Acquisition of an electron cryo-microscope for structural biology

描述(申请人提供)：低温电子显微镜作为一种适用于大分子复合体结构分析和细胞结构的技术已经获得了极大的重视。正在寻求资金购买一台最先进的电子冷冻显微镜，以在西奈山医学院建立一个致力于结构生物学研究和教育的电子冷冻显微镜设施。拟议的设备包括1)一台能够对低温标本成像的JEM-1400透射电子显微镜；2)用于在液氮温度下保存生物标本的低温转移设备；以及3)一台用于数据收集的电荷耦合装置(CCD)摄像机。这一设施将向所有西奈山医学院的研究人员开放，并将立即影响NIH资助的几个主要用户正在进行的积极的电子显微镜工作，以研究膜蛋白质、蛋白质/DNA复合体和大分子机器的结构，并了解它们在生物学和疾病中的作用。 与公共卫生相关：我们的目标是在西奈山医学院建立一个电子冷冻显微镜设施，研究大分子和细胞的结构，并了解它们在生物学和疾病中的作用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Cryo-electron microscopy has gained strong prominence as a technique suitable for structural analysis of macromolecular complexes and cellular architecture. Funding is sought to acquire a state-of-the-art transmission electron cryo- microscope to establish an electron cryo-microscopy facility, devoted to research and education in structural biology, at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The proposed equipment includes 1) a JEM-1400 transmission electron microscope with capability to image cryo-specimens; 2) cryo-transfer equipment to preserve biological specimens at liquid nitrogen temperatures and 3) a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera for data collection. This facility will be available to all Mount Sinai School of Medicine investigators, and will immediately impact vigorous NIH- funded ongoing electron microscopy efforts by several major users to study the structure of membrane proteins, protein/DNA complexes and macromolecular machines and to understand their role in biology and disease. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Our goal is to establish an electron cryo-microscopy facility at Mount Sinai School of Medicine to study the architecture of macromolecules and cells, and understand their role in biology and in disease.