NanoSight System for Particle Tracking Analysis in Biological Fluids

描述（由申请人提供）：设备要求：本提案寻求对NanoSight有限公司用于纳米颗粒跟踪分析（NTA）的NS300集成系统的采购支持。该系统独特地利用光散射和布朗运动特性，在纳米尺度（10-1000纳米）的任何液体悬浮液中对颗粒进行可视化、测量和计数。原理：NTA是一项最近发展起来的技术，它结合了两种方法，光散射显微镜和粒子在液体悬浮液中运动时的布朗运动特性。该仪器具有广泛的独特应用-包括表征外泌体和微泡，纳米颗粒，病毒和蛋白质聚集体-因此特别适合作为共享仪器，并促进我们机构中大量美国国立卫生研究院支持的研究人员的工作。用户组拥有由美国国立卫生研究院资助的大量多学科环境因子（从颗粒/纳米颗粒到微生物因子）及其健康影响机制的研究组合，研究外泌体和微囊泡在生物流体中的作用。实施：仪器将位于目前运行的一个完善的核心设施内，并由NIEHS中心拨款支持。仪器将由PI管理，PI在核心设施操作方面具有丰富的专业知识，以使用户受益。PI和他的员工已经在使用该系统方面接受了良好的培训。两名资深技术人员将为用户组实验室成员提供培训、监督和支持。支持包括核心设施（机构）内的仪器空间，服务合同的覆盖范围和系统的未来组件替换（机构），以及核心设施工作人员支持（NIEHS中心资助），以提供补贴的用户费率。一个内部咨询委员会将监督该系统的使用并确保其可访问。摘要：该仪器将通过一个机构支持的、完善的核心设施，显著提高大量nih支持的研究人员的研究能力和生产力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Equipment Requested: This proposal seeks support for acquisition of a NS300 integrated system for Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) by NanoSight Ltd. The system uniquely utilizes light scattering and Brownian motion properties to visualize, measure, and count particle-by-particle in the nanosize scale (10-1000 nm) in any liquid suspension. Rationale: NTA is a recently developed technology that combines two methods, light scattering microscopy and the Brownian motion properties of particles when moving in a liquid suspension. The instrument has a wide spectrum of unique applications - including characterization of exosomes and microvesicles, nanoparticles, viruses, and protein aggregates - and is therefore particularly well suited to serve as shared instrumentation and promote the work of a high number of NIH-supported researchers at our institution. The user group has a large multidisciplinary NIH-funded portfolio of studies of environmental agents (ranging from particles/nanoparticles to microbial agents) and of the mechanisms of their health effects investigating the roles of exosomes and microvesicles in biological fluids. Implementation: The instrumentation will be situated within a well-established core facility in current operation and supported by a NIEHS Center grant. The instrumentation will be managed by the PI, who has extensive expertise in core facility operation for user benefit. The PI and his staff are already well trained in the use of the system. Two senior technologists will provide training, supervision and support to the user group lab members. Support includes space for the instrumentation within the core facility (institutional), coverage of service contracts and future component replacements for the system (institutional), and core facility staff support (NIEHS Center grant) to provide subsidized user rates. An internal advisory committee will supervise use and assure access to the system. Summary: This instrumentation will significantly improve the research capacity and productivity of a large number of NIH-supported investigators via an institutionally supported, well- established core facility.