A Zeiss LSM800 confocal microscope with Airyscan

 描述（由申请人提供）：我们申请资金购买带有Airyscan的Zeiss LSM 800共聚焦显微镜系统，以替换我们使用了14年的Zeiss/BioRad Radiance系统，Zeiss不再保证支持或维修该系统。 新仪器将被安置在马萨诸塞州总医院（MGH）多学科Simches研究中心大楼的膜生物学（PMB）显微镜核心计划内。 这个MGH批准的核心设施的任务是提供使用显微镜和成像的全方位技术，以2 NIH资助的P30中心，Simches大楼的专题中心成员，以及MGH社区内外的各个研究小组。 港口及航运局的核心已经制定了相当大的专业知识，在静态和活细胞成像技术，被我们广泛的用户群多年来使用. 4年前，我们通过将Nikon A1 R共焦平台与我们的老蔡司Radiance一起使用，增强了我们先进的成像能力，这些仪器能够提供足够的成像带宽为我们的用户服务。 然而，尼康被广泛用于长期的活细胞成像，包括对活细胞的FRET和FRAP实验，而我们的许多用户需要一致和及时地访问更简单的共聚焦，以执行固定标本的更基本的静态成像。 不幸的是，我们不能再向我们的许多用户承诺，在任何给定的时间点之后，这种访问将继续下去，因为蔡司不再保证修复Radiance。 因此，本申请的目的是：1）确保我们能够继续为我们广泛的核心用户群提供常规共聚焦显微镜服务，以应对旧的且可能无法修复的现有系统; 2）扩展我们的核心能力，为我们的用户群提供更高的灵敏度和更高的分辨率（通过Airyscan探测器），从而扩展他们的成像能力 来更精确地探索细胞细节。 Airyscan探测器提供了一个显着的提高分辨率，很容易实现，没有费用和样品制备问题，与许多其他超分辨率技术。 由于PMB核心成立于1986年，它已成为MGH/HMS医学研究界的核心部分。 仅在过去的12个月里，超过37个NIH资助的PI及其在HMS/MGH和其他机构中的众多实验室成员就成为了Core共聚焦的重要用户，多年来我们已经支持了数百篇同行评审出版物。 核心不断寻求不断改进和升级核心设施，以支持其用户群。 这是通过使用NIH SIG应用程序的资金以及MGH领导层的大量机构支持实现的。 为我们的核心用户提供持续访问最新的荧光成像平台对于保持MGH社区处于NIH资助的健康相关研究的前沿至关重要。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We request funds to purchase a Zeiss LSM800 Confocal Microscope system with Airyscan to replace our 14 year old Zeiss/BioRad Radiance system that Zeiss can no longer guarantee to support or repair. The new instrument will be housed within the Program in Membrane Biology (PMB) Microscopy Core at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the multidisciplinary Simches Research Center building. The mandate of this MGH approved Core facility is to provide access to a full range of techniques using microscopy and imaging to 2 NIH funded P30 Centers, Thematic Center members in the Simches building, and individual research groups within the MGH community and beyond. The PMB Core has developed considerable expertise in static and live cell imaging techniques that that been used by our extensive user base over the years. Our sophisticated imaging capabilities were enhanced 4 years ago by the incorporation of a Nikon A1R confocal platform to function alongside our older Zeiss Radiance, and together these instruments have been able to provide sufficient imaging bandwidth to serve our users. However, the Nikon is extensively used for longer term, live cell imaging, including FRET and FRAP experiments on live cells, while many of our users require instead consistent and timely access to a simpler confocal to perform more basic static imaging of fixed specimens. Unfortunately, we can no longer promise our many users that such access will continue after any given point in time, based on the fact that Zeiss can no longer guarantee to repair the Radiance. Therefore, the purpose of this application is: 1) To ensure that we can continue to provide routine confocal microscopy services to our extensive Core user base in the face of an old and potentially non repairable existing system; 2) To expand our Core capabilities to provide higher sensitivity and higher resolution (via the Airyscan detector) to our user base that will expand their imaging capabilities for exploring cellular details more precisely. The Airyscan detector provides a remarkable increase in resolution that is achieved easily and without the expense and specimen preparation issues that are associated with many other super resolution techniques. Since the PMB Core was founded in 1986, it has become a central part of the MGH/HMS medical research community. Over 37 NIH funded PIs and their numerous lab members within the HMS/MGH and in other institutions made significant user of the Core confocal in the past 12 months alone, and we have supported literally hundreds of peer review publications over the years. The Core has an ongoing quest to constantly improve and upgrade Core facilities in support of its user base. This has been achieved using funds from NIH SIG applications as well as considerable institutional support from the MGH leadership. Providing our Core users with continued access to an up to date fluorescence imaging platform is essential to maintaining the MGH community at the cutting edge of NIH funded, health related research.