains a constant focal plane throughout experiments to ensure that images are always in focus. “Research conducted with multifluorescent-labeled living cells is of fundamental importance in the quest for a better understanding of the disease process,” explained Aubrey Lambert, Carl Zeiss. Award recipients are chosen by a jury of independent experts from industry and science. The 2008 Thuringian Innovation Award was presented in three cateogies -- products, methods and services -- with a special prize for innovation in the trades.