MRI: Acquisition of a laser confocal microscope to enhance faculty research and undergraduate research training

加州圣玛丽学院是一所为西班牙裔服务的机构，获得了一个激光共聚焦显微镜，用于不同本科生群体的研究和研究培训。这台显微镜的收购将使教师能够通过学术课程和基于课程的研究经验，在生物学入门课程和细胞生物学、发育生物学和微生物学课程的高年级课程中培养下一代科学家使用这种成像技术。该工具还将有助于推进通常指导多名本科生的教师的研究项目，从而为学生提供有价值的研究、出版和演讲机会，并帮助他们为学生的研究生课程和STEM职业做好准备。此外，该仪器将被纳入为中学生和社区外展到附近的高需要的高中和当地社区大学的显微镜讲习班。共聚焦显微镜将影响广泛的研究项目，包括交感神经元的树突生长调节；捕食性细菌的细胞相互作用；内源性逆转录病毒中各种多态性的功能rho - gtpase和信号通路在粘附连接的建立和维持中的作用；组蛋白甲基转移酶在莱茵衣藻中的作用；配子与胚胎发育的遗传联系；环境毒素对胚胎和生殖细胞发育的影响影响生殖寿命的因素；识别皮肤和环境表面上不可培养的微生物。此外，这台显微镜将使教师们能够追求以前在圣玛丽学院难以追求的新研究途径。此外，该工具的可用性将使教师和学生研究人员能够解决有影响的研究问题，使他们的研究更快取得成果，并通过会议演讲和同行评审的出版物向科学界传播他们的工作。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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 Saint Mary’s College of California, a Hispanic-serving Institution, for the acquisition of a laser confocal microscope to be used for research and research training of a diverse population of undergraduates. The acquisition of this microscope will allow faculty to train the next generation of scientists in the use of this imaging technology through academic course work and course-based research experiences in both introductory Biology courses and upper division courses in Cell Biology, Developmental Biology and Microbiology courses. This instrument will also help advance research programs of faculty who normally mentor multiple undergraduate students, thereby providing valuable research, publication and presentation opportunities for students and helping them to prepare the students for graduate programs and careers in STEM. In addition, this instrument will be incorporated into microscopy workshops for middle school students and community outreach to nearby high-need high schools and local community colleges.The confocal microscope will impact a broad range of research projects including dendritic growth regulation in sympathetic neurons; the cellular interactions in predatory bacteria; the function of various polymorphisms in endogenous retroviruses; the role of Rho-GTPases and signaling pathways in the establishment and maintenance of adherens junctions; the role of histone methyltransferases in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii; the genetic links between gamete and embryo development; effects of environmental toxins on embryo and germ cell development; factors affecting reproductive lifespan; and identifying unculturable microorganisms present on skin and environmental surfaces. In addition, this microscope will allow the faculty to pursue novel avenues of research that were previously difficult to pursue at Saint Mary’s College. Furthermore, the availability of this instrument will allow faculty and student researchers to address impactful research questions, bring their research to fruition sooner and disseminate their work to the scientific community through conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications.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.