Shared Tundra screening cryo-EM for New England

本提案要求支持购置最先进的100 kV屏蔽低温EM 仪器该仪器将安装在大学的地理中心位置 位于康涅狄格州法明顿的康涅狄格州健康中心（UCHC），从而确保所有人都能方便地使用 参与的研究小组。cryo-EM将整合到已建立的UCHC EM中 该设施拥有30多年的卓越研究传统。UCHC EM 该设施由一名全职经理和一名助理主任管理，并得到UCHC的支持。作为 作为共享仪器的典型，这种仪器不仅可用于核心研究， 团体，但也对其他整个新英格兰，将从中受益。这一建议 结合了来自3所大学的研究人员，共有18个研究小组形成了核心用户 组研究领域包括病毒学，信号转导，免疫生物学，DNA修复， 许多其他的，与广泛的各种疾病的关键影响。拟议研究 项目得到了令人振奋的初步数据的有力支持。18个核心研究小组中的许多人 在过去几年中获得了广泛的冷冻EM经验，并拥有强大的外部资金 portfolio.虽然可以使用高功率冷冻EM仪器，但 经济实惠，易于使用的筛选cryo-EM，允许仔细优化样品， 结构测定要么不存在，要么昂贵，因此对许多人来说遥不可及 研究团体。所要求的Tundra 100 kV cryo-EM将解决这一限制， 快速、经济、方便地调查大型、高度复杂的生物 系统.此外，它将提高学生和博士后的培养能力 冷冻电镜的研究科学家总而言之，所谓的“决议革命”突出了 新型低温EM仪器用于关键生物样品结构测定的能力 来回答基本的生物学问题。然而，对于所有的结构生物学来说， 技术，样本优化是获得这些新见解的关键步骤。的 所要求的仪器将填补这一空白，为大量的研究人员在整个新 英格兰此外，大量的机构投资将保证长期的成功， 将允许确定关键的生物功能。我们相信这个低温电磁仪器 不仅为核心参与实验室的研究提供必要的核心， 但也将为新英格兰以及美国的研究提供长期持久的影响 社区，一般来说。

This proposal requests support for the acquisition of a state-of-the-art 100 kV screening cryo-EM instrument. This instrument will be housed in a geographically central location at the University of Connecticut Health Center (UCHC) in Farmington, CT, thereby ensuring facile access for all participating research groups. The cryo-EM will be integrated into the established UCHC EM facility, which has a proven tradition of research excellence for over 30 years. The UCHC EM facility is operated by a full-time manager and an assistant director, supported by UCHC. As typical for shared instrumentation, this instrument will be available not only to the core research groups, but also to others throughout New England that will benefit from it. This proposal combines researchers from 3 universities, with a total of 18 research groups forming the core user group. Research areas include virology, signal-transduction, immunobiology, DNA repair among many others, with key implications for a broad variety of diseases. The proposed research projects are well supported with exciting preliminary data. Many of the 18 core research groups have gained extensive cryo-EM experience over the last years and have a strong external funding portfolio. While access to high powered cryo-EM instruments is available, the access to affordable, easy-to-use screening cryo-EM’s that allow for the careful optimization of samples for structure determination are either non-existent or expensive and thus out of reach for many research groups. The requested Tundra 100 kV cryo-EM will solve this limitation, and enable rapid, cost-effective and easy access for the investigation of large, highly complex biological systems. Furthermore, it will enhance the training capabilities of students and post-doctoral research scientists for cryo-EM. In summary, the so-called ‘resolution-revolution’ has highlighted the capabilities of novel cryo-EM instruments for the structure determination of critical biological samples to answer fundamental biological questions. However, as for all structural biology techniques, sample optimization is the key essential step for gaining these new insights. The requested instrument will fill this gap for a significant number of researchers throughout New England. Further, significant institutional investments will guarantee the long-term success and will allow key biological functions to be determined. We are confident that this cryo-EM instrument will not only provide a necessary nucleus for the research of the core participating laboratories specifically but will also provide a long-lasting impact for New England, as well as the US research community, generally.