Automated high throughput high-resolution imaging

解决生物学的基本问题需要获得大量的数据和优秀的分析方法。对于利用组织和动物解决生物学问题的研究，由于缺乏在短时间内以高分辨率获取和分析大量图像的技术，进展的步伐主要受到阻碍。这种技术最近已经建成，其形式是计算机控制的机器人设备与共聚焦显微镜相结合。这种被称为VAST的高通量设备可以自动装载、定位、成像并将数百个活胚胎重新分配到多孔板中。成像是在记录时间内以亚细胞分辨率完成的，同时保持对重新分配的动物进行进一步研究的所有数据的跟踪。计算机不仅获取数据，而且根据所调查的具体研究问题所定义的参数对数据进行分析。除了爱丁堡，这种设备在英国还没有上市。因此，我们建议在伦敦购买这样的设备，以造福于BBSRC支持的一大批科学项目。此外，我们计划向首都及其周边地区更广泛的科学界开放这些设备。布莱顿、剑桥、巴斯、布里斯托尔)。

Solving essential questions of biology requires the acquisition of large amount of data and excellent analytical approaches. For research addressing biological problems using tissues and animals, the pace of progress is mostly hampered by the lack of technologies allowing to acquire and analyse large amount of images at high resolution in a short period of time. Such technology has recently been built, in the form of a computer-controlled robotic device coupled to a confocal microscope. This high throughput equipment, called VAST, can automatically load, orient, image and redistribute hundreds of live embryos into multiwell plates. Imaging is done at subcellular resolution in record time, while keeping track of all the data to the redistributed animals for further studies. The computer not only acquire the data but also analyse them according to parameters defined by the specific research question investigated. Such equipment is to yet available in the UK, except for Edinburgh. We therefore propose to acquire such equipment in London, for the benefit of a large set pf scientific programmes supported by the BBSRC. Moreover, we plan to open the equipment to a broader scientific community, in and around the capital (eg. Brighton, Cambridge, Bath, Bristol).