A Digitial Confocal Microscope and Image Analysis System for Cell Biology

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This award supports the purchase of a digital confocal microscope and image analysis system. The image analysis system will allow custom-design of unlimited programming routines for automated and semi-automated image capture for conventional, confocal and real-time video microscopy. The confocal system will employ an inverted microscope to accommodate imaging of live cell cultures, whole tissue mounts and fixed, slide-mounted samples. The group of 5 major users who will share the instrument have research programs in diverse aspects of cell biology, including neurobiology, cytoskeletal dynamics, cell-cell interactions, and environment interactions between bacteria and algae. Confocal microscopy has become a standard tool in cell biology. However, there is currently no confocal microscope at or near the institution. Thus the impact on the users' research will be substantial. In addition, over 20 students at all levels from undergraduate to postdoctoral have ongoing projects that will directly benefit from the confocal system.