Imaging System for Environmental Physiology Research

我们正在申请资金，以购买成像系统，以取代核心分子生理学设施的损坏和过时的系统。在职业生涯的不同阶段，包括初级、中期和后期阶段的环境生理学家组成了一个核心的环境生理学家小组，其中包括一名儿童研究中心主席。我们所有的项目都是高度集成的，包括从整体到细胞和分子的测量。在我们的研究中，我们观察和测量动物对环境压力的反应，然后通过检测生理、生化和分子机制来解释这种反应。许多分子技术的本质是根据其相对分子质量或电荷显示分离在凝胶或膜上的产物的能力。可视化通常需要使用只能在特定波长的光下或通过光激发才能检测到的染料或探针。然后，信号可以被数字捕获，并由特定的计算机软件进行量化。申请者每天使用分子生理学设施，总共有11个不同的生物学研究小组使用，其中有3个PDF文件，3个技术人员和27名研究生。自从我们的旧凝胶对接系统消亡以来，研究人员对他们的凝胶和膜进行成像的能力已经大大降低。购买一个能够进行凝胶记录的成像系统将恢复我们过去的能力，并为我们的许多用户服务。此外，所要求的成像仪是一台最先进的机器，它将添加以前没有的新技术，如活体动物成像，并允许我们转向新的和创新的技术。

We are requesting funds to acquire an imaging system to replace a broken and obsolete system for a core molecular physiology facility. The PI and co-applicants form a core group of environmental physiologists at various points in their careers including junior, mid and late career stages, and including a CRC chair. All of our programs are highly integrative incorporating whole organismal to cellular and molecular measurements. In our research we observe and measure an animal's response to environmental stress and then explain that response by examining physiological, biochemical and molecular mechanisms. Essential of many molecular techniques is the ability to visualize products separated on gels or membranes according to their molecular weight or electrical charge. Visualization often requires using a dye or probe that is only detectable under light, or by excitation by light, of a particular wavelength. The signal can then be captured digitally and quantified by specific computer software. The applicants use the molecular physiology facility on a daily basis and in total is used by 11 different research groups in Biology with 3 PDFs, 3 technicians and 27 graduate students. Since the demise of our old gel doc system, researchers' ability to image their gels and membranes has been greatly compromised. The purchase of an imaging system capable of gel documentation would restore our past capability and service our many users. Moreover, the requested imager is a state-of-the-art machine that will add new technologies, such as live animal imaging, not previously available and allow us to move to new and innovative techniques.