Acquisition of an Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis System and Confocal Microscope for an Interdisciplinary Microscopy-Imagery Center in Biology, Chemistry & Geology at St. Lawr

纽约州坎顿市圣劳伦斯大学的Thomas W. Budd博士获得了一笔赠款，用于购买两种主要仪器，以补充和扩大显微镜研究的机会，并在科学设施综合体内创建一个跨学科、多用户显微镜成像中心。需要购置的仪器有：一种共聚焦显微镜系统，将弥合电子显微镜和荧光显微镜之间的分辨率差距。该仪器将允许光学切片和三维重建荧光图像具有更好的分辨率和更广泛的染料选择比传统的荧光显微镜。2. 一个能量色散x射线分析（EDAX）系统将安装在现有的扫描电子显微镜（SEM）上。该系统允许元素分析和空间元素映射的各种研究标本适用于生物，化学，环境研究和地质研究。一些圣劳伦斯科学学院准备指导学生使用这些仪器的项目，作为他们研究计划的一部分。T. Budd博士（生物学和PI）计划使用共聚焦显微镜对体外胶质神经类型细胞表面和内部的蛋白质进行三维绘制，作为其研究的一部分，以表征用于研究骨形成的组织培养细胞。他将通过使用SEM-EDAX映射程序来确认三维共聚焦结果。Marano博士（化学）将使用共聚焦显微镜检测和绘制t淋巴细胞表面特殊膜“结构域”的成分。这些结构域与免疫应答过程中的基因调控有关。Erlichman博士（生物学）将使用共聚焦显微镜来三维绘制调节哺乳动物呼吸的pH敏感神经元表面膜中的钠/氢交换运输系统。Erickson博士（地质学）将使用SEM-EDAX元素分析和绘图来研究蛤化石的序列和生物地球化学。圣劳伦斯学院的其他几位教员也准备在他们的研究项目中使用这些新仪器，所有这些项目都需要学生的积极参与。该奖项将极大地促进圣劳伦斯大学科学系的教职员工和学生的研究活动，并为生物化学和神经科学两个新专业提供仪器支持。作为一所小型的私立文科本科院校，使用最先进的仪器通常是有限的。所要求的仪器将使我们能够更好地培训下一代科学家。

A grant has been awarded to Dr. Thomas W. Budd at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York to acquire two major instruments that will complement and expand opportunities for microscopic studies and enable the creation of an Interdisciplinary, Multi-User Microscopy-Imagery Center within the science facilities complex. The instruments to be acquired are: 1. A confocal microscope system that will bridge the resolution gap between electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy. This instrument will allow optical sectioning and 3-D reconstructions of fluorescent images with much better resolution and a wider selection of dyes than conventional fluorescence microscopes. 2. An Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDAX) system to be fitted onto an existing scanning electron microscope (SEM). This system allows elemental analysis and spatial elemental mapping of a wide variety of research specimens applicable to biology, chemistry, environmental studies, and geology research. Several St. Lawrence science faculty are poised to direct student projects with these instruments as part of their research programs. Dr. T. Budd (biology and PI) plans to use confocal microscopy to three-dimensionally map proteins on the surface and inside of glial-neural type cells in vitro as part of his research to characterize tissue cultured cells used to study bone formation. He will confirm the 3-D confocal results by using SEM-EDAX mapping routines. Dr. Marano (chemistry) will use confocal microscopy to detect and map the components of specialized membrane "domains" on the surface of T-lymphocytes. These domains have been implicated in gene regulation during immune responses. Dr. Erlichman (biology) will use confocal microscopy to three-dimensionally map sodium/hydrogen exchange transport systems in the surface membranes of pH sensitive neurons that regulate breathing in mammals. Dr. Erickson (geology) will use SEM-EDAX elemental analysis and mapping to study the sequence and biogeochemistry of fossilization of clams. Several other St. Lawrence faculty are also poised to use the new instruments in their research programs, all of which involve active participation by students.This award will greatly enhance faculty and student research activity in the science departments at St. Lawrence, as well as provide instrumentation support for two new majors in biochemistry and neuroscience. As a small, private liberal arts undergraduate institution, access to state-of-the-art instrumentation is often limited. The instruments requested will enable us to better train the next generation of scientists.