GE Healthcare is looking to boost its life sciences portfolio with the acquisition of a cellular imaging firm.

The General Electric Co. (NYSE:GE) unit is planning to buy Seattle area Applied Precision Inc. in a bid to expand its research products and services offering for the pharmaceutical and life science industries, the company said.

Applied Precision manufactures high-resolution microscopy instruments with data visualization tools for examining the structure and behavior of both live and fixed cells, according to GE Healthcare.

The company said Applied’s products are complement its IN Cell Analyzer Systems, which are used for high-throughput sub-cellular analysis in cell biology research.

Applied Precision is a private company and the details of its planned acquisition by GE were not disclosed. The companies expect to complete the deal by the close of May.

Here’s a roundup of companies announcing mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.

• Toshiba to acquire Vital Images for $273 million
  Toshiba Medical Systems Corp. and Vital Images Inc. (NSDQ:VTAL) entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which a subsidiary of TMSC will acquire all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Vital Images for $18.75 per share, or approximately $273 million, through a cash tender offer. Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by each company’s boards, Vital’s shareholders will receive $18.75 in cash for each outstanding share of the company’s stock they own. The offering price represents a 39 percent premium over the volume-weighted average Vital’s share price for the past 30 calendar days.
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• N.C. health IT firm Bloodhound bought for $82 million
  North Carolina health IT company Bloodhound Technologies, a company whose software combats insurance fraud, has been acquired by Verisk Analytics (NSDQ:VRSK) for $82 million in cash in a move that Verisk says will strengthen the company’s position providing data and analytics software services for the healthcare industry.
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• Ametek buys out Avicenna
  AMETEK Inc. (NYSE:AME) announced that it has acquired Avicenna Technology Inc., a privately held supplier of custom, fine-featured components used in the medical device industry. Avicenna Technology with its headquarters and manufacturing operations in Montevideo, Minn., has annual sales of approximately $25 million.
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• Informed Medical Decisions acquires Inherited Health
  Informed Medical Decisions Inc. plans to acquire AccessDNA Inc., owner of Inherited Health. Inherited Health offers content authored by genetics professionals covering hereditary conditions, resources and services, making related issues understandable and actionable. Its web-based platform is designed to help families work together to collect, store and update their family health history.
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• API Healthcare terminates Kronos Merger
  API Healthcare announced the termination of its previously announced merger agreement with Kronos Inc. Following yesterday’s announcement that API Healthcare intended to terminate the agreement next month if regulatory approvals were not received from the Dept. of Justice, the two companies reached a mutual decision to terminate the merger agreement effective immediately.
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• Wolters Kluwer Health to acquire drug information provider Lexi-Comp
  Wolters Kluwer Health, a provider of information and business intelligence announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Lexi-Comp Inc., a provider of drug information and clinical content for pharmacists and clinicians. The acquisition is the latest in a series of acquisitions Wolters Kluwer Health has made in its Clinical Solutions business as part of the company’s focus on serving the point-of-care segment.
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• Accuray wins HSR clearance for acquisition of TomoTherapy
  Accuray Inc. (NSDQ:ARAY), a global leader in the field of radiosurgery, today announced the expiration of the mandatory, pre-merger waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, in connection with the previously announced acquisition of TomoTherapy Inc. (NSDQ:TOMO).
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