Acquisition of a Multifunctional Imaging System for Molecular Life Science Research and Teaching

在Michael Reagan博士的指导下，圣约翰大学获得了一笔赠款，用于部分支持购置用于分子生物学研究的多功能成像仪器。该仪器用途广泛，可用于核酸（DNA和RNA）和蛋白质的多种检测。该项目的目标是提高圣约翰大学和圣本笃学院的教师和学生在学生/教师合作研究项目和课堂相关实验室中进行分子生命科学实验的能力。该工具对许多学生/教师合作调查至关重要。这些研究包括：a) DNA损伤如何影响转录；b)研究一种叫做磷酸酶1的特殊蛋白质在视网膜血管形成和维持中的作用；c)研究DNA短片段（寡核苷酸）的结构；以及研究脂肪细胞中发现的一种叫做脂肪细胞酸性磷酸酶的人体酶。d)研究各种不同生物对生长条件（如温度和饮食）变化的代谢适应。这些项目都涉及当前人们感兴趣的重要生物学问题。这台多功能成像仪提高了圣本笃学院（CSB），女子学院和圣约翰大学（SJU），男子学院的本科生研究能力；具有协调关系的两个机构，有共同的课程，有共同的班级和部门。该仪器将被生物系和化学系的教师和学生用于合作研究，并将在至少六个生物、化学、生物化学和自然科学专业的本科班级中使用。该仪器的获得将通过扩大使用多种技术可视化和分析核酸和蛋白质的能力，加强这些部门的研究基础设施。此外，该仪器将通过增加学生参与现代分子生物学研究的机会，帮助生物系和化学系继续成功地吸引和毕业女性和美国多元文化学生。这一工具将成为整个明尼苏达州中部地区的资源；例如，附近圣克劳德州立大学的教职员工和学生也将成为该仪器的用户。

A grant has been awarded to St. John's University under the direction of Dr. Michael Reagan for partial support of the acquisition of a multifunctional imaging instrument for molecular biological investigations. This instrument is extremely versatile and will be used for the detection of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and proteins in a number of different investigations. The goal of this project is to enhance the ability of faculty and students at St. John's University and the College of St. Benedict to perform molecular life science experiments in both collaborative student/faculty research projects and in labs associated with classes. The instrument is crucial to a number of collaborative student/faculty investigations. These include studies a) of how damage to DNA affects transcription, b) investigation of the role of a particular protein, called phosphatase 1, in the formation and maintenance of blood vessels in the retina, c) studying the structure of short pieces of DNA (oligonucleotides) as well as in studies of the human enzyme called adipocyte acid phosphatase, found in adipose (fat) cells, and d) studies of the metabolic adaptations of a variety of different organisms to changes in growth conditions such as temperature and diet. These projects all address important biological problems of current interest. This multifunctional imager enhances the undergraduate research capabilities at the College of St. Benedict (CSB), a college for women and St. John's University (SJU), a college for men; two institutions that have a coordinate relationship and share a common curriculum with joint classes and departments. The instrument will be used by faculty and students in the Biology and Chemistry departments for collaborative research, and will be used in at least six undergraduate classes enrolling students with majors in Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Natural Science. Acquisition of this instrument will strengthen the research infrastructure of these departments by expanding the ability to visualize and analyze nucleic acids and proteins using a wide variety of techniques. In addition, this instrument will help the Biology and Chemistry departments continue to be successful at attracting and graduating women and American multicultural students by increasing the opportunities of students to participate in modern molecular biological research. This instrument will be a resource for the entire central Minnesota region; for example, faculty and students at the nearby St. Cloud State University will also be users of the instrument.