MRI: Elucidating Biomechanistic Processes Using Confoncal Microscopy at San Jose State Univerisity

这笔重大研究仪器计划赠款的资金将用于购买和支持圣何塞州立大学的蔡司LSM 700共焦显微镜。来自生物、化学和土木工程系的研究小组将是主要用户之一，以及圣克拉拉大学的一名生物学教授。这项研究的一个共同主题是阐明生物力学过程，这一收购将使研究得以实现和加强。在遗传学、开发、环境微生物学、细胞生物学、免疫学、生物化学和土木工程领域具有专业知识的教职员工将成为共焦显微镜的主要用户。具体地说，下列研究项目将利用这种显微镜：r-去整合素诱导细胞凋亡；介导神经元电路形成和维持的分子机制；乙醇暴露影响突触可塑性的机制；用于生态生理学研究的新的未培养细菌群的特征；淋巴细胞转运的免疫调节；肌醇多聚糖的细胞定位；检测小鼠卵巢发育过程中的血管生成，1，25-二羟基维生素D3[1，25(OH)2D3]与核维生素D受体(VDR)结合产生的信号转导；使用微生物年代测定和共聚焦显微镜迄今的结构裂缝；圣何塞州立大学是北加州的一所少数族裔服务机构，有很大比例的肢体残疾学生。研究小组积极吸收本科生研究人员和S硕士级别的学生参与他们的项目。购买这种共焦显微镜将影响该大学培训基础设施的四个主要组成部分：1)本科生更多地参与研究，2)促进主动学习，3)专业硕士项目的学生培训，以及4)与其他机构的教职员工和学生的合作。将使用这种共焦显微镜的教职员工是几个项目的研究导师，这些项目旨在增加攻读科学博士学位的少数族裔学生的数量，包括NIH-MARC、MBRS-RISE、HHMI-SCRIBE和NSF-REU伦巴。在他们的研究中学习使用这种最先进的显微镜将有助于学生为科学事业做准备。此外，从显微镜收集的数据将用于本科课程，将当代研究带入课堂。最后，包括圣克拉拉大学在内的周边社区中较小的机构将有机会利用这种显微镜来提高他们的研究潜力。

Funds from this Major Research Instrumentation Program grant will be used for the purchase and support of a Zeiss LSM 700 Confocal Microscope at San José State University. Research groups from the Biology, Chemistry and Civil Engineering departments will be among the major users, as well as a biology professor from Santa Clara University. A common theme to the research that will be enabled and enhanced by this acquisition is to elucidate biomechanistic processes. Faculty members with expertise in the areas of genetics, development, environmental microbiology, cell biology, immunology, biochemistry, and civil engineering will comprise the major users of the confocal microscope. Specifically, the following research projects will utilize this microscope: apoptotic induction by r-disintegrins; molecular mechanisms that mediate neuronal circuit formation and maintenance; mechanisms by which ethanol exposure affects synaptic plasticity; characterization of novel uncultured bacterial groups for ecophysiological studies; immunomodulation of lymphocyte trafficking; cellular localization of inositol glycans; examining angiogenesis during ovarian development in mice, signal transduction resulting from binding of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] to the nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR); using microbiological dating and confocal microscopy to date structural cracks; and developmental analysis of LIN-1 expression.San José State University is a minority serving institution in Northern California with a large proportion of students with physical disabilities. Research groups actively incorporate undergraduate researchers and students at the Master?s level in their projects. Four main components of the training infrastructure at the university will be impacted by the purchase of this confocal microscope: 1) increased involvement of undergraduate students in research, 2) promoting active learning, 3) student training in specialized masters programs, and 4) collaborations with faculty and students at other institutions. Faculty that will utilize this confocal microscope are research mentors for several programs that aim to increase the number of minority students who pursue Ph.D. degrees in the sciences, including NIH-MARC, MBRS-RISE, HHMI-SCRIBE, and NSF-REU RUMBA. Learning to use this state of the art microscope in their research will help prepare students for careers in science. In addition, data collected from this microscope will be used in undergraduate courses to bring contemporary research into the classroom. Finally, smaller institutions in the surrounding community including Santa Clara University will have the opportunity to utilize this microscopy to increase their research potential.