MRI: Acquisition of a Confocal Microscopy System for Research and Education

这一重大研究仪器(MRI)奖为购买最先进的共焦显微镜提供资金，以加强布法罗大学(UB)的研究和教育。这种多功能仪器满足了布法罗大学北校区多样化的跨学科用户群体的需求，在那里无法获得共焦成像。用户包括生物科学系、物理系和化学与生物工程系的教职员工。研究范围包括细胞和核组织、发育生物学、神经生物学、干细胞、组织工程、植物生物学和分子进化，以及动物、植物、真菌、线虫、昆虫和节肢动物等生物。一些用户需要基本的共焦应用程序，而另一些用户则需要高级功能。满足这些不同需求的仪器是电动倒置尼康A1R共焦显微镜，它结合了精密的点和超快的共振扫描，以及尼康独有的完美聚焦。环境室将使长期活细胞成像成为可能。一套完整的激光器可以对全方位的荧光分子、FRET和可光激活的GFP进行成像。集成的Becker-Hickl薄膜模块可实现薄膜FRET，而独特的菲尼扬超连续谱SC400激光器可覆盖整个400 nm至2000 nm的光谱，从而最大限度地提高多功能性。这种显微镜将可供不同科学学科的教职员工、博士后和学生使用，并将成为新课程和研讨会的中心组成部分。此外，主要调查人员将与布法罗大学的外展项目合作，向我们学术群体中代表不足的群体公布相关课程、培训、研讨会和研讨会的可访问性，提供否则无法获得的研究和教育工具。

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award funds the acquisition of a state-of-the-art confocal microscope to enhance research and education at the University at Buffalo (UB). This multifunctional instrument meets the needs of a diverse interdisciplinary user group on the University of Buffalo North Campus, where accessibility to confocal imaging is lacking. Users include faculty within Departments of Biological Sciences, Physics, and Chemical and Biological Engineering. Research ranges from cell and nuclear organization, developmental biology, neurobiology, stem cells, tissue engineering, plant biology, and molecular evolution, in organisms ranging from animals, plants, fungi, nematodes, insects, and arthropods. Some users require basic confocal applications, while others require advanced features. The instrument that meets these diverse needs is a motorized inverted Nikon A1R Confocal Microscope, which combines precision point and ultra-fast resonant scanning, together with Nikon's exclusive Perfect Focus. An environmental chamber will enable long-term live cell imaging. A complete set of lasers allows imaging of a full range of fluorescent molecules, FRET, and photo-activatible GFP. An integrated Becker-Hickl FLIM module allows for FLIM FRET, and a unique Fianium supercontinuum SC400 laser maximizes versatility by covering the entire 400 nm to 2000 nm spectrum. This microscope will be accessible to faculty, postdocs, and students in a variety of scientific disciplines, and will be a central component of new courses and workshops. Additionally, the primary investigators will work with University of Buffalo-based outreach programs to promulgate accessibility of associated courses, training, seminars, and workshops to underrepresented groups within our academic populations, providing research and education tools that would otherwise be unavailable.