MRI: Acquisition of Instrumentation for Enhancement of Undergraduate Research and Pedagogy in Molecular Bioengineering

0923273Ferri“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。”该MRI需要一个细胞级Biotester 5000双轴材料测试系统，应用生物系统（ABI）实时聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）分析套件和尼康Ti-E倒置C1共聚焦激光扫描显微镜。Cell-Scale Biotester 5000将用于测量合成和天然软纳米膜的机械性能，ABI RT-PCR系统将用于测量工程菌株的基因表达，而尼康Ti-E C1将用于成像细胞粘附蛋白作为底物机械性能的功能，以及工程纳米复合组织支架中施加的负载和分子运输。局部基质刚度对细胞功能的反馈对细胞发育、分化、疾病和再生具有重要意义。该研究将对生物医学新兴技术以及机械反应、生化信号（特别是基因表达）和细胞微观结构之间的关系产生重大影响。pi提议在拉斐特学院（一所本科院校）开展一项综合研究和教育计划，该计划将继续扩大本科生对分子生物力学的参与，同时为拉斐特的生物工程/生物技术计划建立基础设施。对该MRI的支持还将加强一名教师的早期职业发展，该教师来自一个未被充分代表的群体（特别是女性），此前通过NSF-GRFP确定为一名具有杰出潜力的年轻研究人员，从而加强拉斐特工程学院对女性的持续招聘和保留。

0923273Ferri"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."This MRI requests a Cell-Scale Biotester 5000 biaxial materials testing system, Applied Biosystems (ABI) real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis suite, and a Nikon Ti-E inverted C1 confocal laser scanning microscope. The Cell-Scale Biotester 5000 will be used to measure mechanical properties of synthetic and natural soft nanomembranes, the ABI RT-PCR system will be used to measure gene expression in response to engineering strain, and the Nikon Ti-E C1 will be used to image cellular adhesion proteins as a function of mechanical properties of the substrate and applied load and molecular transport in engineered nanocomposite tissue scaffolds. The feedback of local matrix stiffness on cellular functions has important implications for development, differentiation, disease, and regeneration. This research will have a significant impact in the emerging technologies in biomedicine and the relationships between mechanical response, biochemical signaling (specifically gene expression), and cell microstructure. The PIs propose an integrative research and education program at Lafayette College, an undergraduate institution, which will continue to expand the participation of undergraduates in molecular biomechanics while building infrastructure for the Bioengineering/Biotechnology program at Lafayette. Support for this MRI will also strengthen the early career development of a faculty member from an underrepresented group (specifically women) previously identified through the NSF-GRFP as a young researcher with outstanding potential, thereby enhancing the continued recruitment and retention of women in engineering at Lafayette.