Acquisition of a Confocal Microscope for Interdisciplinary Research

该奖项支持收购一个共焦激光扫描显微镜（CLSM）成像系统与光谱成像，以增强在纽约（CUNY）内的多元化教师在斯塔顿岛学院为中心的当前研究活动。该仪器将是一个学院范围的先进成像设施的一部分，其使命是为学院和更大的纽约市大都市区。 CLSM将支持生物学、化学和材料科学领域的研究人员和教育工作者的各种活动。 在斯塔顿岛学院的研究工作的一个重要模块是分析活细胞和生物体的背景下的大分子组件的相互作用的功能方面。最初，至少有七名研究人员已经确定共聚焦显微镜作为加强他们研究工作的关键工具。这些教师之间的相互作用已经开始试图回答有关的假设，但不限于：吞噬过程中与内体形成相关的分子相互作用，使用生物大分子作为模板创建新的纳米器件，以及调节线粒体钙稳态的细胞信号事件。与此相关的是通过共价添加过渡金属修饰的蛋白质的结构分析，基于多糖和多肽的响应性微凝胶的开发，以及使水果具有弹性和抵抗病原体攻击的生物聚合物的研究，特别是在环境胁迫条件下。 这一仪器还将支持斯塔顿岛学院和纽约市立大学的一些教育活动。这包括在高级显微镜课程，化学仪器方法，并通过独立研究和荣誉论文计划本科研究活动的使用。此外，该仪器将支持斯塔顿岛学院NSF资助的REU聚合物和生物聚合物项目以及环境科学中心的研究活动。 由于生物学和化学系已经建立了跨学科的研究和教学方法，该仪器也将用于研究生教育和培训，在NSF支持的IGERT计划的纳米结构材料和设备和本科教育在默克AAAS资助的计划开发和体内利用新型生物共轭物调查运输机制。

This award supports the acquisition of a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) imaging system with spectral imaging to augment the current research activities of a diverse faculty within the City University of New York (CUNY) centered at the College of Staten Island. The instrument will be part of a college-wide Advanced Imaging Facility whose mission is to serve the college and the greater New York City metropolitan area. The CLSM will support the activities of a diverse consortium of researchers and educators in biology, chemistry, and materials science. An essential module of the research efforts at the College of Staten Island is to analyze the functional aspects of interactions of macromolecular assemblies within the context of living cells and organisms. Initially, at least seven researchers have identified confocal microscopy as a key tool for enhancing their research efforts. Interaction between these faculty have begun in attempts to answer hypotheses related to, but not limited to: molecular interactions related to endosome formation during phagocytosis, creation of novel nanodevices using biological macromolecules as templates, and cell signaling events regulating mitochondrial calcium homeostasis. Related to this are the structural analyses of proteins modified by covalent addition of transitional metals, development of responsive microgels based on polysaccharides and polypeptides, and the investigation of biopolymers that enable fruits to be resilient and resistant to pathogenic attack, especially under conditions of environmental stress. This instrumentation will also support a number of educational activities both at the College of Staten Island and within the City University of New York. This includes use in an Advanced Microscopy course, Instrumental Methods in Chemistry, and undergraduate research activities through Independent Studies and Honors Thesis programs. Additionally, the instrument will support research activities in the College of Staten Island's NSF-funded REU program on Polymers and Biopolymers as well as the Center for Environmental Science. As the Departments of Biology and Chemistry have an established interdisciplinary approach to research and teaching, the instrument will also be used in graduate education and training in the NSF-supported IGERT program on Nanostructural Materials and Devices and undergraduate education in the Merck-AAAS funded program on development and in vivo utilization of novel bioconjugates to investigate transportation mechanisms.