MRI: Acquisition of FACS Cell Sorter for Research on Antibiotic Resistance and Environmental Toxicant Receptors

凯尼恩学院获得了一个荧光激活细胞分选器（FACS）。该细胞分选器将能够分离和定量细胞类型，用于细菌的实验进化，以研究抗生素耐药性和在酸中的生存。这个项目可能会揭示对细菌种群适应性很重要的化学制剂。该仪器还将能够测量动物细胞中的DNA含量，揭示细胞如何分裂以及对环境毒物的反应。这两个目标对环境质量都有潜在的好处。FACS将加强两个本科研究项目，为大约25名在凯尼恩学院发表变革性研究的本科生提供服务；他们中的许多人随后进入了这个国家。美国科研管道。一年级学生将参加研究，这是一项重要的高影响力实践（HIP），可以提高STEM的保留率。本科研究人口包括经济条件不利的学生在凯尼恩的nsf资助的S-STEM计划。在接下来的几年里，该仪器将服务于环境微生物学和免疫学的其他本科生研究项目。FACS将用于测试可能逆转细菌种群抗生素耐药性的化学制剂。该仪器能够通过细胞分析快速筛选抗药逆转剂，用于适应性竞争分析。它还将促进分离具有pH依赖性激发峰的荧光团改变细胞质pH的细菌突变体的新方法。另一个本科研究项目是研究两栖动物对二恶英和其他重要的环境污染物（芳烃）的受体机制。FACS将验证一个令人兴奋的假设，即芳烃受体在调节细胞周期中发挥着独特的作用，而细胞周期是发育和致癌的关键过程。在资助期后，FACS将推动对受人为干扰的水生系统微生物群落结构的新研究。一项免疫学计划将研究巨噬细胞激活在哮喘应激诱导中的作用。

An award is made to Kenyon College to obtain a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). The cell sorter will enable separation and quantitation of cell types for experimental evolution of bacteria to study antibiotic resistance and survival in acid. This project may reveal chemical agents important in the fitness of bacterial populations. The instrument will also enable measurement of DNA content in animal cells, revealing how cells divide and respond to environmental toxicants. Both these aims have potential benefits for environmental quality. The FACS will enhance two undergraduate research programs serving approximately 25 undergraduates who publish transformative research at Kenyon College; many of them subsequently enter the nation?s science research pipeline. First-year students will participate in research, an important high-impact practice (HIP) that enhances STEM retention. The undergraduate research population includes economically disadvantaged students in Kenyon's NSF-funded S-STEM program. In subsequent years, the instrument will serve additional undergraduate research projects in environmental microbiology and immunology. The FACS will be employed to test chemical agents that may reverse antibiotic resistance in bacterial populations. This instrument enables rapid screening of resistance-reversal agents by cell analysis for fitness competition assays. It will also facilitate a novel means of isolating bacterial mutants that have altered cytoplasmic pH, using a fluorophore with pH-dependent excitation peaks. Another undergraduate research program addresses the mechanism of amphibian receptors for dioxins and other important environmental pollutants called aryl hydrocarbons. The FACS will enable testing of an exciting hypothesis that aryl hydrocarbon receptors play distinct roles in regulating the cell cycle, a key process for development and carcinogenesis. Beyond the grant period, the FACS will enable development of new research on the microbial community structure of aquatic systems subject to human disturbance. An immunology program will investigate the role of macrophage activation in stress induction of asthma.