ZEISS LSM 510 NLO CONFOCAL/MULTIPHOTON SYSTEM WITH TI

申请资金用于购买新的蔡司LSM 510 NLO组合共聚焦/多光子显微镜，用于南卡罗来纳医科大学（MUSC）的多学科和跨部门用户组。主要用户组由生理学系和细胞与分子药理学学系的3名成员组成，病理学、妇产科、心脏病学和霍林斯癌症中心各1名成员。建议的主要用户群，包括在共聚焦显微镜方面具有丰富经验的强大核心用户，都对共聚焦和/或多光子显微镜有迫切和关键的需求。总的来说，12个主要用户参与了19个不同的NIH资助的活跃项目（15个作为主要研究人员），9个来自其他来源的活跃项目，以及6个未决的NIH资助申请。提出这一建议的主要理由是1)MUSC的共聚焦显微镜的高度限制和有限的可用性，2)MUSC缺乏多光子显微镜的能力。购买带有Ti：蓝宝石激光器的蔡司LSM 510 NLO系统将通过在单个组合系统中提供共聚焦和多光子成像来解决这两个问题。随着MUSC研究基地在研究人员数量方面的扩大，对高清晰度激光成像能力的需求也在急剧增加。这种快速扩张今天仍在继续，将超过MUSC有限的成像资源。购买这种最先进的仪器将：(1)为新的研究人员提供一个富有成效的环境；(2)为跨学科和多研究人员的研究计划提供基础；(3)允许完成现有的NIH资助项目；(4)允许开发新的NIH资助的研究项目。该仪器将被安置在生理和神经科学部门，并将作为一个共享的核心设施进行操作。详细的组织计划、大量的机构支持和长期维护计划将确保仪器的持续可行性和最大限度地使用。

Funds are requested to purchase a new Zeiss LSM 510 NLO combination confocal/multi-photon microscope for a multi-disciplinary and inter-departmental user group at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). The major user group consists of 3 members from the Department of Physiology & of Cell & Molecular Pharmacology, 1 each from the Department of Pathology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Cardiology, and the Hollings Cancer Center. The proposed major user group, which includes a strong core of users with extensive experience in confocal microscopy, all have an urgent and critical need for confocal and/or multi-photon microscopy. Collectively, the 12 major users participate in 19 different active, NIH-funded grants (15 as principal investigators), 9 active grants from other sources, and 6 pending NIH grant applications. The major rationale for this proposal is 1) the highly restricted and limited availability of confocal microscopy at MUSC and 2) the lack of multi-photon microscopy capability at MUSC. Purchase of the Zeiss LSM 510 NLO system with a Ti: Sapphire Laser will address both of these problems by providing confocal and multi- photon imaging in a single combination system. Concomitant with the expansion of MUSC's research base in terms of numbers of investigators, there has been a tremendous increase in the need for high definition laser-based imaging capabilities. This rapid expansion is continuing today and will outstrip the limited imaging resources at MUSC. Purchase of this state-of-the-art instrument will: (1) provide a productive environment for new investigators: (2) provide a basis for inter-disciplinary and multi-investigator research initiatives; (3) allow completion of existing NIH funded projects; and (4) allow development of new NIH funded research projects. The instrument will be housed within the Department of Physiology and Neuroscience and will be operated as a shared core facility. A detailed organizational plan, substantial institutional support, and a long-term maintenance plan will ensure sustained viability and maximal use of the instrument.