In 2007 and 2008, JPK Instruments AG was recognized by Deloitte as the fastest growing nanotechnology company in Germany. The conferment of the Prism Award for Photonics Innovation in January 2009 for a JPK product underlines the company's leading position in the nanotechnology sector. JPK's NanoTrackerTM was voted the world's most innovative product in "Life Sciences", one of nine categories of the competition. Frank Pelzer, CEO of JPK Instruments AG: "We are pleased that our many years of research are not only appreciated by our customers but have now also found favor with a panel of international experts. Our special thanks go to our employees, without whom this technological achievement would not have been possible."
The NanoTrackerTM operates with laser tweezers and can trap, track and detect nanoparticles solely with light. This allows researchers, for example, to examine at the nanoscale level how viruses and bacteria enter a cell. On this basis, researchers can develop drugs that prevent alien elements from entering cells or promote drug delivery into cells. "Our NanoTrackerTM is a milestone in cell research. No other instrument enables three-dimensional and non-destructive real-time observations at such a resolution. The NanoTrackerTM affords researchers completely new insights and possibilities," said Frank Pelzer.
About the Prism Awards for Photonics Innovation Introduced in 2008, the Prism Awards for Photonics Innovation recognizes the world's best technological innovations in optics and photonics. Every year, a jury of 28 independent experts choose the winners in nine categories. The award ceremony is held in the USA. The awards are initiated and sponsored by SPIE, an international society advancing light-based technologies, and Laurin Publishing, a publisher of leading photonics publications.