MRI: Acquisition of Nano-resolution Zeiss Xradia 620 Versa X-ray Computed Tomography with Phase Contrast and Lab Diffraction Contrast Tomography

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This award from the Major Research Instrumentation Program supports the acquisition of a Zeiss Xradia 620 Versa Computed Tomography (Versa nanoCT) system at the University of Florida, where it will be accessible to students, researchers, industrial partners, and museum personnel. The Versa nanoCT is a non-destructive characterization tool that provides nano-scale 3D imaging of internal and external features of organic and inorganic specimens. The equipment’s versatility allows it to impact a variety of scientific fields, including materials science, vertebrate zoology, and biomedical engineering. The acquired data will be shared through open source networks and field-specific databases to reach researchers around the world and enable broad-scale data research initiatives. Additionally, the data collected will be implemented in graduate, undergraduate, and high-school education, 3D machine learning development, and public engagement activities via virtual museum collections.The acquisition of a Zeiss Xradia 620 Versa Computed Tomography (Versa nanoCT) system introduces new research opportunities by providing nondestructive, 3D imaging that is essential for identifying critical microstructural or morphological features to fundamental material or biological processes, respectively. Additionally, the unique features of the Versa nanoCT, including the high X-ray source flux, 40X magnification optics, diffraction contrast tomography (LabDCT) and phase contrast, provide essential information that are typically unavailable outside of synchrotron facilities. The Versa nanoCT enables and supports research in three critical areas: (1) elucidating fundamental microstructure-property relationships to control the strength of structural metals and ceramics, (2) archiving morphological diversity to better understand the processes that drive the diversification of living and extinct organisms, and (3) monitoring cell-material interactions to guide tissue generation. The instrument also supports educational initiatives at the graduate, undergraduate, and high-school level, support data support for 3D machine learning initiatives, and engage the public through outreach at the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH) Education and Exhibition Center.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.