MicroCT Core Facility in the Forsyth Institute

描述（由申请人提供）：哈佛大学附属的福赛斯研究所是世界上致力于口腔和颅面科学领域研究和培训的杰出组织。牙齿和它们所连接的骨骼结构是牙科研究的大多数方面的核心。microCT生成的三维X射线数据和相关分析为测量骨骼和牙齿的病理和发育变化提供了最定量、准确和有效的方法。缺乏容易获得的microCt分析一直是福赛斯许多研究人员的障碍，导致他们依赖远距离合作或替代方法来量化这些硬组织变化。因此，福赛斯研究人员迫切需要方便和廉价地获得骨骼和牙齿样本的微CT分析。该提案的目标是通过获得内部离体microCT能力来满足这一需求。福赛斯66%的PI计划使用该仪器，证明了福赛斯矿化组织分析的重要性。Scorio 50微型计算机断层扫描（Scorio 50 microCT）仪器将使福赛斯正在进行的许多重要项目（即突变小鼠骨组织的改进分析）的更精确和全面的观察成为可能，并为福赛斯的研究人员提供了在其研究计划中轻松且经济高效地使用这一重要技术的机会。波士顿地区的其他microCT系统要么对我们的调查人员不可用，要么已经达到最大容量。共有18名研究人员参加了该项目。12名研究人员与14个积极的NIH资助的项目和本年度的直接赠款将受益于这项拟议的microCT共享仪器赠款（SIG）。该申请的参与者代表了该研究所62%的NIH资助项目。其他福赛斯员工和邻近的科学家也将受益。拟议的离体microCT仪器将大大扩展和改善现有的和悬而未决的NIH支持的项目，它将满足未来的需求所创造的计划扩大我们的研究计划，由我们的战略计划。主要研究者和Co-PI在microCT扫描仪方面拥有丰富的经验，并将为仪器的正确使用提供领导和帮助。一个研究监督委员会将提供总体指导和指导。福赛斯研究所完全致力于支持这项建议。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Forsyth Institute affiliated with Harvard University is the world's preeminent organization dedicated to research and training in the areas of oral and craniofacial science. Teeth and the bony structures to which they are connected are central to most aspects of dental research. The three-dimensional x-ray data generated by microCT and the associated analyses provide the most quantitative, accurate, and efficient method to measure pathological and developmental changes in bones and teeth. The lack of easy access to microCt analyses has been an impediment to many researchers at Forsyth, resulting in reliance on long- distance collaborations or alternative methods to quantify these hard tissue changes. Thus, there is a strong need for convenient and inexpensive access to microCT analysis of bone and tooth samples by Forsyth researchers. The goal of this proposal is to meet this need by acquiring in house ex-vivo microCT capability. 66% of the PIs at Forsyth plan to use this instrument, attesting to the importance of mineralized tissue analyses at Forsyth. The Scanco 50 micro computed tomography (Scanco 50 microCT) instrument will enable more precise and comprehensive observations of the many significant projects that are ongoing at Forsyth (i.e. improved analysis of mutant mouse bone tissue) and provide investigators at Forsyth with the opportunity to easily and cost-effectively use this important technology in their research programs. Other microCT systems in the Boston area are either unavailable to our investigators or have reached maximum capacity. A total of 18 investigators are participating in this project. 12 investigators with 14 active NIH- funded Projects and current year direct grant awards will benefit from this proposed microCT shared Instrument grant (SIG). The participants in this application represent 62% of the NIH-funded projects in the Institute. Other Forsyth employees and neighboring scientists will also benefit. The proposed ex vivo microCT instrument will greatly expand and improve existing and pending NIH-supported projects, and it will address future needs created by the planned expansion of our research programs as dictated by our Strategic Plan. The Principal Investigator and Co-PIs have extensive experience with microCT scanners and will provide leadership and assistance for instrument's proper use. A Research Oversight Committee will provide overall direction and guidance. The Forsyth Institute is fully committed to support the proposal.