Confocal Microscope for Campus Expansion in the CBH building

描述(由申请人提供)：该提案要求提供资金，用于购买共用的共焦激光扫描显微镜--蔡司LSM 510系统。这个生物分析系统将服务于越来越多的NIH资助的北德克萨斯大学健康科学中心(UNTHSC)的神经科学研究人员，他们最近搬到了新建的生物健康中心(CBH大楼)，这是一个新的场外地点，是UNTHSC校园扩建的一部分。由于使用共焦显微镜进行研究的教职员工和学生人数大幅增加，UNTHSC(位于RES大楼)现有的一台共焦显微镜的能力不足。此外，更重要的是，跨校园的新地点不允许NIH资助的大多数共焦显微镜研究人员有效地使用这项技术，因为他们的基于细胞和组织的分析和模型系统不能容忍运输或暴露在与运输到远程共焦显微镜设施相关的条件下。目前在CBH的UNTHSC的场外位置没有共焦显微镜，也没有直接相邻的建筑物可以让研究人员进行这种专门的数据采集。所要求的仪器将放置在CBH504的显微镜核心设施中，位于中央位置，使所有用户不仅可以从CBH大楼内直接访问，而且可以让所有主要用户直接访问其各自实验室附近的设备。蔡司LSM 510系统是一种最先进的仪器，作为一种得到良好支持和成熟的多用户仪器，有着良好的记录。它将满足目前和未来对先进成像的日益增长的需求，并使UNTHSC的教学技术现代化。目前CBH对共聚焦显微镜的研究需求包括：1)测量活细胞中信号分子的亚细胞变化；2)以传统荧光显微镜无法达到的分辨率对新鲜分离的细胞和组织进行光学切片；3)确定低丰度蛋白质随时间的分布，同时将对细胞生理的影响降至最低；4)阐明转基因细胞中蛋白质表达和运输的机制；5)对新型神经保护剂的体外和体内构效关系进行分析。目前的申请将主要服务于主要研究人员周围的八个主要群体，这些群体由来自不同NIH研究所的同行审查拨款提供外部资金。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposal requests funding for the acquisition of a shared-use confocal laser-scanning microscope, the Zeiss LSM 510 system. This bioanalytical system will serve an increasing community of NIH-funded neuroscience researchers at the University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) that have recently moved to the newly constructed Center for BioHealth (CBH building), a new off-site location that is part of a campus expansion of the UNTHSC. The capabilities of the one current confocal microscope at UNTHSC (located in the RES building) are insufficient due to the strong increase in the number of faculty and students using confocal microscopy for their research. In addition and more importantly, the new location across campus does not allow the majority of NIH-funded investigators of confocal microscopy to effectively use this technology, because their cell and tissue based assays and model systems do not tolerate transport or exposure to conditions associated with transport to a remotely located confocal microscopy facility. There is currently no confocal microscope at the off-site location at UNTHSC, in CBH, nor in a directly adjacent building that would allow researchers to perform this specialized data acquisition. The requested instrument will be housed in the microscopy core facility in CBH504, centrally located to allow all users direct access not only from within the CBH building but also for all major users adjacent to their respective laboratories. The Zeiss LSM 510 system, a state-of-the-art instrument, has a proven track record as a well-supported and established multi-user instrument. It will meet the current increased and future needs for advanced imaging, as well as modernize UNTHSC's teaching technology. Current research needs for a confocal microscope in CBH include: 1) measuring subcellular changes in signaling molecules in live cells; 2) optical sectioning of freshly isolated cells and tissue at a resolution that cannot be achieved with conventional fluorescence microscopy; 3) determining the distribution of low-abundance proteins over time while minimally affecting cell physiology; 4) elucidating mechanisms protein expression and trafficking in genetically modified cells; 5) conducting analyses of structure-activity relationships of novel neuroprotective agents in vitro and in vivo. The current application will primarily serve eight major groups around principal investigators that are extramurally funded by peer-reviewed grants from different NIH institutes.