美《纽约时报》1980年11月5日报道:美国达尔摩斯学院生物学教授艾伦(Robert D Allen)博士发明了一种显微镜能使生物学家观察以前从未见过的活细胞内的运输过程。这个新的观察方法是用电视照相机通过一个所谓差分干涉-对比显微镜来看活的标本。艾伦和他的同事发现,电视照相机瞄准这样一架显微镜可以调整到显示出比人眼所能看见的高得多的对比度。艾伦专门从事显微镜技术的发展和活细胞的活动性研究。他说他的新设计可以弄清楚物质在细胞内如何运输的基本问题。 US The New York Times reported on November 5, 1980: Dr. Dulwich College of Biology, Professor of Biology, USA, invented a microscope that enables biologists to observe cells in living cells that they have never seen before transport process. The new observation is to look at live specimens from a television camera using a so-called differential interference-contrast microscope. Allen and his colleagues found that a television camera aimed at such a microscope can be adjusted to show much higher contrast than what the human eye can see. Allen specializes in the development of microscopy techniques and activity studies of living cells. He said his new design can figure out the basics of how matter is transported inside cells.