MRI: Acquisition of a Fluorescence Microscopy System for Research and Teaching at Kettering University

该合同将为凯特林大学购买先进的荧光显微镜系统。该系统将能够在微观尺度上对细胞进行高分辨率的三维成像。这些能力使分子和纳米颗粒能够相对于细胞的不同部分进行追踪，从而有可能增强疾病治疗。该系统将支持研究细胞过程的跨学科研究，目标是改善癌症和其他疾病的治疗。该系统将为学生提供良好的培训机会，为他们毕业后进入研究生院或在科学领域就业做好准备。该系统还将通过大学预科课程和本科生暑期研究经历，向女性和其他代表性不足的少数民族提供以科学为导向的服务。此外，该仪器将用于为教师提供专业发展，并通过实地考察大学和支持互联网的远程显微镜演示，加强弗林特及周边地区服务不足的学生的科学教育。该仪器将包括一个带有反射荧光组件和光源的倒置显微镜，一个电子倍增CCD相机和一个共聚焦激光扫描系统，所有这些都是研究分子和纳米颗粒的定位和传输的关键。第一个项目将研究在微泡存在的情况下，荧光剂的超声介导递送到细胞的机制，从而有可能实现更好的非侵入性药物递送的时空控制。第二个项目将研究真核细胞在荧光染料运动过程中的对称性破坏机制，从而有助于提高对转移的理解。第三个项目将利用磁性和超声波方法研究荧光磁性纳米颗粒在癌细胞和球体中的吸收和分布。这些磁性纳米颗粒可以通过感应加热用于无创热疗癌症。第四个项目将研究荧光银纳米颗粒对酵母的生物毒性，作为治疗感染性真菌的模型。第五个项目将测试荧光金纳米团簇作为一种成像-淀粉样蛋白聚集体的手段，并研究-淀粉样蛋白斑块形成的过程，从而更好地了解阿尔茨海默病。最后的项目将开发荧光量子点，并描述其在高温下细胞内和细胞外环境中作为纳米温度计的能力。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is to purchase an advanced fluorescence microscopy system for Kettering University. The system will enable high-resolution, three-dimensional imaging of cells on a microscopic scale. These capabilities allow molecules and nanoparticles that have potential for enhancing disease treatments to be tracked relative to various parts of the cell. The system will support interdisciplinary research in studying cellular processes with the goal of improving treatment of cancer and other diseases. The system will provide excellent training opportunities for students to prepare them for graduate school or employment in scientific fields after graduation. The system will also enable science-oriented outreach to women and other underrepresented minorities via pre-college programs and summer research experiences for undergraduates. Furthermore, the instrument will be used to provide professional development for teachers and enhance science education of under-served students in Flint and surrounding areas via field trips to the university and Internet-enabled remote microscopy demonstrations.This instrument will include an inverted microscope with epifluorescence components and light source, an electron-multiplier CCD camera, and a confocal laser scanning system, all of which are critical for the study of the localization and transport of molecules and nanoparticles. The first project will study the mechanisms of ultrasound-mediated delivery of fluorescent agents to cells in the presence of microbubbles, thereby potentially enabling better non-invasive spatiotemporal control of drug delivery. The second project will study the symmetry-breaking mechanisms of eukaryotic cells during movement with fluorescent dyes, thereby contributing to an improved understanding of metastasis. The third project will study the uptake and distribution of fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles in cancerous cells and spheroids with magnetic and ultrasonic methods. These magnetic nanoparticles can be used for noninvasive hyperthermic cancer treatment via induction heating. The fourth project will study the biotoxicity of fluorescent silver nanoparticles on yeast as a model for treating infectious fungi. The fifth project will test fluorescent gold nanoclusters as a means to image beta-amyloid aggregates and study the process of beta-amyloid plaque formation towards a better understanding of Alzheimer's disease. The final project will develop fluorescent quantum dots and characterize their ability to act as nanothermometers in the intra- and extracellular environment during hyperthermia.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.