Multi-Channel Fluorescence Morphometry Workstation

描述（由申请人提供）：我们在佛蒙特大学医学院医学系内分泌学、代谢和糖尿病部门（内生物学联盟）的积极研究联盟正在申请资金购买一台新的倒置荧光显微镜/形态测定工作站，作为我们小组常规成像要求的基本仪器。该显微镜系统将是对我们现有的超过30年历史的蔡司光学显微镜系统的重要补充：一个直立支架（Universal），我们的主要主力，以及一个具有共享物镜的倒置支架（IM 50），两者都使用单个Spot IR数码相机系统。通过新的倒置显微镜系统添加到现有显微镜的基本原理是增强我们目前的荧光成像能力，具有更广泛的形态测量和高分辨率成像应用，目前我们过时的系统不支持。现代化的电动载物台、聚焦系统和滤光片更换器也将满足我们对更高通量/高分辨率形态测定分析日益增长的需求。这特别适合我们对可重复采样以及活细胞/组织成像研究的需求。此外，整个集团的内生物学联盟（EBC）将永久移动到一个新装修的建筑，3英里外的校园，在2008年6月，这将显着影响我们的能力，使用的设施UVM显微镜成像核心的“每天”的基础上。EBC多年来一直是这些核心设施的主要用户，并且将继续成为，然而，拟议的显微镜系统将作为一种重要和必要的工具，以维持我们研究计划的日常需求，并提高我们成像和分析能力的效率和整体质量。UVM的EBC高度依赖于最先进的显微镜成像策略和形态测量。目前，我们拥有常规石蜡组织包埋、显微解剖、切片和组织学/免疫组织化学染色所需的所有设备。沿着四个专用的Macintosh G5成像工作站、一台尼康显微镜扫描仪和最新的形态分析软件。这项研究计划清楚地表明了多通道荧光显微镜成像系统对我们用户群的必要性，使我们能够继续进行我们迄今为止一直从事的高质量科学研究，并特别展示了新尼康Ti的实用性，倒置显微镜成像系统，这将增强我们严重过时的蔡司研究显微镜，使我们更有效率和生产力。五个实验室被确定为主要用户，因为考虑到其现有和拟议的应用要求，它们几乎占仪器预计需求的100%。尚未查明的少数用户可能会占用拟议新系统的时间。该Endo-biology财团是第一个“先锋”组在医学院搬进这个新的，专门指定的，研究复杂的旧给定的建设;因此，作为新的建筑物成为其他研究小组在不久的将来占用，我们也预计需要通过其他研究工作者访问这个系统。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Our active research consortium in the Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes Division (The Endo- biology Consortium) of the Department of Medicine at the University Of Vermont College Of Medicine are requesting funds to buy a new inverted fluorescence microscope/morphometry workstation as an essential instrument for our group's routine imaging requirements. This microscope system will be a essential addition to our current >30 year old Zeiss photomicroscope systems: an upright stand (Universal), our principal workhorse, and an inverted stand (IM50) with shared objectives, both utilizing a single Spot IR digital camera system. The rationale for the addition to the existing microscopes by a new inverted microscope system is to enhance our current fluorescence imaging capabilities with a broader range of morphometric and high resolution imaging applications presently not supported by our outdated system. A modern motorized stage, focus system, and filter changers will also meet the progressively increasing demand that we are experiencing for higher throughput/high resolution morphometric analyses. This is especially ideal for our needs for reproducible sampling as well as for live cell/tissue imaging studies. Furthermore, the entire group of the Endo- biology Consortium (EBC) will be moving permanently to a newly renovated building, 3 miles off campus, in June 2008 that will significantly impact our ability to use the facilities of the UVM Microscope Imaging Core on an "every day" basis. The EBC has been a major user of these core facilities for several years, and will continue to be, however, the proposed microscope system will serve as a vital and necessary instrument to maintain the daily needs of our research programs as well as to improve the efficiency and overall quality of our imaging and analytic capabilities for years to come. The EBC at UVM is highly dependent on state-of-the-art microscope imaging strategies and morphometry. Currently, all the equipment necessary for routine paraffin tissue embedding, microdissection, microtomy, and histological/immunohistochemical, staining is available to us. This, along with four dedicated Macintosh G5 imaging workstations, a Nikon microslide scanner, and the latest analytical software for morphometric analyses. This research plan clearly demonstrates the necessity of a multi-channel fluorescence microscope imaging system for our user group to enable us to continue to carry out the high quality scientific inquiries that we have been engaged upon up to this point, and specifically shows the utility of a new Nikon Ti- E inverted microscope imaging system which would augment our severely outdated Zeiss research microscopes making us more even more efficient and productive. Five laboratories have been identified as the main users since they constitute nearly 100% of the projected demand for the instrument given their existing and proposed application requirements. Minor users who have not yet been identified may occupy time on the proposed new system. The Endo-biology Consortium are the first "pioneer" group in the College of Medicine to move into this new, specifically designated, research complex from the old Given Building; therefore, as the new building becomes occupied by other research groups in the near future, we also anticipate the need for access of this system by other research workers.