Acquisition of a spinning disc confocal microscope for a core microscopy facility

描述（由申请人提供）：申请资金用于购买蔡司细胞观察SD（旋转盘）共聚焦显微镜，以支持美国国立卫生研究院资助的弗吉尼亚联邦大学（VCU）的多位研究人员的研究工作。这个活细胞/活组织成像系统将被安置在VCU医学院一个完善的、使用良好的、高效的显微镜共享资源设施中。VCU显微镜设施可供所有VCU研究人员使用，并为各种研究项目提供服务。该设施由PI管理，PI在显微成像的多个方面具有专业知识。工作人员可以提供咨询、指导、协助和合作。所要求的设备将有助于满足该设施现有设备无法满足的日益增加的研究需求；即，能够以快速的图像采集速率收集高分辨率，高对比度的共聚焦图像。许多研究问题需要更高的时间分辨率，而目前设施中相对较慢的激光扫描（点扫描）共聚焦系统无法回答。所要求的蔡司Cell Observer SD旋转圆盘共聚焦显微镜配置在AxioObserver Z1倒置支架周围，并配备横河CSU-X1A旋转圆盘单元，Photometrics QuantEM 512SC冷却CCD相机（用于高速，高灵敏度成像），AxioCam MRm（用于高分辨率成像），高分辨率压电驱动Z级（用于快速3D数据收集）和级培养系统（支持活细胞/活组织成像）。该仪器将用于各种样品类型的成像，包括培养细胞，急性组织切片，器官型切片培养和生物体（例如斑马鱼）。在过去的一年中（2008年），83个不同的实验室，代表来自VCU 23个不同部门的222名研究人员使用了显微镜设备及其服务（宽视场荧光，共聚焦，多光子，TIRF，原子力/扫描探针，透射和扫描电子显微镜，图像分析和样品制备）。2008年，来自17个部门49个实验室的104名用户使用了激光扫描共聚焦显微镜。这些研究人员进行的项目代表了广泛的研究领域（细胞生物学、微生物学、神经生物学、生物工程、病毒学、药理学、生理学等）。本提案强调了主要用户（来自9个实验室，5个部门）的代表性研究。包括来自显微镜设备当前用户（Akbarali, Fuss, Hauser, Knapp, povlisock, Ratz）以及其他3名需要所需仪器推进其研究计划的研究人员（Block, Lister, Tombes）的研究报告。获得快速成像活细胞共聚焦系统将对VCU的研究产生重大影响，因为它将提高一个使用良好的核心设施的研究能力和生产力，并将吸引更多的用户（其需求目前无法由现有设备满足）。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Funds are requested to acquire a Zeiss Cell Observer SD (spinning disc) confocal microscope to support the research efforts of multiple NIH-funded investigators at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). This live cell / live tissue imaging system is to be housed in a well-established, well-used and highly productive microscopy shared resource facility in the School of Medicine at VCU. The VCU Microscopy Facility is available to all VCU investigators and serves diverse research programs. The facility is directed by the PI, who has expertise in multiple aspects of microscopic imaging. Staff is available for consultation, instruction, assistance and collaboration. The requested equipment will help meet increasing research demands that cannot be fulfilled by the existing equipment in the Facility; namely, the ability to collect high resolution, high contrast confocal images at rapid image acquisition rates. Many research questions have been developed that require a higher temporal resolution and cannot be answered the relatively slow laser-scanning (point scanning) confocal systems that are presently in the facility. The requested Zeiss Cell Observer SD spinning disc confocal microscope is configured around an AxioObserver Z1 inverted stand and equipped with a Yokogawa CSU-X1A spinning disc unit, a Photometrics QuantEM 512SC cooled CCD camera (for high speed, high sensitivity imaging), an AxioCam MRm (for high resolution imaging), a high resolution piezo driven Z stage (for rapid 3D data collection) and a stage incubation system (to support live cell / live tissue imaging). This instrument will be used to image a variety of sample types including cells in culture, acute tissue slices, organotypic slice cultures and organisms (e.g. zebra fish). During the past year (2008), 83 different labs, representing 222 investigators from 23 different departments at VCU have used the Microscopy Facility and its services (widefield fluorescence, confocal, multi-photon, TIRF, atomic force/scanning probe, transmission & scanning electron microscopy, image analysis and sample preparation). During 2008, the laser scanning confocal microscope was used by 104 users from 49 labs, representing 17 departments. The projects conducted by these researchers represent a broad range of studies (cell biology, microbiology, neurobiology, bioengineering, virology, pharmacology, physiology, etc.). Representative studies of major users (from 9 labs; 5 departments) have been highlighted in this proposal. Included are research reports from current users of the Microscopy Facility (Akbarali, Fuss, Hauser, Knapp, Povlishock, Ratz) as well as from 3 other investigators (Block, Lister, Tombes) who require the requested instrumentation to advance their research programs. The acquisition of a rapid imaging live cell confocal system will have a major impact on research at VCU as it will enhance the research capability and productivity of a well used core facility and will attract additional users (whose needs currently cannot be met by the available equipment).