RUI: Acquisition of Microscopy Equipment for Research and Research Training in Biology

博士们已获得一笔赠款。北科罗拉多大学的Curt M. Peterson， Catherine Gardiner和John Moore，以显著提高生物科学教师和学生在研究中利用现代显微镜工具的能力，增加他们扩展到新的研究领域的机会，并增加他们的研究项目在外部资金方面的竞争力。这笔拨款将用于购买扫描电子显微镜（SEM）的辅助支持设备，包括数字图像分析系统、临界点干燥器和溅射涂层机。此外，将获得共聚焦显微镜和用于制备和观察光学和电子显微镜的生物标本的设备，包括组织处理器，超微切片机和金刚石刀。目前，从早期胚胎发育的细胞生物学到土壤群落生态学的研究都将受益于该设备的可用性。五个研究项目将利用这种显微镜设备来推进当前和未来的研究工作。其中一个项目将使用共聚焦显微镜和荧光染料来研究在发育中的小鼠胚胎早期细胞分化过程中保护细胞的特定细胞化合物的三维分布。这项研究将增加我们对哺乳动物胚胎发育的理解。第二个项目将使用超微显微镜和共聚焦显微镜来记录、重建和分析后尖牙蛇的毒腺切片组织，以阐明允许毒液成分长期储存和稳定的机制。第三个项目的目标是为主要生产者、碎屑、消费者和营养物质之间的食物网的动态和稳定性建立一个理论框架。利用扫描电镜和共聚焦显微镜对无脊椎动物分类群进行精确鉴定，将比现有技术提供更精确的食物网生物鉴定。第四项研究的目标是利用扫描电镜和共聚焦显微镜研究导致棉花叶片脱落或脱落的分离层的位置分化以及原生草种子头的破碎或破裂。这两种形式的显微镜都可以更清晰地成像导致脱落和破碎的细胞过程。第五个项目将使用这台显微镜设备来研究Eugenia的胚胎解剖和形态，Eugenia是植物家族中一个非常大且鲜为人知的属。胚胎解剖已被证明是该属变异的重要来源，并将进一步阐明这一生态广泛属的分类。这些设备不仅将加强教师在生物科学和每个各自研究领域的当前和预计的研究工作，而且将对本科生和研究生的研究训练产生广泛的影响。许多问题和问题形成的基础上的五个研究项目中所描述的，可以回答或解决与现代显微镜技术。该设备还将显著改善现代仪器和最先进的显微镜应用在生物学本科生和研究生的研究培训和教育中的使用和增加。最后，该设备将对K-12推广工作产生重大影响，旨在提高传统上在科学，数学和技术学科中代表性不足的少数民族学生的大学入学和毕业率。

A grant has been awarded to Drs. Curt M. Peterson, Catherine Gardiner, and John Moore at the University of Northern Colorado to significantly improve the ability of faculty and students in the biological sciences to utilize modern microscopy tools in their research, enhance their opportunities to expand into new research areas, and increase the competitiveness of their research programs for external funding. The grant will be used to purchase ancillary support equipment for a scanning electron microscope (SEM) including a digital image analysis system, a critical point dryer, and a sputter coater. In addition, a confocal microscope and equipment to prepare and observe biological specimens for light and electron microscopy including a tissue processor, an ultramicrotome, and a diamond knife will be acquired. At present, there are active research programs in the department ranging from cellular biology of early embryo development to studies of soil community ecology that will benefit from the availability of this equipment. Five research projects will utilize this microscopy equipment to advance current and projected research efforts. One project will use confocal microscopy and fluorescent dyes to study the three-dimensional distribution of specific cellular compounds that protect cells during early cellular differentiation in developing mouse embryos. This study will increase our understanding of the development of mammalian embryos. A second project will use the ultramicrotome and confocal microscope to record, reconstruct and analyze sectioned tissues of venom glands in rear-fanged snakes in order to elucidate mechanisms allowing for long-term storage and stabilization of venom components. The goal of a third project is to develop a theoretical framework for the dynamics and stability of food webs that couple primary producers, detritus, consumers and nutrients. Accurate identification of invertebrate taxa using SEM and microbial biomass using confocal microscopy will provide more precise identification of food web organisms than is possible with existing techniques. The goal of a fourth study is to use SEM and confocal microscopy to investigate the positional differentiation of the separation layer leading to abscission or dropping of cotton leaves and the shattering or breaking apart of seed heads of native grasses. Both forms of microscopy will permit much clearer imaging of the cellular processes that lead to abscission and shattering. The fifth project will use this microscopy equipment to investigate the embryo anatomy and morphology of Eugenia, a very large and poorly known genus in the plant family Myrtaceae. Embryo anatomy has been shown to be an important source of variation in this genus and will further elucidate the taxonomy of this ecologically widespread genus.The equipment will not only strengthen current and projected research efforts of faculty in the biological sciences and each of the respective research areas but will have a broad impact on undergraduate and graduate research training as well. Many of the questions and problems forming the basis for the five research projects described in this grant can be answered or resolved with this modern microscopy technology. This equipment also will significantly improve access to and increase the use of modern instrumentation and state-of-the-art microscopy applications in the research training and education of both undergraduate and graduate students in biology. Finally, this equipment will have a significant impact on K-12 outreach efforts designed to increase college entrance and graduation rates of minority students traditionally underrepresented in science, mathematics, and technology disciplines.