Molecular Electron Microscopy Core Facility Improvements

描述（由申请人提供）：这份来自弗吉尼亚大学医学院（UVA SOM）的G20提案要求210万美元用于升级和整合UVA SOM电子显微镜（EM）资源到分子电子显微镜核心（MEMC）设施。我们估计，相关的设计、建造和维护工作将为社区创造或维持约45个工作岗位，并为研究人员、计算机程序员和家政人员创造和/或维持多达4个职位。目前有四台电子显微镜在SOM内用于结构生物学。所有这些都至少有十年的历史，其中一个已经被制造商宣布过时，不能再适当维护。目前已经购买了两台现代高性能电子显微镜——一台机器人FEI Titan Krios和一台FEI F20。这些电子显微镜设计用于通过电子低温显微镜（cryoEM）记录生物大分子的高分辨率图像，其中标本保存在冷冻，玻璃化的水性缓冲液中，从而保存了天然生物结构。旧乔丹大厅和斯奈德大楼的EM设施的当前位置不仅缺乏必要的天花板高度和承重能力，而且还表现出太多的振动和电磁干扰，使新显微镜无法在规范范围内运行。该提案将用一个中央MEMC实验室取代分散的EM实验室，该实验室位于Fontaine研究园区的生命科学附件，毗邻Snyder转化科学大楼。这个2100平方英尺的MEMC设施将包含两个环境调节、电磁屏蔽和声学隔离的显微镜室。此外，还将有一个用于远程操作显微镜的控制室。毗邻的实验室空间将允许现场样品制备，暗室将用于胶片冲洗。新的位置是必要的，以适应新的最先进的FEI泰坦Krios显微镜的高度，并满足最佳性能的严格要求。MEMC设施将由分子生理学和生物物理系教授兼主席Mark Yeager博士和生物化学和分子遗传学教授Edward Egelman博士共同领导。MEMC设施提供的改善将(1)提高弗吉尼亚大学的研究质量，(2)提高科学生产力，(3)促进科学家之间的交流，互动和合作，(4)提高弗吉尼亚大学吸引和留住一流教师和学生的能力，以及(5)加强我们教师的资金竞争力。MEMC设施不仅可供管理学院的教职员工使用，也可供弗吉尼亚大学其他学院和部门的其他科学家使用。这将是弗吉尼亚大学一个独特的核心实验室，我们设想弗吉尼亚州和周边各州的科学家将访问弗吉尼亚大学，利用这样一个尖端的实验室来进行分子分辨率电子显微镜。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This G20 proposal from the University of Virginia School of Medicine (UVA SOM) requests $2.1 M to upgrade and consolidate the UVA SOM electron microscopy (EM) resources into a Molecular Electron Microscopy Core (MEMC) facility. We estimate that the associated design, construction, and maintenance work will create or maintain ~45 jobs for the community, and create and/or maintain up to 4 positions for researchers, computer programmers, and housekeeping staff. There are currently four electron microscopes in use within the SOM for structural biology. All of these are at least ten years old, and one has been declared obsolete by the manufacturer and can no longer be properly maintained. Two modern, high-performance electron microscopes have already been purchased -- a robotic FEI Titan Krios and an FEI F20. These electron microscopes are designed for recording high-resolution images of biological macromolecules by electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM), in which the specimen is maintained in frozen, vitrified aqueous buffer, thereby preserving native biological structure. The current locations for the EM facilities in Old Jordan Hall and the Snyder Building not only lack the requisite ceiling height and load-bearing capacity, but also exhibit too much vibration and electromagnetic interference for the new microscopes to operate within specifications. The proposal will replace the scattered EM laboratories with one central MEMC laboratory located in the Life Sciences Annex adjacent to the Snyder Translational Science Building at the Fontaine Research Campus. The 2,100 sq ft MEMC facility will contain two environmentally regulated, electromagnetically shielded, and acoustically isolated microscope rooms. In addition, there will be a control room for remote operation of the microscopes. Adjoining laboratory space will allow on-site sample preparation, and a darkroom will be available for film development. The new location is necessary to accommodate the height of the new state-of-the-art FEI Titan Krios microscope and to meet the stringent requirements for optimal performance. The MEMC facility will be co-directed by Dr. Mark Yeager, Professor and Chair of the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics and Dr. Edward Egelman, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics. The improvements provided by the MEMC facility will (1) enhance the quality of research at UVA, (2) increase scientific productivity, (3) foster communication, interactions and collaboration amongst scientists, (4) boost the ability of UVA to attract and maintain premier faculty and students, and (5) strengthen the competitiveness of our faculty for funding. The MEMC facility will not only be available to SOM faculty members but also to other scientists in other schools and departments at UVA. This will be a unique Core laboratory at UVA, and we envision that scientists throughout Virginia and the surrounding states will visit UVA to take advantage of such a cutting-edge laboratory for performing molecular resolution electron microscopy.