MRI: Acquisition of a Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope System for Research, Education, and Training

北卡罗来纳中央大学(NCCU)被授予一项奖励，以支持购买用于研究和培训活动的共焦显微镜。共焦显微镜将被广泛用于支持28名终身教职、独立资助的教师的基础研究活动，每个教师都领导着研究项目，这些项目将显著促进他们所选领域的知识，并指导以少数族裔为主的社区的本科生和研究生。新的显微镜将使下一代科学家能够接受现代显微镜方法的培训，以分析各种生物样本。该系统将用于通过现有课程和直接的本科生和研究生研究经验培训学生最先进的成像采集应用程序。该显微镜还将纳入针对初中生和高中生的外展活动。新的显微镜将极大地增强NCCU许多教职员工的科学发现，他们使用斑马鱼、哺乳动物细胞培养、果蝇、老鼠和转基因植物研究一系列不同的主题。将使用共聚焦显微镜的一系列能力的项目包括：神经元发育和构图、转基因植物中重组蛋白的表达、多配体/受体靶标的分析、脑发育和线粒体生物发生以及细胞生长的调节。与3D打印技术相结合，这种最先进的共焦显微镜将成为发展生物医学科学和工程领域个人之间跨学科合作的关键手段。这些研究的数据和分析将发表在同行评议的科学期刊上，在科学会议上提交，并用于教育和公共宣传活动。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

An award is made to North Carolina Central University (NCCU) to support the acquisition of a confocal microscope for research and training activities. The confocal microscope will be used extensively to support the fundamental research activities of twenty-eight tenure-track, independently funded faculty, each directing research programs that will significantly advance knowledge in their chosen fields and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students from predominantly minority communities. The new microscope will enable the training of the next generation of scientists in modern microscopy methods for the analysis of diverse biological samples. This system will be used to train students in state-of-the-art imaging acquisition applications via existing courses and during direct undergraduate and graduate research experiences. The microscope will also be incorporated into outreach activities for middle and high school students. The new microscope will critically enhance the scientific findings of many NCCU faculty who study a diverse range of topics using zebrafish, mammalian cell culture, Drosophila, mice, and transgenic plants. Projects that will use the range of capabilities of the confocal microscope include: neuronal developing and patterning, recombinant protein expression in transgenic plants, analyses with multiple ligand/receptor targets, brain development and mitochondrial biogenesis, and regulation of cell growth. Together with 3D printing technologies, this state-of-the-art confocal microscope will serve as a key means to develop interdisciplinary collaborations between individuals in the biomedical sciences and engineering. Data and analyses from these studies will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, presented at scientific meetings, and used in both educational and public outreach activities.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.