Multi-user imaging facility: upgrades for transmision electron microsopy

透射电子显微镜是细胞生物学中的一项基本技术。它有助于分析细胞和亚细胞结构的分辨率是1至3个数量级以上，可以实现与光显微镜应用。这项技术对于许多生物医学和农业重要性的研究计划是不可或缺的，例如申请人的研究计划。所要求的设备和服务将改善20年前由NSERC资助购买的现有透射电子显微镜的性能。该仪器是多伦多大学细胞和系统生物学系核心成像设施的一部分，是大量教师及其学生，博士后和技术人员的重要研究和培训工具。我们的透射电子显微镜显示出它现在的年龄，因此彻底检修和更换某些部件已成为必要，以使仪器符合规格并延长其使用寿命7-10年。此外，我们计划购买一台数码相机，将其连接到透射电子显微镜上，以捕获图像并记录结果。这种照相机将使图像捕获比目前的曝光和显影胶片以及随后扫描这些底片以获得图像的过程更简单、更快和更便宜。相机是一项长期投资，因为当未来购买新的透射电子显微镜时，它可以移动到不同的仪器上。

Transmission electron microscopy is a basic technique in cell biology. It facilitates the analysis of cellular and subcellular architecture at a resolution that is 1 to 3 orders of magnitude greater than what can be achieved with light microscopic applications. This technology is indispensable for many research programs of biomedical and agricultural importance such as those of the applicants. The requested equipment and services will improve the performance of an existing transmission electron microscope that was purchased with NSERC funding 20 years ago. This instrument is part of a core imaging facility in the Department of Cell and Systems Biology at the University of Toronto and is a critical research and training tool for a large number of faculty and their students, postdocs and technicians. Our transmission electron microscope shows its age now so that a thorough overhaul and the replacement of some parts has become essential in order to have the instrument work up to specifications and extend its life-time by 7-10 years. In addition, we plan to acquire a digital camera that will be attached to the transmission electron microscope to capture images and document results. This camera will make image capture simpler, faster and cheaper than the current procedure of exposing and developing film and subsequent scanning of those negatives to digitize images. The camera is a long-term investment as it can be moved to a different instrument when a new transmission electron microscope is acquired in the future.