July 1, 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of Nikon’s microscope business.

It was discovered that the body’s immune system is capable of locating and neutralizing pathogens that have invaded the body. This system works together with immune substances called antibodies to suppress and eliminate these pathogens.

In 1919, Jules Bordet was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work in learning how these systems function. Microscopes were employed to observe these tiny components together with bacteria in the blood, and to help clarify how the system works. This discovery is the foundation of modern infectious disease treatment and preventative medicine.

The JOICO microscope is revolutionary at the time, providing a maximum magnification of 765X. The product name “JOICO” is an acronym of the Japan Optical Industry Company, the English name of the company at that time.

In 1900, Austrian physician Karl Landsteiner discovered that there are different types of human blood.

This identification of blood types transformed blood transfusions from being dangerous into a safe and viable treatment. This discovery saved many lives by administering blood transfusions to patients who had lost blood during surgery or in accidents. This achievement was highly praised in the medical community, and he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1930.

The discovery and practical application of the antibiotic penicillin was one of the most important advances in medicine of the 20th century. Discovered by chance in 1928 from mold, penicillin was a groundbreaking drug that could be used to treat bacterial infections. At the time, many people lost their lives due to pneumonia and wound infections, and this discovery opened up the possibility of saving many lives. 

Phase contrast technology plays an important role in examining the characteristics of cancer cells, efficacy of drugs, food quality inspection and countless other microscopy applications.

This invention earned Fritz Zernike the Nobel Prize in Physics.

The model SM stereo microscope enables three-dimensional viewing with both eyes and featured a built-in three-step magnification optical system. Even today, stereoscopic microscopes are used not only for dissection and cultivation, but also for fine work in factories.

Nikon introduces the Chromatic Aberration Free (CF) system, which was developed with a completely new design concept and independently corrected chromatic aberrations of the objective lens and eyepiece. This technology was recognized as “the first innovation in 100 years.”

With the new CF technology, Nikon launches the high-grade Microphoto V series (three devices: Biophot, Metaphot, and Fluophot).

Microscopes developed for in vitro fertilization (IVF) are an important solution to the declining birthrate. The Diaphot TMD made a major contribution to the birth of the first baby through IVF in the United States in 1981. Since then, Nikon has been playing an important role in advancing IVF technology, helping to provide new hope to many couples.

In 2010, Robert G. Edwards, who established the IVF technique, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. IVF is a medical technology that enables pregnancy by returning an egg fertilized outside the body with sperm to the mother’s womb, and it also contributes to the prevention of genetic diseases and the elucidation of the causes of infertility.

In the 1950s, an important substance that helps our nerve cells grow and survive is discovered. This substance is called "nerve growth factor" and function of repairing damaged nerves and extending the lifespan of nerve cells. This important discovery shed light on how the nervous system develops and is maintained, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1986. Today, it has become essential basic knowledge for research into the treatment of neurological diseases, and is used, for example, in research into treatments for Alzheimer's disease and spinal cord injuries.

In 1982, Nikon received an order from NASDA (National Space Development Agency of Japan, currently the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)) for an inverted biological microscope to be used aboard the space shuttle. It was delivered in late 1985 and was carried into orbit on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992. It was primarily used for material experiments in outer space.

Nikon launches its first real-time laser confocal microscope, the RCM8000. This microscope was capable of capturing images of specific areas of thick specimens with extremely high clarity which was difficult to do with regular optical microscopes.

This team were responsible identifying genes that help guide the proper body formation of an organism.
Working with fruit flies, the team discovered a specific gene that controls the formation of body parts. This gene plays a key role in directing where and how each part of the body is formed, from head to tail.
Even more surprising, it was revealed that this genetic mechanism works in almost the same in flies as it does in vertebrates, such as mice and humans. This discovery has greatly advanced our understanding of human fetal development and congenital diseases.

Edward B. Lewis, Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard, and Eric F. Wieschaus were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery.

The distance from the mounting surface of the objective lens to the observation target (same focal length) was extended to 60mm from the existing 45mm. This greatly increased the degree of freedom for optical design and achieved the world's first 0.5x objective lens, realizing observation of an ultra-wide field of view with a diameter of 50mm. The ECLIPSE E800 was an innovative microscope that employed this system.

Our cells contain many different types of proteins. These proteins maintain our body's normal functions by working in specific locations within the cells.

It was learned that proteins carry a small marker called a “signal peptide,” which guides them to their proper destinations within the cell. 

Understanding this mechanism has helped scientists learn more about various diseases that result from disruptions in protein transport.

This breakthrough earned Dr. Günter Blobel the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

The ECLIPSE TE2000 Inverted Microscope was a completely new generation of microscope designed to be compatible with the then new digital imaging technologies. This new system offered excellent flexibility with multiple ports to allow increased capabilities within the system. This microscope quickly became Nikon’s flagship microscope.

The COOLSCOPE is introduced as Nikon’s first of its kind pioneer in the digitalization and automation of microscopes.

This team was credited for uncovering how the brain identifies the many different smells we perceive.
At the back of the interior of the human nose, there are approximately 1,000 types of specialized receptors, each detecting specific odor molecules. These receptors work in various combinations, allowing us to distinguish around one trillion different scents.

This discovery marked a major breakthrough in understanding how the brain processes external information and how our sense of smell works. In particular, the revelation of how neurons selectively recognize specific types of information has significantly influenced research in other sensory systems as well.

Richard Axel and Linda B. Buck were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

A groundbreaking device that combines a microscope with a device for maintaining constant temperature and humidity for cell culture, allowing cells to be observed with reduced stress. It has been introduced in cutting-edge laboratories around the world, including the laboratory of Professor Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University, who was the first in the world to successfully create iPS cells. With its automated observation function, it can be said to be a pioneering product in laboratory automation.

Equipped with PFS (Perfect Focus System) and a high-speed motorization capability, this system meets the needs of long-term live cell imaging in biological, medical, and pharmaceutical science research.

PFS uses unique optical technology to automatically track any Z-axis plane while detecting the interface with the slide glass. The built-in linear encoder and high-speed active feedback quickly correct any focus deviation with high precision. Even during long-term acquisition of complex continuous images, it always provides focused and reliable images. This technology was recognized as one of the TOP INNOVATIONS of 2008 in The Scientist magazine.

Discovered in the jellyfish Aequorea victoria, ""green fluorescent protein (GFP)"" is a special protein that glows bright green when exposed to ultraviolet light. It was learned that this property can be used to track the movement of specific proteins inside living cells. This discovery made it possible to directly observe life phenomena that were previously invisible, such as the proliferation process of cancer cells and the functioning of neurons in the brain.

The importance of GFP has been widely recognized in the scientific community as a major advancement in imaging technology, and in 2008 its discoverers were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

The lens anti-reflection coating called "Nano Crystal Coat" was originally developed for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, which required extraordinary precision and performance. Nikon quickly recognized that this technology would also have benefits to scientists imaging through microscope objective lenses. This advancement made it possible to develop objective lenses with excellent light transmittance and reduced light reflection across a wide range from ultraviolet to near infrared.

Super-resolution microscopy is an innovative technology that has made it possible to observe extremely small structures inside cells that could not be seen with conventional optical microscopes. While conventional optical microscopes could not observe objects smaller than 200 nanometers, this technology enables observation down to 20 nanometers (about 1/5,000th the thickness of a human hair).

Nikon’s super-resolution microscope system enables observation of the fine structure of living cells and molecular level observation with a resolution far exceeding the limits of conventional optical microscopes. Furthermore, it enables high-speed acquisition and observation at the single-molecule level.

This technology allows real-time observation of phenomena occurring within living cells, and has made significant contributions to elucidating the movement of proteins and the process of cell division in particular.

The development of this groundbreaking super-resolved fluorescence microscopy led to Eric Betzig, Stefan Hell, and William Moerner being awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2014. Currently, super-resolution microscopes are used in research institutions around the world, helping to develop new treatments and elucidate biological phenomena.

Once our cells have a specific role (skin, muscle, nerves, etc.), they usually do not transform into another type of cell.
However, in 2006, a groundbreaking discovery was made that overturned this conventional wisdom. It was proven that by introducing specific genes into mature cells, they can be restored to a young state and changed into any type of cell.

These “rejuvenated cells” are called “iPS cells.”
This discovery has opened the possibility of creating necessary tissues from a patient's own cells, which is being applied to the treatment of intractable eye diseases and retinal regenerative medicine, for example.

In 2012, Sir John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery.

There is an elaborate mechanism for transporting substances within cells. This mechanism is called “vesicular transport,” and it packs proteins and other substances into small sacs (organelles) and delivers them to the necessary locations.

Three scientists who have made a major contribution to elucidating this mechanism are James E. Rothman, Randy W. Schekman, and Thomas C. Südhof. They discovered the genes necessary for intracellular transport, and elucidated the mechanisms of the necessary proteins and the mechanism by which nerve cells release neurotransmitters at precise times. In recognition of this research, they were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2013.

How are we able to remember which way to go? The answer to this question was clarified by the discovery of the brain's “location-positioning system.”

In 1971, John O'Keefe discovered ""place-specific cells"" in the hippocampus of the brain. These cells react when we become aware of our current location. Then, in 2005, May-Britt Moser and Edvard Moser discovered ""grid cells,"" which record even more detailed location information. They discovered that these two types of cells work together like a GPS.

This discovery was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2014, and is now being applied to research into dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Our cells have a mechanism called “autophagy” that breaks down and reuses unnecessary substances. This was discovered in the 1960s, but its details remained a mystery for many years.

Yoshinori Okuma learned the mechanism of autophagy at the genetic level through experiments using yeast. 
Since then, research has progressed and it has become clear that abnormalities in autophagy are related to various diseases such as Parkinson's disease, which expresses itself as abnormal protein accumulation. It is thought that impaired autophagy function might be one of the causes for this disease. In addition, development of new therapeutic drugs that target autophagy is progressing, and it is expected that they will be applied to the treatment of cancer and neurological diseases.

For his work, Ohsumi Yoshinori was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2016.

In 1992, Honjo Tasuku discovered a molecule which is involved in our body's immune system. Normally, immune cells attack cancer cells to protect us, but this molecule known as PD-1 inhibits this function. Honjo discovered that by “releasing the brakes”, immune cells can once again fight cancer cells.

The therapeutic drug developed based on this discovery was the first of its kind in the world to be approved, in 2014. It is currently used to treat a variety of cancers, including malignant melanoma and lung cancer.

In 2018, Honjo Tasuku and James P. Allison were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their “groundbreaking discoveries in cancer treatment.”

To provide wide range of support for individual users in areas such as basic drug discovery research, candidate drug screening, and optimization of cell culture conditions, Nikon opened the Nikon BioImaging Lab in 2019 in Boston, which is a biocluster bringing together pharmaceutical companies and bio ventures. In 2021, Nikon also opened a Nikon BioImaging Lab at Shonan iPark in Japan, followed by another at the Leiden Bio Science Park (LBSP) in the Netherlands. By utilizing Nikon’s live-cell imaging and image analysis technologies, these labs contribute to the efficient development of pharmaceuticals.

The AX and AX R confocal microscopes were developed to meet the requirements for observing the minute structures of large specimens while they are still alive, and to study and analyze their instantaneous reactions and changes. Cross-sectional images can be obtained with high contrast, and specimens can be observed in three dimensions by combining multiple images. The high-performance detectors and scanners enable wide-range, high-resolution, ultra-fast imaging. They contribute to researchers understanding life phenomena more efficiently and in greater detail.

Despite being a microscope, the ECLIPSE Ui features a unique design that does not require an eyepiece. In addition to improving the posture of pathologists during observation, it also enables the sharing of observed images on a computer display. This leads to reducing the issues and fulfilling the needs of pathology sites, such as the shortage of pathologists and the accumulation of fatigue on users due to long hours of observation, and contributes to improving the workflow of pathology diagnoses.

Using AI, the process from image acquisition to analysis has been largely automated. This makes microscope operation more efficient, allowing users to focus on more creative activities such as analysis and observation. The system also maintains hardware expandability, contributing to the efficiency of research and development in drug discovery.

As the number of infertility treatments increases, so does the demand for higher accuracy and efficiency of treatments. In response, Nikon developed a product specialized for ICSI using a microscope. By automating the settings, the number of steps required to operate the microscope has been significantly reduced, contributing to improvements in the efficiency of ICSI.