A confocal imaging system to support interdisciplinary EPSRC-remit research

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We propose to use funding provided under this Core Equipment call to invest in a substantial upgrade to our current confocal microscope facility, which is now coming to the end of its useful life. The investment will enable a continuation of our World Class Lab provision by providing a high specification confocal system to the multidisciplinary EPSRC-remit research body located at Keele University. The incorporation of equipment elements previously funded by EPSRC Core Equipment and World Class labs demonstrates excellent value for money, exploiting an 'invest to save' strategy. The new instrument will greatly enhance microscopy provision for users engaged in answering high quality, complex, research questions, which will benefit our growing cohort of early-stage researchers as well as underpinning our doctoral training programmes. The ability to interrogate 2D/3D samples with high resolution whilst employing new quantification modalities, will help to expand our established user expertise base, covering prior work in the areas of regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, disease treatment, glycoscience, as well as the study of biomaterials and nanotechnology. The on-site multi-user availability, as part of the Keele Imaging Facility, will provide exceptional support and training capabilities benefitting staff and students from across schools within our faculties of Natural Sciences, and Medicine and Health Sciences. In close proximity to University Hospitals North Midlands (UHNM), the upgraded confocal facility will promote a culture of relevant human model-based in vitro and ex vivo experimentation linked to NC3Rs agenda. In addition to research, the microscope will also benefit teaching activities including our well-established tissue engineering postgraduate programmes and our newly established tissue engineering undergraduate programme, now in its second year.