MRI/Acquisition: Upgrading the Confocal Imaging Facility at the University of Puerto Rico to Enable Emission Fingerprinting

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。波多黎各大学共聚焦成像设备（CIF-UPR, www.cifupr.org）位于Río Piedras校区（UPR-RP）。基金-普遍定期审议于2001年8月开始运作，由EPSCoR和NIH/NCRR资助，从那时起加强了波多黎各-里奥彼德拉斯大学的研究和与研究有关的教育，并向其他机构提供服务。现有研究人员10余人，博士后9人，博士生14人，本科生17人。CIF-UPR将升级为蔡司LSM 510 META共聚焦显微镜。这一升级将使荧光发射指纹识别成为可能，这是一种在多荧光成像中记录、分析和分离发射信号的创新方法。事实上，这一升级将对一系列研究项目和应用产生重大影响，从离子通道的基础研究、受体运输、海参再生到哺乳动物感觉结构的神经生理学。此外，它还将促进和加强波多黎各内外其他机构的调查人员之间的协作和多学科合作。此外，这一升级将影响到目前由联邦资助项目提供的奖学金或助学金支持的大量少数民族学生的发展。最后，基金-普遍定期审议承诺继续支持在波多黎各开发和引进新的成像技术和设备，并促进在整个波多黎各大学科学界和私营少数族裔机构内转让知识、技术和使用这些技术的培训。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The Confocal Imaging Facility at University of Puerto Rico (CIF-UPR, www.cifupr.org) is located at the Río Piedras Campus (UPR-RP). CIF-UPR began operations on August 2001 sponsored by EPSCoR and NIH/NCRR grants and since then has strengthened research and research-related education at University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras and provided services to other institutions as well. The current facility provides services to more than 10 investigators, 9 postdoctoral fellows, 14 Ph.D. students and 17 undergraduate students. CIF-UPR will be upgraded with a Zeiss LSM 510 META confocal microscope. This upgrade will enable fluorescence emission fingerprinting, an innovative method for the recording, analysis and separation of emission signals in multi-fluorescence imaging. Indeed, this upgrade will have a major impact on a list of research projects and applications that range from basic studies of ion channels, receptor trafficking, regeneration in the sea cucumber to neurophysiology of mammalian sensory structures. In addition, it will also foster and strengthen collaborative and multidisciplinary collaborations among investigators in UPR-RP and other institutions inside and outside Puerto Rico. Moreover, this upgrade will impact the development of a large population of minority students that are currently supported by fellowships or assistantships provided by federally sponsored programs. Finally, CIF-UPR is committed to continue to support the development and introduction of novel imaging techniques and equipment in Puerto Rico and to promote transfer of knowledge, technology, and training in their use within the entire University of Puerto Rico scientific community and private minority institutions.