MRI: Acquisition of a digital spatial molecular profiler to advance research and training at a Hispanic-serving institution

MRI：购买数字空间分子分析仪以推进西班牙裔服务机构的研究和培训

• 批准号: 2018408
• 负责人: Brian Hermann
• 金额: $ 43.03万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at San Antonio
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-08-01 至 2023-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2018408&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; digital; spatial; molecular

An award is made to The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) to purchase a NanoString GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP) system which affords the unique capacity for sensitive detection of 40 proteins or 96 RNAs (up to 1000-plex) in situ in tissue sections. Acquisition of the GeoMx DSP system at UTSA as shared instrumentation will enable use of a state-of-the-art research instrument by scientists, engineers, and students at all levels (high-school, undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral). Use of the instrumentation by underrepresented minority trainees in several programs and courses will help to broaden their participation in modern research endeavors. The GeoMx DSP system will be used by hundreds of research trainees/personnel and students enrolled in organized courses to provide them with training in cutting-edge technology, pique their interest in research, and maximize their marketability for careers in academic and industrial science. Ultimately, this resource will be integrated with existing teaching and outreach programs to promote learning using real-world experimentation and discovery. Use in outreach activities will help expand scientific literacy among members of our society. The NanoString GeoMx DSP system addresses a major limitation of contemporary ‘omics-level molecular biology research by permitting high-throughput detection of proteins or RNAs in tissue sections. Highly multiplexed, spatial detection of proteins or RNAs will facilitate interpretation of basic biological processes indicated by protein or gene expression within, rather than to the exclusion of, the context of complex tissue architecture. This instrumentation will be housed within the existing UTSA Genomics Core which is already equipped with instrumentation for high-throughput bulk or single-cell ‘omics studies. Thus, the addition of the GeoMx DSP will be optimally situated to benefit investigators in multiple departments within the College of Science and College of Engineering at UTSA, as well as various academic institutions across San Antonio and South Texas. UTSA investigators will use this instrument to ask transformative questions on broad basic biology research topics including germline stem cell niche biology, cerebral organoid models of brain development, vascularization in tissue engineered constructs, chemosensory neuronal circuitry, arthropod vector tolerance, bioengineering of skeletal muscle replacements, and mechanisms of insect olfaction. These uses reflect experiments that could not otherwise be undertaken without the GeoMx DSP, demonstrating the transformative nature of this instrumentation. Results from the research performed with this instrumentation will be disseminated in peer-reviewed scientific journal publications and at scientific meetings.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.

向得克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥分校（UTSA）颁发了奖励，以购买纳米弦GEOMX数字空间探查器（DSP）系统，该系统具有40蛋白或96 RNA（最多1000 plex）在组织切片中的敏感能力。在UTSA作为共享工具的Geomx DSP系统的获取将实现各个级别的科学家，工程师和学生（高中，本科，研究生和博士后）的最先进的研究工具。在几个课程和课程中，代表性不足的少数学员使用仪器将有助于扩大他们参与现代研究的努力。 GEOMX DSP系统将由数百名研究学员/人员和参加有组织的课程的学生使用，以为他们提供尖端技术的培训，对研究的兴趣，并最大程度地提高他们在学术和工业科学领域的职业销售能力。最终，该资源将与现有的教学和外展计划集成，以使用现实世界实验和发现来促进学习。在外展活动中使用将有助于扩大社会成员之间的科学素养。纳米构造GEOMX DSP系统通过允许在组织切片中对蛋白质或RNA的高通量检测来解决当代“ OMICS级分子生物学研究的主要局限性”。高度多路复用的空间检测蛋白质或RNA将有助于解释由蛋白质或基因表达所指示的基本生物学过程，而不是排除复杂组织结构的背景。该仪器将安装在现有的UTSA基因组核心内，该核心已经配备了用于高通量批量或单细胞OMICS研究的仪器。这是最佳位置的GEOMX DSP的增加，以使UTSA科学与工程学院的多个部门以及圣安东尼奥和南德克萨斯州的各个学术机构中的多个学院受益。 UTSA调查人员将使用该工具就广泛的基本生物学研究主题提出变革性问题，包括种系干细胞生物学，脑发育的脑器官模型，组织工程结构的血管化，化学感知神经元电路，节肢动物载体耐受性，骨骼肌肉替代品的生物工程和机械学的生物工具和机械学。这些用途反映了没有GEOMX DSP，这些实验无法进行，这表明了该仪器的变革性质。使用该仪器进行的研究的结果将在经过同行评审的科学期刊出版物和科学会议上传播。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过基金会的知识分子的优点和更广泛的影响来评估NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得的支持。