On May 1, 2011, Sandia announced its researchers had developed a super-resolution microscopy technique that reveals previously unseen details of the cell membrane. Initially used to address questions about how and why a cell’s defenses fail against some invaders, such as plague, while successfully fending off others, such as E.coli, the technique may lead to new diagnostic, prevention, and treatment techniques.

Sandia began in 1945 as Z Division, the ordnance design, testing, and assembly arm of Los Alamos National Laboratory. It became Sandia Laboratory in 1948. Sandia Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Electric, took over management of Sandia Laboratory in 1949. In 1979, “Sandia Laboratories at Albuquerque” become ﾑSandia National Laboratoriesﾒ. In 993, Sandia Corp. became a Martin Marietta company, leaving the AT&T fold for the first time. In 1995, Martin Marietta merged with Lockheed Corp. to become Lockheed Martin.