From owner-celegans@net.bio.net Thu Jan 16 22:00:00 1997
Path: biosci!lamg.com!Tritech_Research
From: Tritech_Research@lamg.com (Tritech Research)
Newsgroups: bionet.celegans
Subject: a cheaper GFP scope?
Date: 17 Jan 1997 07:50:25 -0800
Organization: Los Angeles Macintosh Group BBS
Lines: 44
Sender: daemon@net.bio.net
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <4038258686.41854042@lamg.com>
Reply-To: Tritech_Research@lamg.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net

I have had several inquiries about whether Tritech Research "sells
a less expensive GFP-viewing dissecting stereomicroscope than Leica".
The answer is that we could if there were sufficient interest.  As most
of you know, Tritech Research sells the "Wild M5a copy/clone" microscopes
for $2000-$2400, complete, depending on quantity.  The optics on this system
are
excellent, and the cost (for a complete system w/ 3 sets of eyepieces,
lamps, power supply, etc. is between one-half and one-quarter what a
Wild/Leica costs.  The nice thing about our "Wild-clones" is that they are
close enough copies that you can buy accessories from Leica, and they fit.

Many of you also know (or should know, so now you will) that the Ambros
Lab has figured out how to adapt Wild/Leica scopes into a home-made
UV/Fluorescence scope for viewing GFP expression.  If you want to build
one yourself (onto either our scope, or a real Leica) here's the web site:

http://www.dartmouth.edu/artsci/bio/ambros/protocols/GFP/gfp.html

I would be very interested to hear from people who have made one of these,
about how well it works (especially if they have compared it with the
full-blown Leica system) and if they came up with any improvements over
the design from the Ambros Lab.  I will be happy to post a summary.

Some researchers (the ones that contacted me) said that they want to
buy a complete system and not build their own.  So, I am wondering if
we can provide a useful service here.  I understand that the Leica system
goes for around $15,000.00 - is that about right?).  The questions I have
are:

How many labs would be interested in getting a system from us?
Would $7500.00 be an attractive price for it? (or what would?)
What special features, if any, would make it better?
If you have suggestions for "optional" features, suggest a fair price for
them.

Thanks very much for your thoughts on this.  If we can save a bunch of labs
several thousand dollars each, then it sounds like a worthwhile undertaking.

Andy Papp
TRITECH_RESEARCH@LAMG.COM
PS: If anyone needs our catalog (with the regular version of the scope),
and our other products, just e-mail your mailing address, or call (800)
7-333-874.


.