Leica Microsystems and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have inaugurated the Center of Excellence (CoE) for Optical Microscopy on the university's campus. Justin L. Mynar (left, sitting) associate vice president for research and executive director of the KAUST Core Labs, and Julian Burke, chief scientific officer at Leica Microsystems, sign an agreement to inaugurate the new KAUST-Leica Center of Excellence (CoE) in Optical Microscopy on the University's campus. Walid Beylouni (left, standing) and Kun Li look on during the signing ceremony. Courtesy of KAUST 2018. "With the opening of the Center of Excellence on the KAUST campus, there is now a visible expression of our partnership," said Markus Lusser, president of Leica Microsystems. "We will work with KAUST and their world-class faculty members and students to drive the use and implementation of sample preparation and imaging systems. These systems are already revolutionizing approaches to life science and materials research, and we expect KAUST to play a significant role in extending developments in these areas." In addition, a new SP8 confocal platform with super resolution and light sheet capabilities from Leica was unveiled — the first of its kind in the region. "Today we, KAUST and Leica Microsystems, have pledged to combine our strengths,” said Justin Mynar, associate vice president for research and executive director of the KAUST Core Labs. “The launch of this CoE will impact not just the field of optical microscopy as a whole, but [also] the scientific ambitions of KAUST and the kingdom. Our partnership will impact on all of our users for the betterment of the kingdom and the scientific achievements that will guide its ambitious development objectives." The system is housed in the Imaging and Characterization Core Lab, providing researchers access to the latest advances in microscopy from Leica Microsystems. The CoE aims to position KAUST for revolutionary optical microscopy discoveries.