MRI: Acquisition of a Confocal Microscope for Multidisciplinary Research

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The Zeiss LSM 700 Laser Scanning Confocal Imaging System will be used in multidisciplinary research and education in the Departments of Biology & Physics and Chemistry and Biochemistry at Kennesaw State University (KSU) and will be the anchor instrument of KSU's microscopy core facility in the new Science Laboratory Building. The LSM 700 and integrated workstation with ZEN (Zeiss Efficient Navigation) software is capable of covering a broad range of imaging needs, from multiple fluorescence and co-localization analysis to live cell imaging to photoactivation of fluorophores. This flexibility will maximize the number of researchers, and types of research, that can make use of the microscope. The confocal imaging system will advance KSU research programs, foster new research directions, and generate data that will complement many other techniques employed by researchers at KSU, such as: fluorescent and standard microscopy, cell culture and in vivo assays, gel-shift, equilibrium saturation and competition assays. The LSM 700 system will enhance the ability of KSU researchers to generate and interpret data. The integration of confocal results with experiments already performed at KSU will provide crucial insights for on-going research in developmental biology, molecular genetics, neurobiology, botany, ecology, evolutionary biology, biochemistry, and related fields at KSU and our collaborator institutions. Although the primary use of the microscope will be for research, it will also be integrated into research training and course curricula. Confocal microscopy is an increasingly common research tool for visualizing biological and biochemical systems. Acquisition of the LSM 700 confocal microscope will have a significant impact on the research environment at Kennesaw State University (KSU), giving researchers in the Departments of Biology & Physics and Chemistry & Biochemistry the ability to more fully describe interactions important to the systems they study. Publication of innovative research by KSU faculty incorporating confocal data will provide insights into such fields as cell and developmental biology, biochemistry, ecology, evolutionary biology, and anatomy. In addition, the instrument broadens the array of research tools available to researchers at KSU and makes them more attractive collaborators for scientists at more research-intensive institutions. Beyond primary research, teaching experiments will be designed to incorporate confocal microscopy into the classroom. Bringing a more quantitative approach to bear on research problems using confocal microscopy will also make faculty better teachers and afford invaluable research training to undergraduates, including members of underrepresented groups. Hands-on training in the technology and usage of confocal imaging will better prepare KSU graduates for STEM careers.