"Acquisition of a Multi-functional Cryo Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)"

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PROJECT SUMMARY Acquisition of a multi-functional cryo scanning electron microscope: The Electron Microscopy Core Imaging Facility (EMCIF) of the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) requests funds to acquire an integrated cryo scanning electron microscope (SEM), the Apreo S LoVac from Thermo Fisher Scientific (formerly FEI Company). This multifunctional instrument is bundled with automated navigation and imaging analysis software and is capable of imaging delicate biological specimens at room temperature and in a frozen hydrated state. Companion programs are designed to correlate light microscopy signal with ultrastructural detail obtained by electron microscopy (EM), and to scan serial sections, thereby allowing imaging of a tissue specimen in 3-D. Eleven NIH funded investigators representing eight research groups studying a wide range of important biomedical research topics will be Major Users. The research domains of these Major users include cancer, obesity, diabetes, kidney diseases, infectious diseases, neural degeneration, hearing loss, bone/tendon development, drug development, medical device design, and diagnostic and therapeutic strategies that will all benefit from the capabilities of the new instrument. Five additional Minor Users will benefit from the enhanced resolution at both room and cryo temperatures to examine biofilms for vaccine research and hydrogels and microspheres for nanotechnology-based medical devices and therapeutic strategies. The requested instrument will be placed within the current EMCIF, a well- organized core facility that provides access to state-of-the-art EM instrumentation and training to over 150 researchers, trainees and staff each year. Strong institutional support provides ongoing support for Director and staff salaries, instrument service/maintenance and other EMCIF operating costs, new information storage/computing capacity, and a $100,000 contribution toward the purchase of the new instrument. Should this grant be awarded, the ultimate impact of this unique and versatile cryo SEM system will extend beyond the research projects listed in this proposal. Overall, this new capacity will complement existing imaging UMB capabilities and expand the capacity for biomedical research at UMB and regional institutions.