Instrumentation Grant/Leica TCS SP2 Confocal Microscope

描述(由申请人提供)：这是一份修改后的申请，申请资金购买徕卡TCS SP2 AOBS共聚焦显微镜系统，以支持迈阿密大学医学院NIH资助的一组研究人员的研究项目，这些研究人员来自细胞生物学和解剖学、分子和细胞药理学以及眼科。传统的激光扫描共聚焦显微镜(LSCM)现在是一种最先进的技术，用于从厚厚的生物标本中进行生命成像和/或获取高分辨率光学切片。该领域的最新进展使得实时和多维成像以及高质量的活体成像成为可能。因此，这种仪器对于当前的尖端研究是绝对关键的。所要求的仪器将主要面向一个小但基础广泛的用户群体，该群体由来自三个部门的分子细胞生物学家和视觉科学家组成。其中9名研究人员(关键人员)在NIH资助的研究中对这项技术有丰富的经验。其他一些调查员是新用户，Access将为他们提供更广泛的方法。据估计，这一群体的需求将约占仪器使用的97%。剩下的时间将提供给加入该小组的新调查人员，并为目前严重超额预定的机构核心设施提供支持。新的徕卡仪器将安装在麦克奈特分析成像核心设施中。该设施将由两名全职教职员工指导和共同指导，并由一名专门的技术经理监督，该经理将主要负责维护仪器和培训新用户。已经组织了一个咨询委员会来监督该文书的使用和维护。咨询委员会制定了使用和公平分享该文书的政策，并制定了长期维持该文书的计划。坚定的机构承诺为核心设施和工具提供持续的支持。主要用户组中约有一半的成员需要大量时间来使用仪器，而校园内现有的单一核心设施无法满足这一需求。所选的仪器进一步满足了校园现有仪器无法满足的特定技术需求。更好地获得这项技术将极大地增强NIH资助的用户群体的项目。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is a revised application requesting funds to purchase a Leica TCS SP2 AOBS confocal microscopy system to support the research projects of a group of NIH-funded Investigators at the University of Miami School of Medicine, drawn from the Departments of Cell Biology & Anatomy, Molecular & Cellular Pharmacology, and Ophthalmology. Conventional laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) is now a state-of-the-art technology for vital imaging and/or the acquisition of high-resolution optical sections from thick biological specimens. Recent advancements in this field allow real-time and multi-dimensional imaging, as well as high quality in vivo imaging. Thus this instrumentation is absolutely critical for current cutting edge research. The instrumentation requested will be dedicated primarily to a small but broad-based user group composed of molecular cell biologists and vision scientists drawn form three departments. Nine of these investigators (Key Personnel) have had extensive experience with the technology in their NIH-funded research. A number of additional investigators are new users for whom access will provide a broader range of approaches. It is estimated that the needs of this group will account for approximately 97% of instrumentation use. The remainder of the time will be made available to new investigators who join the group, and to back-up the institutional core facility, which is currently heavily overbooked. The new Leica instrument will be housed in the McKnight Analytic Imaging Core Facility. The facility will be directed and co-directed by two full-time faculty members and supervised by a dedicated technical manager who will have primary responsibility for maintaining the instrument and training new users. An advisory committee has been organized to oversee the use and maintenance of the instrument. Policies for the use and equitable sharing of the instrument, and a plan for its long-term maintenance have been established by the advisory committee. Strong institutional commitment provides ongoing support for the core facility and the instrumentation. About half of the members of the primary user group have extensive time needs for use of the instrumentation which cannot be satisfied by the single existing core facility on campus. The instrument chosen further satisfies specific technical needs that are not met by the existing instrumentation on campus. Improved access to this technology will greatly enhance the NIH-funded projects of the user group.