CONFOCAL MICROSCOPE FOR LIVE CELL & MULTIWAVELENGTH WORK

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Many advances in understanding gene function have come from discovery of the roles of their homologs in model genetic organisms. Genetic and genomics model organisms, studied by the proposed users include yeast, the animals Drosophila, C. elegans, chickens and mice and the plant Arabadopsis. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has recognized these developments in modern biology, and has created an initiative integrating expertise in animal and plant molecular biology, structural biology, cell biology, developmental biology, microscopy and imaging, bioanalytical chemistry and computing. Emphasis in the College of Arts and Science is o the use of non-mammalian model organisms, while a complementary initiative in the School of Medicine focuses on modeling disease using the mouse. These initiatives will share technologies and create significant economies of scale as well as providing important intellectual cross-fertilization and the development of cutting-edge educational programs. The Departmental of Biology is at the effort in the College of Arts and Science; we have significant strengths in most model organisms in use in modern biology. One cornerstone of our integrated approach is the use of biological imaging to reveal the subcellular proteins, and to follow changes in these proteins in time in living organisms. This will require 4-D imaging (3D plus time) of molecules in cells, tissues, and intact organisms. There have been tremendous advances in flourescent light microscopy and digital imaging recently which, in combination with the green flourescent protein (GFP) will have tremendous impact on assaying protein expression and function in cells and tissues. New technologies for multi-wavelength fluorescence microscopy will allow the expression, dynamics and interactions of multiple proteins to be followed within cells, tissues or whole model organisms. Multicellular organisms will require special techniques for obtaining images deep within tissues not available from the current confocal and wide field fluorescence microscopes in the Department. For maximum effectiveness, the microscopes need to be located close to research labs, in a nearby imaging facility. Our proposal seeks to meet these new needs, by the creation of a multi-user facility that will provide a state-of-the art confocal microscope to a large group of NIH funded investigators.