Cellular Imaging Core

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E. Justification A key goal of this Core is to provide access to state-of-the-art imaging technologies to researchers at CN and GWU to perform studies on cells and animal models in this area of IDDR. In addition, the Cellular Imaging and Analysis Core assist investigators in their studies on a variety of children's diseases through the expertise of the staff and the affiliated users. The services offered include assistance in 1) preparation of samples and examination of the cells and tissues by light microscopy and EM (see projects* 1-6), 2) quantitative analysis of the data obtained for each project and 3) obtaining cells and tissue samples to carry out genomics/proteomics analysis (see project#6). For these services we make use of dedicated staff in the Core and also through the communal participation of the users with specific expertise (see section E.2, 3). Additionally, we work together with other Cores including, the Genomics and Proteomics and the Biostatistics and Informatics Cores. Use of the recently acquired laser capture microscope (see section E.6.) has enhanced our ability for targeted extraction of diseased cells and tissues from animal or patient materials further enhancing the analysis of these materials with the help of the Genomics and Proteomics Core. Additionally the services provided for establishing neural cell cultures and cell lines have been valuable for subsequent analysis of these purified populations of cells for quantitative analysis of their molecular profiles through genomic and proteomics analysis. In the coming years, we will increase the support our Core provides in carrying out live imaging and quantitative analysis of imaging data. To this end, we have a new Director with extensive and outstanding experience in both these aspects and have hired a new Core Manager who has background and several years of experience in performing quantitative image analysis. In addition, we have started working closely with the Biostatistics and Informatics Core to enable the users to appropriately design and carry out suitable statistical analysis of their data. We are also working in close collaboration with other IDDRCs nationwide - one example of which is the work that Drs. Corbin and Huntsman's have been performing in collaboration with the IDDRC at the Kennedy Krieger Institute at John's Hopkins Medical School. Their work with Dr. Walter Kaufmann (an expert clinician and scientist in the area of Fragile X Syndrome) makes use of the Cellular Imaging Core and has recently resulted in a publication on inhibitory synaptic defects in a mouse model of Fragile X Syndrome (Olmos-Serano et al., 2010).