Confocal Microscopy Imaging System

描述(由申请人提供)：本次共享仪器拨款申请是为了获得最先进的共焦显微镜成像系统(蔡司LSM 510核心单元关键升级)，以取代我们老化、能力有限的系统(尼康PCM 2000)，并允许我们的用户群扩展到关键和新颖的应用/技术。我们目前的用户群由NIH资助的19名研究人员组成，他们拥有合格的补助金，包括来自医学院(医学、病理学、生理学和生物物理学、生物化学)、制药科学和牙科的几个系的教师。他们一直在使用我们现有的系统，该系统位于南加州大学肝病研究中心(RCLD)细胞生物学核心的共焦显微镜分核心中。这一设施一直是他们可以使用的唯一和/或主要的共焦显微镜资源。虽然尼康PCM 2000是一个主要的仪器，但它只能在固定样本中进行简单的双色成像，并且缺乏高级功能，如活细胞和延时成像、用3个或4个荧光团标记的样本成像、光漂白后的荧光恢复或荧光共振能量转移，这些都是我们的用户群迫切需要的。我们校园现有的其他四个系统要么专门用于特殊用途，要么因各自的用户群而超载。新系统将取代我们的旧系统，并将在相同的设施中运行，并有适当的空间/暗室。RCLD由NIH P30 DK 48522，Neil Kaplowitz博士，P.I.资助，这是它的第三个5年周期(3/1/05-2/28/10)。它在维护和操作新设备所需的所有必要基础设施、行政、技术(全职显微镜专家)和财务(保修服务预算-显微镜维护)方面都有既定的记录。穆拉德·乌克滕斯博士和萨拉·哈姆-阿尔瓦雷斯博士是这一应用的私家侦探和联席私家侦探，他们担任细胞生物学核心的联席主管，该核心的一个子核心是共焦显微镜设备。他们是经验丰富的调查员，在监督大量复杂仪器的使用方面拥有广泛的累积记录和专业知识，并将像他们对旧系统所做的那样，分享对新系统使用的技术监督和管理。相关性：该设备将大大促进参与研究肝脏(丙型肝炎、酒精/药物毒性和损伤)、心脏、肺、肾脏、眼睛、牙齿的正常和疾病状态的教职员工的研究，以及调查各种药物输送方法。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This shared instrumentation grant application is to acquire a state-of-the-art confocal microscopy imaging system (Zeiss LSM 510 core unit + critical upgrades) to replace our aging, limited-capability system (Nikon PCM 2000) and allow our user base to expand into critical and novel applications/techniques. Our present user base of 19 NIH-funded investigators with qualifying grants is comprised of faculty from several departments in the Schools of Medicine (Medicine, Pathology, Physiology and Biophysics, Biochemistry), Pharmaceutical Sciences and Dentistry. They have been using our existing system housed in the Confocal Microscopy Subcore of the Cell Biology Core of USC's Research Center for Liver Diseases (RCLD). This facility has been the sole and/or primary confocal microscopy resource they have access to. Although Nikon PCM 2000 is a workhorse instrument, it is capable of only simple 2-color imaging in fixed specimens and lacks advanced capabilities, such as live cell and time-lapse imaging, imaging specimens labeled with 3 or 4 fluorophores, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, or fluorescence resonance energy transfer, which are sorely needed by our user base. The other four existing system on our campus are either dedicated to special uses or overloaded with their own user base. The new system will replace our old and be housed-operated in the same facility, with space/darkroom in place. RCLD is funded by NIH P30 DK 48522, Dr. Neil Kaplowitz, P.I., which is in its 3rd 5-yr cycle (3/1/05-2/28/10). It has an established track record in terms of all the necessary infrastructure, administrative, technical (full-time microscopy specialist) and financial (budget for warranty service-maintenance of microscope), to maintain and operate the new equipment. Drs. Murad Ookhtens and Sarah Hamm-Alvarez, the P.I. and co-P.I. on this application, serve as co-directors of the Cell Biology Core, a subcore of which houses the confocal microscopy equipment. They are highly experienced investigators, with extensive cumulative record and expertise in overseeing the use of a large base of sophisticated instrumentation and will share in technical oversight and management of the use of the new system, as they have done with the old. Relevance: The equipment will substantially advance the research of faculty involved in studying the normal and diseased states of the liver (hepatitis C, alcoholic/drug toxicity and injury), heart, lung, kidney, eye, teeth, as well as investigating various methods of drug delivery.