MRI-R2: Acquisition of a Large-Volume Preparative Ultracentrifuge for Use in Research and Research Training at Seattle University

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。西雅图大学（SU）从美国国家科学基金会（NSF）的MRI-R2项目中获得了一项奖励，购买一台大容量制备型超离心机，以支持本科生的研究和教育项目。大容量制备型超离心机最初由三名不同的教师和本科生研究人员用于进行基础研究项目。Stenbak博士和她的学生使用超离心机研究泡沫病毒（古老的，非致病性逆转录病毒）组装的分子要求。通过超离心分离细胞，Smith博士（微生物学/生物化学）的学生可以从黏液球菌中分离和表征与地界有关的生物活性化合物。最后，Murphy博士（生物化学/分子药理学）的学生使用离心机制备真核和原核细胞裂解物，用于表征基于hsp90的分子伴侣蛋白的功能和活性。州立大学最重要的教学目标之一是确保其毕业生成为独立的批判性思考者，培养对学习的终身热爱。教师指导的本科生研究经历在实现这一目标方面发挥着重要作用。因此，生物学院、科学与工程学院和大学都致力于建立一种研究文化，并保持积极的研究项目，充分利用现代最先进的仪器，如超离心机。苏大庆祝其多元化的学生群体，这种多样性反映在生物专业的学生身上：去年，42%的生物专业毕业生自认为是少数族裔，70%的毕业生是女性。研究项目将由本科生进行，并为传统上在科学领域代表性不足的学生提供使用现代仪器的第一手经验。新离心机的研究结果将发表在同行评议的期刊上，并由学生和教师在地区和国家会议上发表。建议的超离心机也用于病毒学，高级细胞生物学和微生物学课程，所有这些课程都有调查实验室的组成部分。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Seattle University (SU) has received an award from the NSF MRI-R2 program to purchase a large-volume preparative ultracentrifuge to support programs in undergraduate research and education. The large-volume preparative ultracentrifuge is initially being used by three different faculty members and undergraduate student researchers to conduct basic research projects. Dr. Stenbak and her students use the ultracentrifuge to investigate the molecular requirements for assembly of foamy viruses (ancient, non-pathogenic retroviruses). Cell fractionation through ultracentrifugation allows students working with Dr. Smith (microbiology/biochemistry) to isolate and characterize bioactive compounds involved in territoriality from Myxococcus sp. Finally, students working with Dr. Murphy (biological chemistry/molecular pharmacology) use the centrifuge to prepare eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell lysates for characterization of Hsp90-based molecular chaperone protein function and activity. One of SU's foremost pedagogical goals is ensuring its graduates become independent critical thinkers who develop a lifelong love of learning. Faculty-mentored undergraduate research experiences play an instrumental role in realizing this goal. As a result, the biology faculty, the College of Science & Engineering, and the University are committed to building a culture of research and maintaining active research programs that fully utilize modern, state-of-the-art instrumentation, such as the ultracentrifuge. SU celebrates its diverse student body, and that diversity is reflected in the biology students: last year 42% of biology graduates self-identified as minorities and 70% of graduates were women. Research projects will be conducted by undergraduates and provide first-hand experience using modern instrumentation for students who are traditionally underrepresented in the sciences. Results from studies enabled by the new centrifuge will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented by students and faculty at regional and national meetings. The proposed ultracentrifuge is also used in virology, advanced cell biology, and microbiology courses, all of which have investigative laboratory components.