CONFOCAL INTEGRATED INSTRUMENT SYSTEM

描述(申请人提供)：共焦成像是现代视觉科学研究的重要组成部分。华盛顿大学国家眼科研究所(NEI)资助的大多数研究人员在他们的研究项目中将共焦成像作为不可或缺的工具。这导致了研究工作流程中不幸的瓶颈，因为太多的研究人员在现有仪器上争夺有限的时间。此外，目前的仪器配置方式排除了生理学或活体研究，这是眼科研究中日益重要的两个领域。购买FV1000 CLSM立式共聚焦显微镜需要资金。FV1000 CLSM将被安置在一个新创建的成像套件中，该成像套件位于眼科和视觉科学系，由我们的P30视觉科学核心基金赞助管理。因此，新仪器的用户组包括来自七个学术部门的34名教职员工，他们是我们P30核心资助的成员或附属机构。新仪器将提供：1。急需的额外成像能力。2.现有仪器设备停机时的备份。3.重要的新功能。User Group的成员致力于视网膜变性、脉络膜新生血管、疱疹眼部感染、白内障和角膜营养不良的原因和治疗的基础研究。预计所要求的仪器将直接和实质性地促进这些临床重要领域中的每一个领域的进展。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Confocal imaging is an essential component of modern vision science research. The majority of National Eye Institute (NEI)-funded researchers at Washington University use confocal imaging as an integral and indispensable tool in their research programs. This has led to an unfortunate bottleneck in the research workflow, as too many investigators compete for limited time on an existing instrument. Further, the current instrumentation is configured in such as way as to preclude physiological or in vivo studies, two increasingly important areas of eye research. Funds are requested to purchase an FV1000 CLSM upright confocal microscope. The FV1000 CLSM will be housed in a newly-created Imaging Suite located in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and administered under the auspices of our P30 Vision Science Core grant. The User Group for the new instrument thus includes the 34 faculty members from seven academic departments who are members or affiliates of our P30 Core grant. The new instrument will provide: 1. Much needed additional imaging capacity. 2. Backup in case of downtime of existing instrumentation. 3. Important new functionality. Members of the User Group are engaged in fundamental research into the causes and treatment of retinal degeneration, choroidal neovascularization, herpetic eye infections, cataract and corneal dystrophies. It is expected that the requested instrument will contribute directly and substantively to progress in each of these clinically important areas.