Molecular Electron Microscopy Core Facility Improvements

描述(由申请人提供)：弗吉尼亚大学医学院(UVA SOM)的这份G20提案要求提供210万美元，用于升级UVA SOM电子显微镜(EM)资源，并将其整合为分子电子显微镜核心(MEMC)设施。我们估计，相关的设计、施工和维护工作将为社区创造或维护约45个工作岗位，并为研究人员、计算机程序员和内务人员创造和/或维护多达4个职位。目前在SOM中有四个电子显微镜用于结构生物学。所有这些都至少有十年的历史了，其中一台已经被制造商宣布过时，无法再进行适当的维护。已经购买了两台现代高性能电子显微镜--一台机器人FEI Titan Krios和一台FEI F20。这些电子显微镜旨在通过电子冷冻显微镜(CryoEM)记录生物大分子的高分辨率图像，其中标本保存在冷冻、玻璃化的含水缓冲液中，从而保留自然的生物结构。位于老乔丹大厅和斯奈德大楼的EM设施目前的位置不仅缺乏所需的天花板高度和承载能力，而且振动和电磁干扰太大，使新显微镜无法按规格操作。该提案将用位于方丹研究园区Snyder翻译科学大楼旁边的生命科学附属设施的一个MEMC中央实验室来取代分散的EM实验室。2,100平方英尺的MEMC设施将包括两个环境调节、电磁屏蔽和声学隔离的显微镜房间。此外，还将有一个用于远程操作显微镜的控制室。毗邻的实验室空间将允许现场样品制备，并将提供一个暗室用于胶片冲洗。新的位置是必要的，以适应新的最先进的FEI Titan Krios显微镜的高度，并满足最佳性能的严格要求。MEMC设施将由分子生理学和生物物理系教授兼主任Mark Yeager博士和生物化学和分子遗传学教授Edward Egelman博士共同领导。MEMC设施提供的改进将(1)提高UVA的研究质量，(2)提高科学生产率，(3)促进科学家之间的交流、互动和合作，(4)提高UVA吸引和保持一流教职员工和学生的能力，以及(5)加强我们教职员工的资金竞争力。MEMC设施将不仅向SOM教员开放，还将向弗吉尼亚大学其他学院和系的其他科学家开放。这将是UVA独一无二的Core实验室，我们预计弗吉尼亚州和周边各州的科学家将访问UVA，以利用这样一个进行分子分辨电子显微镜检查的尖端实验室。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This G20 proposal from the University of Virginia School of Medicine (UVA SOM) requests $2.1 M to upgrade and consolidate the UVA SOM electron microscopy (EM) resources into a Molecular Electron Microscopy Core (MEMC) facility. We estimate that the associated design, construction, and maintenance work will create or maintain ~45 jobs for the community, and create and/or maintain up to 4 positions for researchers, computer programmers, and housekeeping staff. There are currently four electron microscopes in use within the SOM for structural biology. All of these are at least ten years old, and one has been declared obsolete by the manufacturer and can no longer be properly maintained. Two modern, high-performance electron microscopes have already been purchased -- a robotic FEI Titan Krios and an FEI F20. These electron microscopes are designed for recording high-resolution images of biological macromolecules by electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM), in which the specimen is maintained in frozen, vitrified aqueous buffer, thereby preserving native biological structure. The current locations for the EM facilities in Old Jordan Hall and the Snyder Building not only lack the requisite ceiling height and load-bearing capacity, but also exhibit too much vibration and electromagnetic interference for the new microscopes to operate within specifications. The proposal will replace the scattered EM laboratories with one central MEMC laboratory located in the Life Sciences Annex adjacent to the Snyder Translational Science Building at the Fontaine Research Campus. The 2,100 sq ft MEMC facility will contain two environmentally regulated, electromagnetically shielded, and acoustically isolated microscope rooms. In addition, there will be a control room for remote operation of the microscopes. Adjoining laboratory space will allow on-site sample preparation, and a darkroom will be available for film development. The new location is necessary to accommodate the height of the new state-of-the-art FEI Titan Krios microscope and to meet the stringent requirements for optimal performance. The MEMC facility will be co-directed by Dr. Mark Yeager, Professor and Chair of the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics and Dr. Edward Egelman, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics. The improvements provided by the MEMC facility will (1) enhance the quality of research at UVA, (2) increase scientific productivity, (3) foster communication, interactions and collaboration amongst scientists, (4) boost the ability of UVA to attract and maintain premier faculty and students, and (5) strengthen the competitiveness of our faculty for funding. The MEMC facility will not only be available to SOM faculty members but also to other scientists in other schools and departments at UVA. This will be a unique Core laboratory at UVA, and we envision that scientists throughout Virginia and the surrounding states will visit UVA to take advantage of such a cutting-edge laboratory for performing molecular resolution electron microscopy.