MRI: Acquisition of a FEI Tecnai G2 Spirit BioTWIN Transmission Electron Microscope

透射式电子显微镜(TEM)使细胞和亚细胞结构的可视化远远超过传统光学显微镜的分辨率。这样的显微镜现在是自然科学的标准，特别是在细胞和分子生物学方面。Tecnai G2 SPIRIT BioTWIN提供的先进的透射电子显微镜能力对于北卡罗来纳大学威尔明顿分校(UNW)保持和扩大其在显微分析方面的长期贡献至关重要。联合国教科文组织显微镜实验室是一个多用户实验室，长期为生物和海洋生物、化学和生物化学、心理学、人类学、地质和地理以及海洋科学中心提供服务。在生物和海洋生物系的跨学科研究组合中，基于电子显微镜的分析是一个特别重要的组成部分，在那里，Tecnai将支持联合国教科文组织显微镜实验室？S的教学、研究和服务任务。拥有40多名教师，提供3个S学士学位，2个S硕士学位和一个海洋生物学博士项目，DBMB是该设施最重要的用户，特别是瞬变显微镜。通过收购Tecnai G2 SPIRIT BioTWIN，代表10名教员的研究的三个专题群将得到具体加强：(1)海洋微生物细胞生物学，(2)生物矿化和(3)与生物医学相关的研究。第一个主题包括对造成有害藻华的有害藻类生物学的研究，以及对无毒海洋浮游植物物种的检查。还将研究在土壤和海洋水生系统的氮循环中发挥关键作用的细菌海洋微生物。第二个重点主题是生物矿化，它研究了甲壳类、单细胞浮游植物和有孔虫等生物如何启动和建立其外部钙化结构。由于海洋酸化对海洋钙化的影响正在成为一个主要的环境问题和国家和国际研究的重点，利用电子显微镜分析将能够研究直接沉积CaCO3的亚细胞过程，这一过程变得越来越重要。由新的电子显微镜支持的第三个研究主题是与生物医学相关的研究，包括对马疱疹病毒(EHV)作用机制的调查，这是一种高度传染性的病原体，其感染和传播机制尚不清楚。与神经科学相关的研究将涉及哺乳动物听力的感觉生物学以及海洋无脊椎动物的运动和游泳。在这两个研究领域，Tecnai将允许确定在听力损失、头部定位和视野稳定方面至关重要的神经元通路。最后，Tecnai将用于研究反应扩散过程如何控制肌肉细胞设计，将肌肉的详细超微结构分析与红色和白色骨骼肌肉的代谢和结构需求的数学建模相结合。Tecnai G2 SPIRIT BioTWIN将支持广泛的基础和应用研究组合，同样重要的是，Tecnai及其辅助设施也将成为大学本科课程入门和高级细胞生物学教学的基石，以及支持独立的本科生和研究生研究。教育的好处将进一步扩大到大学预科学生，因为可视化和探索微生物、组织和细胞的表面和内部结构的能力是可以提供给学生的最强大的体验之一，因为他们面临着将生物概念与细胞生命联系起来的挑战。同样，教师需要有效的资源来支持他们的努力。Tecnai与联合国儿童基金会的相关设施将使生物和海洋生物系能够发展和实施贯穿各领域的外展和教育活动，从K-12到硕士、S和博士。具体地说，世界卫生组织的显微镜设施将支持长期的外展承诺，包括吸引来自代表性不足社区的K-12和大学预科学生的活动。这些努力将包括开发高分辨率显微镜的实习机会、夏季显微镜讲习班和教师培训机会。这些活动将通过现有的公共宣传平台开展，包括联合国妇女发展委员会科学、技术、工程和数学教育中心和与联合国妇女发展委员会有联系的Issac Bear大学先修高中。

The transmission electron microscope (TEM) enables visualization of cells and sub cellular structures that goes far beyond the resolving power of a conventional light microscope. Such microscopes are now a standard in the natural sciences, especially in cell and molecular biology. The advanced TEM capability offered by the Tecnai G2 Spirit BioTWIN is essential for the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) to maintain and expand its longstanding contribution to microscopic analysis. The UNCW Microscopy Lab is a multi-user facility that has a long history of serving the departments of Biology and Marine Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Psychology, Anthropology, Geology and Geography and Center for Marine Science. TEM-based analyses are a particularly critical component in the interdisciplinary portfolio of research in the Department of Biology and Marine Biology (DBMB) where the Tecnai will support the UNCW Microscopy Lab?s missions of teaching, research and service. With a faculty of over 40, delivering 3 Bachelor?s degrees, 2 Master?s and a Ph.D. program in Marine Biology, DBMB is the most significant user of the facility, especially the TEM. Three thematic clusters of research, representing the research of 10 faculty members, will be specifically enhanced by the acquisition of a Tecnai G2 Spirit BioTWIN: (1) marine microbial cell biology, (2) biomineralization and (3) biomedical-related research. The first theme includes research on the biology of harmful algae that contribute to harmful algal blooms as well as examination of non-toxic species of marine phytoplankton. Also investigated will be bacterial marine microbes that play a key role in the nitrogen cycle in soils and marine aquatic systems. The second highlighted theme is biomineralization, which examines how organisms such as crustaceans, unicellular phytoplankton and foraminifera initiate and build their external calcified structures. TEM analyses will allow investigation of sub-cellular processes that direct CaCO3 deposition, which is increasingly important as the effect of ocean acidification on marine calcification is becoming a major environmental concern and a focus of national and international research. The third research theme supported by the new TEM is biomedical related research including an investigation into the mechanisms of action of equine herpes virus (EHV) a highly contagious pathogen whose mechanisms of infection and transmission are poorly understood. Neuroscience related research will address the sensory biology of hearing in mammals and movement and swimming in marine invertebrates. In both these research areas the Tecnai will allow the determination of neuronal pathways critical in hearing loss, head orientation and stabilization of visual fields. Finally, the Tecnai will be used to investigate how reaction-diffusion processes control muscle cell design, by combining a detailed ultrastructural analysis of muscle with mathematical modeling of the metabolic and structural demands of red and white skeletal muscle.The Tecnai G2 Spirit BioTWIN will support a broad portfolio of basic and applied research and, equally important, the Tecnai and supporting facility will also be a cornerstone of the undergraduate curriculum in introductory and advanced cell biology teaching, as well as supporting independent undergraduate and graduate research. The educational benefits will be further extended to pre-college students since the ability to visualize and explore the surface and internal structure of microorganisms, tissues and cells is one of the most powerful experiences that can be provided to students as they are challenged to connect biological concepts to cellular life. Likewise, teachers need effective resources to support their efforts. The Tecnai, together with the associated facilities at UNCW, will enable the Department of Biology and Marine Biology to develop and implement outreach and education activities that are crosscutting, from K-12 through Master?s and Ph.D. Specifically, the UNCW microscopy facility will support a long-standing commitment to outreach including activities that engage K-12 and pre-college students from under-represented communities. These efforts will include developing internship opportunities in high resolution microscopy, summer microscopy workshops and teacher training opportunities. Such activities will be delivered through existing public outreach platforms including the UNCW Center for Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and the Issac Bear Early College High School that is associated with UNCW.