MRI: Acquisition of a digital spatial molecular profiler to advance research and training at a Hispanic-serving institution

德克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥分校（UTSA）获得了一项奖励，购买了NanoString GeoMx数字空间分析仪（DSP）系统，该系统具有独特的能力，可在组织切片中原位灵敏检测40种蛋白质或96种RNA（高达1000重）。在UTSA收购GeoMx DSP系统作为共享仪器将使科学家，工程师和各级学生（高中，本科，研究生和博士后）能够使用最先进的研究仪器。在几个方案和课程中，少数民族学员使用仪器将有助于扩大他们对现代研究工作的参与。GeoMx DSP系统将被数百名研究学员/人员和参加有组织课程的学生使用，为他们提供尖端技术培训，激发他们对研究的兴趣，并最大限度地提高他们在学术和工业科学领域的职业生涯的市场竞争力。最终，该资源将与现有的教学和推广计划相结合，以促进使用现实世界的实验和发现的学习。在推广活动中使用将有助于扩大我们社会成员的科学素养。NanoString GeoMx DSP系统通过允许高通量检测组织切片中的蛋白质或RNA，解决了当代组学水平分子生物学研究的主要限制。蛋白质或RNA的高度多路复用的空间检测将有助于解释由复杂组织结构的背景中的蛋白质或基因表达所指示的基本生物过程，而不是排除复杂组织结构的背景。该仪器将被安置在现有的UTSA基因组学核心中，该核心已经配备了用于高通量批量或单细胞组学研究的仪器。因此，GeoMx DSP的加入将有利于UTSA科学学院和工程学院多个部门的研究人员，以及圣安东尼奥和南德克萨斯州的各种学术机构。UTSA的研究人员将使用这种仪器来询问广泛的基础生物学研究主题的变革性问题，包括生殖干细胞生态位生物学，大脑发育的脑类器官模型，组织工程构建体中的血管化，化学感觉神经元回路，节肢动物载体耐受性，骨骼肌替代物的生物工程和昆虫嗅觉机制。这些用途反映了在没有GeoMx DSP的情况下无法进行的实验，证明了这种仪器的变革性质。使用该仪器进行的研究结果将在同行评审的科学期刊出版物和科学会议上传播。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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 The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) to purchase a NanoString GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP) system which affords the unique capacity for sensitive detection of 40 proteins or 96 RNAs (up to 1000-plex) in situ in tissue sections. Acquisition of the GeoMx DSP system at UTSA as shared instrumentation will enable use of a state-of-the-art research instrument by scientists, engineers, and students at all levels (high-school, undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral). Use of the instrumentation by underrepresented minority trainees in several programs and courses will help to broaden their participation in modern research endeavors. The GeoMx DSP system will be used by hundreds of research trainees/personnel and students enrolled in organized courses to provide them with training in cutting-edge technology, pique their interest in research, and maximize their marketability for careers in academic and industrial science. Ultimately, this resource will be integrated with existing teaching and outreach programs to promote learning using real-world experimentation and discovery. Use in outreach activities will help expand scientific literacy among members of our society. The NanoString GeoMx DSP system addresses a major limitation of contemporary ‘omics-level molecular biology research by permitting high-throughput detection of proteins or RNAs in tissue sections. Highly multiplexed, spatial detection of proteins or RNAs will facilitate interpretation of basic biological processes indicated by protein or gene expression within, rather than to the exclusion of, the context of complex tissue architecture. This instrumentation will be housed within the existing UTSA Genomics Core which is already equipped with instrumentation for high-throughput bulk or single-cell ‘omics studies. Thus, the addition of the GeoMx DSP will be optimally situated to benefit investigators in multiple departments within the College of Science and College of Engineering at UTSA, as well as various academic institutions across San Antonio and South Texas. UTSA investigators will use this instrument to ask transformative questions on broad basic biology research topics including germline stem cell niche biology, cerebral organoid models of brain development, vascularization in tissue engineered constructs, chemosensory neuronal circuitry, arthropod vector tolerance, bioengineering of skeletal muscle replacements, and mechanisms of insect olfaction. These uses reflect experiments that could not otherwise be undertaken without the GeoMx DSP, demonstrating the transformative nature of this instrumentation. Results from the research performed with this instrumentation will be disseminated in peer-reviewed scientific journal publications and at scientific meetings.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.