Live Cell Multimode Microscope

这项请求是为了获得购买多模活细胞倒置荧光显微镜的资金。该仪器将作为研究生院公共卫生(GSPH)环境与职业卫生系(EOH)的主要光学显微镜图像采集系统。对EOH的这一新需求的结果是：a)立即和未来招募具有活细胞成像需求的分子毒理学家；b)扩展EOH内部的现有计划，以检查环境应激对活细胞生理的问题，并对环境诱变剂后的染色体异常进行荧光原位杂交研究。这些研究人员目前位于宾夕法尼亚州布拉诺克斯的环境和职业健康与毒理学中心(CEOHT)，距离匹兹堡大学GSPH和医学院9英里。没有支持活细胞成像的显微镜设施，也没有从微光样本收集图像的能力，如原位荧光杂交。然而，有一个高度当代的生物成像中心(CBI)，由西蒙·沃特金斯(Simon Watkins)领导，他是医学院的博士。尽管将CEOHT搬到宾夕法尼亚州奥克兰的匹兹堡大学校园的计划正在进行中，但可能的新址仍将与CBI保持相当大的距离。这项请求的目的是在CEOHT内部建立一个基础广泛的荧光成像平台，以：a)促进本来无法容忍CEOHT和CBI之间的旅行的研究；b)允许在订阅量很大的CBI中执行更复杂的应用程序之前进行成像方面的开发工作；c)通过在环境健康科学中引入常规的荧光成像来加强博士后和博士后学生的培训。因此，提出了购买高质量、可扩展的光学平台的请求，该光学平台能够以铬之间精细的信号分离来采样几种不同的荧光染料，能够执行极弱光信号的定量分析的灵敏相机系统，能够以最小的细胞杀灭从活细胞中收集图像的能力，以及包含专门为环境健康科学中的应用而设计的模块的计算机系统。

This request is for funds to purchase a multimode live cell inverted fluorescence microscope. This instrument will serve as the primary light microscopic image collection system within the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH) of the Graduate School Public Health (GSPH). This new need for EOH is the result of: a) immediate and future recruitment of molecular toxicologists with live cell imaging needs; b) the expansion of existing programs within EOH to examine issues of environmental stress on the physiology of live cells and fluorescence in situ hybridization studies for chromosomal aberrations after environmental mutagens. These investigators are currently located in the Center for Environmental and Occupational Health and Toxicology (CEOHT) in Blawnox, PA that is 9 miles from the University of Pittsburgh GSPH and School of Medicine. There are no microscopic facilities that support live cell imaging nor is there an ability to collect images from low light samples such as in situ fluorescent hybridization. There is, however, a highly contemporary Center for Biological Imaging (CBI) directed by Simon Watkins, Ph.D. in the School of Medicine. Although plans are underway to move CEOHT onto the University of Pittsburgh campus in Oakland, PA, the likely new site will remain at a considerable distance from CBI. It is the intent of this request to establish a broad based platform of fluorescence imaging within CEOHT to: a) facilitate studies that otherwise could not tolerate travel between CEOHT and CBI; b) allow developmental work in imaging prior to execution of more sophisticated applications in heavily subscribed CBI; and c) enhance training of pre- and post- doctoral students by introducing routine fluorescence imaging in environmental health science. Accordingly a request is made to purchase a high quality, expandable optical platform able to sample several different fluorochromes with exquisite signal separation between chromes, a sensitive camera system able to perform quantitative analysis of extremely low light signals, the ability to collect images from live cells with minimal cell killing, and a computer system containing modules specifically designed for applications in environmental health science.