Acquisition of a Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences

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Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences is awarded a grant to purchase a Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM). Imaging in the biological sciences has undergone a renaissance in the last couple of decades, a significant reason for this has been the advent of confocal laser scanning microscopes (CLSM). The CLSM is the essential for live cell image analysis, including the investigation of intracellular structures, understanding the architecture of microbial biofilms, as well as the simultaneous identification, in situ, of multiple microbial species for ecological studies. Researchers at the Bigelow laboratory study a wide range of processes in the ocean that are ultimately the result of microorganisms. As a result, imaging tools for studying microscopic cells and communities are critical to the scientists mission.Broader ImpactsThe instrument will aid the research of at least 8 of the Bigelow scientists as well as a variety of external collaborators who regularly collaborate at the facility. The facility hosts a new REU site, trains numerous postdocs and student interns, holds an annual high school training course (and numerous other courses for undergraduates as well), and also hosts a public lecture series. All of these programs emphasize the facility's research strengths, which benefit from the addition of the new instrument. By extension, all of these activities will also benefit from the proposed addition.