Acquisition of an Automated Tissue Processor for the ASU Shared Imaging Core Facility

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PROJECT SUMMARY ABSTRACT Since 2008, the Advanced Light Microscopy Facility (ALMF) has been serving the research needs of a diverse set of research groups. Currently, the ASU ALMF regularly serves the research needs of over 40 research laboratories across 6 academic units. Critically, this facility serves as the only shared core laboratory that provides microscopy and histology capabilities to the researches on the ASU Tempe campus. The current histology equipment located in the core was purchased in 2010 and only provides for labor-intensive manual processing of samples. Thus, this equipment has outgrown both the histology capacity and technology needs required by new faculty as well as current researchers who have enhanced needs. To that end, this proposal is requested for the acquisition of an automated tissue processor that will allow for in depth histological analysis. Overall, this integrated, semi-automated histology processor will be used by researchers to characterize a diverse set of cells tissues from stem cells, primary tissue, cancer cells, and patient samples. As such, this advanced instrumentation will significantly enhance the broad research capabilities at ASU in the areas of engineering (including biophysics, nanotechnology, biomaterials), synthetic biology (including biomanufacturing, genome engineering, biofuels), regenerative medicine (including tissue engineering, disease modeling, and drug discovery), cellular and molecular biology (including cell physiology, neuroscience, phylogenetics), and translational medicine (including neurodegeneration, infectious disease, immunology). Moreover, acquisition of this advanced instrumentation will provide collaborative opportunities for ASU investigators, aid in recruitment of new faculty, and serve as a catalyst for future extramural funding. In addition to expanding and enhancing interdisciplinary research at ASU, the acquisition of cutting-edge histological technology will augment current training and teaching activities throughout the campus. Numerous postdoctoral fellows and graduate students will be trained to perform experiments through faculty-driven research projects. Overall, the requested instrument will provide a critical resource to all biomedical researchers at one of the largest public universities in the United States.