MRI: Acquisition of a laser scanning confocal microscope to advance research and education in biology and physics at the University of San Diego

来自圣地亚哥大学生物和物理系的五名研究生产教师将购买，安装，维护和管理共享激光扫描共聚焦显微镜，以推进生理，细胞，分子和生物物理科学的研究。共聚焦显微镜是必不可少的，在提供灵敏，高分辨率，三维，时间分辨成像，以表征：离子转运蛋白在水生动物的表达（帕特里克，冈萨雷斯），活性氧在植物（贝尔德），胆碱能神经元在蠕虫（Loer），细胞内运输细胞迁移（Prigozhina）和扩散DNA分子的分子内动力学。PI和co-PI的研究是高度综合性的，需要广泛的共聚焦技术，这将使成像和数据采集在广泛的放大范围内，从单个大分子（DNA）和活细胞中事件的实时成像，到定位整个组织或完整生物体中的分子。奥林巴斯Fluo View 1000/IX 81倒置显微镜的规格将满足教师的共聚焦研究和培训需求，并为新的合作项目提供机会。NSF奖将用于为USD生物和物理系的五名教师购买共聚焦显微镜，其中三名是女性教师，包括一名终身职前的初级物理教师。USD是一所本科院校，58%的学生是女性，20%是代表性不足的种族。PI和co-PI在全年与本科生进行富有成效的合作研究方面有着良好的记录。来自Mater Dei高中（80%拉丁裔/a和20%来自经济上处于不利地位的背景）和圣地亚哥城市学院（57%女性，70%少数民族）的学生也将受益于在与USD科学教师的夏季研究中获得共聚焦技术的技能。共聚焦技术到我们的研究为基础的课程整合将增加几个生物学和物理课程，并提供一个机会，开发一个跨学科的显微镜技术课程的新的生物物理学专业。这种最先进的仪器将丰富学生在USD STEM领域的研究和教育经验，并吸引积极性很高的本科生从事科学事业。

Five research-productive faculty members from the biology and physics departments at the University of San Diego will purchase, install, maintain, and manage a shared laser scanning confocal microscope to advance research in the physiological, cellular, molecular, and biophysical sciences. Confocal microscopy is essential in providing sensitive, high resolution, three-dimensional, time-resolved imaging so as to characterize: ion transporter expression in aquatic animals (Patrick, Gonzalez), reactive oxygen species in plants (Baird), serotonergic neurons in worms (Loer), intracellular trafficking in cellular migration (Prigozhina) and the intramolecular dynamics of diffusing DNA molecules. Research by the PI and co-PIs is highly integrative and requires a breadth of confocal technology that will enable imaging and data acquisition over a wide range of magnification, ranging from individual macromolecules (DNA) and real-time imaging of events in live cells, to localizing molecules in whole mounts of tissues or intact organisms. The specifications of Olympus Fluo View 1000/IX81 inverted microscope will satisfy the confocal research and training requirements of the faculty and provide opportunities for new and collaborative projects.The NSF award will be used to purchase a confocal microscope for five faculty members in the Biology and Physics departments at USD, three of which are women faculty, including one pre-tenure, junior faculty in Physics. USD is an undergraduate institution where 58% of students are women and 20% are underrepresented ethnicities. The PI and co-PIs have a strong record of productive, collaborative research with undergraduates throughout the year. Students from Mater Dei High School (80% Latino/a and 20% from economically disadvantaged backgrounds) and San Diego City College (57% women, 70% minority status) will also benefit from gaining skills in confocal technology in summer research with USD science faculty. Integration of confocal technology into our research-based curriculum will augment several biology and physics courses and provide an opportunity to develop an interdisciplinary microscopy techniques course for the new biophysics major. This state-of-the-art instrument will enrich the research and educational experience of students in STEM areas at USD and attract highly motivated undergraduates to science careers.