Optical Biology Core

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Optical Biology. The optical biology core of the Center has a presence in four locations. Each already serves as a resource for optical biology at UCI, but Center funding will allow the purchase of additional equipment related to the aims of the Center (see budget and justification), and will provide for greater coordination of use, sharing of information, and impact on the wider research community. The four locations are 1) the Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics (LFD), directed by Enrico Gratton; 2) The Beckman Laser Institute (BLI), directed by Bruce Tromberg; 3) The Optical Biology Center (OBC) of the Developmental Biology Center, directed by Larry Marsh; and 4) The Laboratory for the Biophysics of Motor-Driven Transport (MDT), directed by Steven Gross. Each facility provides unique equipment and expertise for the optical detection, measurement, and manipulation of spatially-dynamic processes. As previously mentioned in the section on outreach, the LFD and BLI are P41-funded centers actively engaged in the development and dissemination of new technologies. The LFD focuses on advances in correlation spectroscopy and particle tracking. The BLI focuses on novel optical methods for probing tissue-scale properties of biological matter. In addition, the MDT integrates optical tweezers, force measurements, particle tracking and image analysis. The OBC is not directly charged with developing new technology, but rather with providing access and training in a wide variety of biological applications of confocal fluorescence microscopy and (e.g. involving photoconvertible probes, FCS, FRET, etc.). The OBC also distributes a quarterly newsletter to keep investigators informed of the latest developments in fluorescence microscopy. Each of these facilities possesses unique hardware and software available for use by the Center's members and its visitors. This core also plays an important role in education and training, as discussed in the next section.