MRI-R2: Acquisition of a Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope for New Mexico State University

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This Major Research Instrumentation-Recovery and Reinvestment (MRI-R2) award funds the purchase of a confocal microscope to support a diverse array of research and teaching activities at New Mexico State University. The instrument will be housed in NMSU's centralized microscopy facilities and administered by the Electron Microscopy Laboratory to improve current and future research and training for the university and surrounding community. The new confocal microscope will support research in cellular and developmental biology, neurobiology, animal/microbial interactions, plant molecular biology, nanotechnology and chemical biology. The projects will take advantage of the microscope's ability to perform tandem scanning for live cell imaging, a spectral detector to separate overlapping spectra, which will be essential for applications requiring non-traditional excitation/emission spectra. The new system substantially broadens the research capacities of faculty members and of graduate and undergraduate students, enhancing careers in multiple scientific fields. The new instrumentation also offers significant opportunities for research training and education. The 18 participating investigators mentor over 100 graduate and undergraduate students, (60% female, 57% underrepresented minorities), and these numbers reflect a history of commitment to the recruitment and training of women and other underrepresented groups. The system will be used in support of educational and outreach activities including the continued offering of 2 courses, the introduction of confocal microscopy in other existing Biology courses and demonstrations for STEM programs aimed at recruiting and enhancing the research skills of women and underrepresented minority students and faculty at NMSU and throughout the state of New Mexico. The opportunity for students to use state-of the- art fluorescent imaging and analytical tools will profoundly impact their research projects, rendering them more competitive in gaining entry to top graduate programs or obtaining top postdoctoral positions. Data from the new system will be disseminated by publication in peer-reviewed journals, and by student and faculty presentations are regional or national meetings.