MRI: Acquisition of a Digital light sheet microscope Leica TCS SP8 DLS: Bringing Light-Sheet Microscopy to Maine for Research and STEM Education

缅因大学获得了一个奖项，在缅因州建立了第一个使用薄片显微镜的合作成像设施。分析完整器官和/或活生物体内的生物过程是理解发育和衰老的基础。传统上，获得体内三维和/或延时数据的过程一直受到技术困难的阻碍，这些困难在很大程度上可以通过使用薄片显微镜来克服。该奖项将促进前沿研究，并促进缅因大学、缅因医学研究中心研究所、杰克逊实验室和荒岛山生物站研究人员之间的合作。为了增加这种显微镜对本科教育的影响，将创建一个新的CURE（基于课程的本科研究经验），题为：“使用薄片显微镜发现发展，疾病和衰老”。这门课程将允许学生发展自己的研究项目，并将包括成像、数据分析、伦理、科学写作和公开演讲方面的培训。该奖项将通过将用薄片显微镜获得的数据纳入初高中科学课程，为K-12学生的教育做出贡献。这些数据集也将在全州的科学咖啡馆和缅因州科学节上展示。该奖项将促进教师的研究项目和博士后、研究生和本科生的培训。受影响的研究项目涉及：(1)肌肉和神经肌肉的发育和疾病，(2)体内宿主-病原体相互作用的机制，(3)发育中的肾脏中祖细胞更新的三维表征，(4)图像分析算法的开发和实施，以及(5)全脂肪库中神经支配的三维成像等。上述研究项目的一个共同障碍是，目前资源有限，无法对发育和生理基础上的细胞过程进行延时和/或三维表征。光片显微镜的成像速度、平铺功能、光谱能力和成像深度的提高将彻底改变可以解决的研究问题的类型和规模。这些研究项目的成果将是对基础生物学和疾病过程的新见解。此外，新的图像分析算法将实施和适应开源，用户友好的平台。总之，光片显微镜将改变缅因州的研究项目，并以学生培训和出版物的形式提供非常高的科学投资回报。此外，这项资助的教师将参与多个人口统计部门的科学素养和探究。因此，徕卡TCS SP8 DLS将加强和扩大缅因大学的教育，研究和推广使命。

An award is made to the University of Maine to establish the first collaborative imaging facility with a light-sheet microscope in Maine. Analysis of biological processes within intact organs and/or living organisms is fundamental to understanding development and aging. The process of acquiring three-dimensional and/or time-lapse data in vivo has traditionally been hampered by technical difficulties that can be overcome, in large part, by using light-sheet microscopy. This award will facilitate cutting edge research and promote collaboration between researchers at the University of Maine, Maine Medical Research Center Institute, The Jackson Laboratories, and Mount Desert Island Biological Station. In order to increase the impact of this microscope on undergraduate education, a new CURE (course-based undergraduate research experience) entitled: "Discovery in development, disease, and aging using light-sheet microscopy" will be created. This course will allow students to develop their own research projects and will include training in imaging, data analysis, ethics, scientific writing, and public speaking. This award will contribute to education of K-12 students by incorporating data obtained with the light-sheet microscope into middle and high school science classes. These datasets will also be shown at Science Cafes throughout the state and at the Maine State Science Festival.This award will promote faculty research programs and training of post-doctoral fellows, graduate, and undergraduate students. The research programs impacted pertain to: (1) muscle and neuromuscular development and disease, (2) mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions in vivo, (3) three-dimensional characterization of progenitor cell renewal in the developing kidney, (4) development and implementation of image analysis algorithms, and (5) three-dimensional imaging of neural innervation in whole-adipose depots, among others. A common barrier to the above research projects is the limitation of current resources with regards to time-lapse and/or three-dimensional characterization of cellular processes underlying development and physiology. The increased speed of imaging, tiling function, spectral capabilities, and imaging depth of the light-sheet microscope will revolutionize the type and scale of research questions that can be addressed. The outcome of these research projects will be novel insight into basic biology and disease processes. In addition, new image analysis algorithms will be implemented and adapted to open-source, user-friendly platforms. In summary, a light-sheet microscope will transform Maine research programs and provide a very high scientific return-on-investment in the form of student training and publications. In addition, faculty on this grant will engage multiple demographic sectors in scientific literacy and inquiry. Thus, the Leica TCS SP8 DLS will enhance and expand the University of Maine's mission of education, research, and outreach.