Acquisition of an Electron Microscope with Digital Camera and Ultramicrotomes for a Central Research Facility

在John Bozzola博士的指导下，南伊利诺伊大学卡本代尔分校（SIUC）的图像中心获得了一笔拨款，用于部分支持层析透射电子显微镜（TEM）以及用于准备在TEM中观察的标本的超微显微镜。这项技术对于正在进行的新发现生物体的研究、评估与极端环境中生存相关的分子变化、比较化石和现代植物物种之间的关系、检查用于摩擦和磨损表面（如飞机制动器或合成髋关节）的部件的基本特性、研究用于电子纳米设备和纳米催化剂的分子部件的组装、以及对中枢神经系统正常和异常发育变化的研究。这种仪器将增加一项新技术——电子断层扫描，它将允许在分子水平上进行三维成像，并取代目前生物学家、化学家、物理学家和工程师使用的设备。仪器的获得将增加研究人员和学生参与生物、化学和材料科学等高优先研究领域的多学科研究的人数。仪器将被安置在IMAGE中心，这是一个中心设施，大量的研究人员和学生将继续研究各种生物系统的细胞和分子结构，以及研究用于制造纳米器件的磨损表面和组件的基本特性。这些合作研究在知名期刊上发表了大量论文。研究人员和学生的培训将大大加快，因为该仪器是用户友好的，并且可以在大型显示器上查看图像，以展示样品的特征或仪器的功能。捕获三维数字图像的能力将大大提高所有TEM用户的工作效率，加快他们获取和处理数据的速度。数据的共享几乎是即时的，因为数字图像很容易通过互联网访问。IMAGE中心是一个最近建成的区域性设施，服务于SIU以及90英里半径内的大学、学院和工业的研究需求。研究设施有限的周边大学和社区学院的研究人员定期使用IMAGE中心。来自中小学的教育工作者和学生是IMAGE中心的常客。随着新TEM的因特网接入，将大大提高对当地学校和全国学校的服务能力。SIUC的研究人员在吸引少数民族和女性参与研究方面有着令人钦佩的记录。所要求的设备是专门为身体残疾的研究人员设计的，这与SIUC的使命是一致的，即为包括残疾人士在内的所有少数民族增加接触和提供丰富的教育机会。

A grant has been awarded to the IMAGE Center at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) under the direction of Dr. John Bozzola for partial support of a tomographic transmission electron microscope (TEM) as well as an ultramicrotome for preparing specimens for viewing in the TEM. This technology is essential for ongoing studies of newly discovered organisms, assessment of molecular changes associated with survival in extreme environments, comparisons of relationships among fossil and modern plant species, examination of the fundamental properties of components for use in friction and wear surfaces such as aircraft brakes or synthetic hip joints, investigation of the assembly of molecular components for use in electronic nano devices and nanocatalysts, and studies of changes in normal versus abnormal development of the central nervous system. This instrumentation will add a new technology, electron tomography, which will permit three-dimensional imaging at the molecular level and replace equipment presently used by biologists, chemists, physicists and engineers.The instrument acquisition will increase the numbers of researchers and students involved in multidisciplinary studies in high-priority research areas of biological, chemical and materials sciences. The instrumentation will be housed in the IMAGE Center, a central facility where large numbers of investigators and students in will continue to pursue studies of the cell and molecular structure of a wide variety of biological systems as well as investigations of fundamental properties of wear surfaces and components used to fabricate nanodevices. These collaborative studies have yielded significant numbers of publications in well-regarded journals. Training of researchers and students will be tremendously expedited since the instrumentation is user friendly and images can be viewed on a large monitor in order to demonstrate features of the specimen or capabilities of the instrument. The ability to capture three-dimensional, digital images will greatly enhance the productivity of all TEM users by accelerating the speed with which they can acquire and process data. Sharing of data will be nearly instantaneous since digital images are readily accessible over the Internet.The IMAGE Center is a recently constructed, regional facility that serves the research needs of SIU as well as universities, colleges and industries within a 90-mile radius. Researchers from surrounding universities and community colleges with limited research facilities use the IMAGE Center on a regular basis. Educators and students from primary and secondary schools are frequent visitors to the IMAGE Center. With Internet access to the new TEM, the capability of reaching out to local schools as well as schools around the nation will be greatly increased. Researchers at SIUC have admirable records in attracting ethnic minorities and women to research. The requested equipment is especially designed for use by researchers with physical disabilities, and is consistent with the SIUC mission to increase access and provide enriching educational opportunities for all minorities, including those with disabilities.