ANALYTIC CYTOLOGY CORE FACILITY

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The University of Texas at El Paso proposes to continue support for the Analytical Cytology Core Facility, a multi-user research facility dedicated to assisting faculty, staff and students in the design of protocols, the use of the Zeiss EM-10 transmission electron microscope, the Zeiss Axioskop epifluorescence microscope, image analysis and image processing, as well as the recently acquired Leica Ultracut R ultramicrotome with a cryostage. This enables us to use cryoimmunolableling techniques. There are sixteen faculty whose staff and students have projects utilizing this facility. We anticipate that this core facility will be essential to new faculty to whom we have offered positions in virology and physiology. Additional equipment available in this laboratory includes a Pulnix 1001 analog/digital camera with a Flash point capture card which enables us to send digital images to a Dell Optiplex GX110 computer with Image Pro software. These images can be printed on a KODAK dye sublimation printer . This provides us with a digital darkroom. A Pelco fixation microwave reduces the amount of time needed for fixations. A Sorvall critical point drying apparatus is used for projects utilizing SEM in another laboratory. The Zeiss Axioskop is equipped with a 35 mm camera, an Optronics digital camera, OPTIMAS software, a Gateway computer, a Hewlett Packard scanner, a Nikon 35 mm scanner and a Tektronix Phaser 740 color laser printer. Custom darkroom facilities are also available. This facility will be staffed full-time by a supervisor/technician responsible for supervising users, oversight and timely inspection of equipment, preparing chemical solutions, repairing ultramicrotomes and darkroom equipment, maintaining log books for the equipment, enforcing safety regulations, disposing of waste chemicals, ordering supplies and equipment, supervising the installation of new equipment, and maintaining the inventory. Partial salary will be provided to the core director for ongoing oversight of these activiites.