MRI: Development of fluorescence microplate readers

来自蒙大拿州立大学（MSU）的Mary Cloninger获得了主要研究仪器（MRI）项目的这笔奖金，她将开发和委托两台荧光光谱仪：一台主要用于高通量筛选和成像工作，另一台主要用于紫外线应用。仪器将在微孔板中常规操作，并控制板的温度。该项目的最终目标是开发仪器，使研究人员能够经常产生高质量的荧光寿命数据。这些仪器将使用通过与荧光创新公司的工业合作获得的技术。8个研究项目将由同等数量的研究人员进行：(1)多价蛋白-碳水化合物相互作用，(2)二维凝胶的荧光寿命成像，(3)特异性单克隆抗体检测活化血液白细胞表面抗原，(4)基因编码荧光生物传感器，(5)病毒和蛋白笼，(6)蛋白-蛋白复合物，(7)正常和模拟疾病样朊蛋白的单瞬时、受体潜在突变体，(8)蛋白质与小分子的相互作用。荧光光谱学是一种电磁光谱学，它分析样品的荧光，样品被一束光照射，激发分子中的电子并使它们发出较低能量的光。这些测量在化学、生物化学和生命科学中非常重要，并提供了对化学和生物化学过程的理解。仪器开发过程将涉及一大批调查人员，包括教授、研究生和本科生，其中一些人来自代表性不足的群体。

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program Mary Cloninger from Montana State University (MSU) will develop and commission two fluorescence spectrometers: one primarily for high throughput screening and imaging work and the other primarily aimed at UV applications. The instruments will operate routinely in the microplate format with temperature control of the plate. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop instruments on which researchers can routinely produce high quality fluorescence lifetime data. The instruments will use technology acquired through an industrial collaboration with Fluorescence Innovations. Eight research projects by an equal number of researchers will be developed: (1) multivalent protein-carbohydrate interactions, (2) fluorescence lifetime imaging of 2D gels, (3) surface antigens on activated blood leukocytes detected by specific monoclonal antibodies, (4) genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors, (5) viruses and protein cages, (6) protein-protein complexes, (7) single-transient, receptor-potential mutants of normal and modeled disease-like prion protein and (8) interactions of proteins with small molecules.Fluorescence spectroscopy is a type of electromagnetic spectroscopy which analyzes fluorescence from a sample that has been irradiated by a beam of light that excites electrons in molecules and causes them to emit light of lower energy. These measurements are of great importance in Chemistry, Biochemistry and Life Sciences and provide understanding of chemical and biochemical processes. The instrument development process will involve a large group of investigators including professors, graduate and undergraduate students, some of them from underrepresented groups.