MRI: Acquisition of a Zeiss LSM 900 with Airyscan 2 for Research and Education at Northern Illinois University

授予北方伊利诺伊大学（NIU）获得共聚焦激光扫描显微镜（CLSM）。 CLSM的收购提升了NIU的成像技术，使其符合现代标准，并超越了现有的NIU教师驱动的研究，并为本科生和研究生创造了一个充满活力的学习环境，提供先进成像技术的新培训机会。成功的教育经验将有助于鼓励，激励和培养下一代STEM科学家成为拥有现代显微镜知识和技能的富有成效的研究人员和公民。在推广领域，CLSM将使NIU能够扩大其资源，为那些传统上缺乏教育，职业和研究机会的人提供机会，以帮助缩小弱势学生和弱势学生之间的差距。通过这些方式，CLSM的收购有助于通过扩大机会和扩大在北方伊利诺伊州地区的团体和组织的参与，这些团体和组织在STEM学科中的代表性不足，并加强了NIU在STEM研究和教育中的地位。与外部合作伙伴（如社区）分享知识，将成果转化为新的模式，最终影响社会、经济、环境和所有人类健康。 此外，CLSM的收购立即导致改善教师和学生的招聘，加强教师和学生的保留，增加机构的承诺，加快和提高创新能力。 新的CLSM支持多个科学学科（包括但不限于生物学，化学，物理学，心理学和工程学）的广泛研究任务，并加强了至少23名研究人员（1名PI，4名共同PI和19名CLSM用户）的研究计划，旨在揭示生命过程。 CLSM增强的研究项目调查生化和细胞相互作用，神经生物学，发育生物学，微生物学，宿主-寄生虫相互作用，纳米颗粒/纳米技术，转运功能所需的脂质成分，压力对血管流动和检测器开发的贡献。研究项目将使用CLSM的特殊功能和尖端成像能力（超分辨率成像，通过高灵敏度和更快的扫描速度实现的活细胞成像，具有高信噪比，光谱灵活性以检测超过2个荧光团，超分辨率成像和共定位技术（FRET）。 各研究小组使用的模型系统包括各种培养的人类细胞系、小家鼠、褐家鼠、黑腹果蝇和其他昆虫、各种珊瑚、一系列微生物以及一系列化学和机械系统。 研究结果将在同行评审的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 Northern Illinois University (NIU) to acquire a Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM). Acquisition of the CLSM boosts NIU’s imaging technology in line with modern standards and beyond to support existing NIU faculty-driven research and also creating a vibrant learning environment with new training opportunities in advanced imaging technologies for undergraduate and graduate students. Successful educational experiences will help encourage, motivate, and nurture the next generation of STEM scientists to become productive researchers and citizens who possess modern microscopy knowledge and skills. In the area of outreach, the CLSM will enable NIU to extend its resources to open educational, career and research opportunities to those who traditionally lack them to help close the gap between disadvantaged and advantaged students. In these ways, the acquisition of the CLSM contributes to STEM outreach by broadening opportunities and expanding participation of groups and organizations in the northern Illinois area that are underrepresented in STEM disciplines and strengthens NIU’s position in STEM research and education. Sharing knowledge with external partners, such as the community, implements translation of results into new models that can ultimately impact society, the economy, the environment and all human health. Additionally, the CLSM acquisition immediately results in improved recruitment of faculty and students, reinforced faculty and student retention, increased institutional commitment and accelerated and increased capacity for innovation. The new CLSM supports a wide array of research missions in several science disciplines (including but not limited to biology, chemistry, physics, psychology and engineering) and strengthens the research programs of a diverse group of at least 23 investigators (1 PI, 4 co-PI and 19 CLSM users) aimed towards revealing life processes. Research projects enhanced by the CLSM investigate biochemical and cellular interactions, neurobiology, developmental biology, microbiology, host-parasite interactions, nanoparticles/nanotechnology, lipid composition required for transporter functions, contributions of stress on vascular flow and detector development. Research projects will use the special features and cutting-edge imaging capabilities of the CLSM (super-resolution imaging, live-cell imaging accomplished by high sensitivity and faster scan speeds with high signal-to-noise ratio, spectral flexibility to detect more than 2 fluorophores, super resolution imaging and co-localization techniques (FRET). The model systems used by the various research groups include various cultured human cell lines, Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, Drosophila melanogaster and other insects, various species of corals, a range of microorganisms and an array of chemical and mechanical systems. Results from the research will be disseminated in peer-reviewed 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.