MRI: Acquisition of a Digital light sheet microscope Leica TCS SP8 DLS: Bringing Light-Sheet Microscopy to Maine for Research and STEM Education

缅因州大学被授予在缅因州建立第一个使用光片显微镜的合作成像设施的奖项。分析完整器官和/或活体内的生物过程是了解发育和衰老的基础。在活体内获取三维和/或时间推移数据的过程传统上受到技术困难的阻碍，而这些困难在很大程度上可以通过使用光片显微镜来克服。该奖项将促进前沿研究，并促进缅因州大学、缅因州医学研究中心研究所、杰克逊实验室和芒特荒岛生物站的研究人员之间的合作。为了增加这种显微镜对本科教育的影响，将创建一种新的治疗方法(基于课程的本科研究经验)，标题为：使用光片显微镜发现发育、疾病和衰老。本课程将允许学生开发他们自己的研究项目，并将包括成像、数据分析、伦理学、科学写作和公共演讲方面的培训。该奖项将通过将用光片显微镜获得的数据纳入初中和高中的科学课堂，为K-12学生的教育做出贡献。这些数据集还将在全州的科学咖啡馆和缅因州科学节上展示。该奖项将促进教师研究计划和博士后研究员、研究生和本科生的培训。这些研究项目涉及：(1)肌肉和神经肌肉的发育和疾病，(2)体内宿主和病原体相互作用的机制，(3)发育中肾脏祖细胞更新的三维表征，(4)图像分析算法的开发和实施，以及(5)全脂肪库神经支配的三维成像等。上述研究项目面临的一个共同障碍是，目前的资源在时间推移和/或发育和生理基础细胞过程的三维表征方面的限制。光片显微镜的成像速度、平铺功能、光谱能力和成像深度的提高将彻底改变可以解决的研究问题的类型和规模。这些研究项目的成果将是对基础生物学和疾病过程的新见解。此外，还将实施新的图像分析算法，并使其适用于开放源码、用户友好的平台。总而言之，光片显微镜将改变缅因州的研究计划，并以学生培训和出版的形式提供非常高的科学投资回报。此外，这笔补助金的教职员工将让多个人口统计部门参与科学素养和探究。因此，徕卡TCS SP8 DLS将加强和扩大缅因州大学的教育、研究和外展使命。

An award is made to the University of Maine to establish the first collaborative imaging facility with a light-sheet microscope in Maine. Analysis of biological processes within intact organs and/or living organisms is fundamental to understanding development and aging. The process of acquiring three-dimensional and/or time-lapse data in vivo has traditionally been hampered by technical difficulties that can be overcome, in large part, by using light-sheet microscopy. This award will facilitate cutting edge research and promote collaboration between researchers at the University of Maine, Maine Medical Research Center Institute, The Jackson Laboratories, and Mount Desert Island Biological Station. In order to increase the impact of this microscope on undergraduate education, a new CURE (course-based undergraduate research experience) entitled: "Discovery in development, disease, and aging using light-sheet microscopy" will be created. This course will allow students to develop their own research projects and will include training in imaging, data analysis, ethics, scientific writing, and public speaking. This award will contribute to education of K-12 students by incorporating data obtained with the light-sheet microscope into middle and high school science classes. These datasets will also be shown at Science Cafes throughout the state and at the Maine State Science Festival.This award will promote faculty research programs and training of post-doctoral fellows, graduate, and undergraduate students. The research programs impacted pertain to: (1) muscle and neuromuscular development and disease, (2) mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions in vivo, (3) three-dimensional characterization of progenitor cell renewal in the developing kidney, (4) development and implementation of image analysis algorithms, and (5) three-dimensional imaging of neural innervation in whole-adipose depots, among others. A common barrier to the above research projects is the limitation of current resources with regards to time-lapse and/or three-dimensional characterization of cellular processes underlying development and physiology. The increased speed of imaging, tiling function, spectral capabilities, and imaging depth of the light-sheet microscope will revolutionize the type and scale of research questions that can be addressed. The outcome of these research projects will be novel insight into basic biology and disease processes. In addition, new image analysis algorithms will be implemented and adapted to open-source, user-friendly platforms. In summary, a light-sheet microscope will transform Maine research programs and provide a very high scientific return-on-investment in the form of student training and publications. In addition, faculty on this grant will engage multiple demographic sectors in scientific literacy and inquiry. Thus, the Leica TCS SP8 DLS will enhance and expand the University of Maine's mission of education, research, and outreach.