Live Cell Imaging Platform for Dynamic Studies of Cellular Interactions

目前的提案支持了皇后大学新兴的细胞生物学研究小组日益增长的需求，即访问旨在主动跟踪活细胞中细胞表型的成像平台。IncuCyte ZOOM成像系统将为这些研究小组提供跟踪细胞分裂、移动、与其他细胞相互作用以及程序性细胞死亡过程的工具。该成像平台将促进从各种组织（心脏、大脑、乳房、胃肠道、外周血）分离的细胞研究的新发现。该仪器对数百个细胞样本的平行研究是当前成像系统的重大进步。该系统已开发用于未标记细胞的成像，以及荧光信号，提供活细胞内细胞表型的信息。它还将允许皇后大学的研究人员进行高通量筛选和剂量反应研究，这些研究需要开发新的工具来揭示细胞运动、细胞-细胞相互作用、细胞分裂和细胞死亡的分子基础。IncuCyte ZOOM成像系统将位于女王大学生物医学成像中心，便于访问和有效维护该系统。值得注意的是，这个成像平台将为新一代的细胞生物学家提供培训，这些细胞生物学家将在工业和学术界使用非常理想的技能。

The current proposal supports the growing need of an emerging group of cell biology researchers at Queen’s University to access imaging platforms designed to actively track cellular phenotypes in live cells. The IncuCyte ZOOM imaging system will provide these research groups with tools to track cells as they divide, move, interact with other cells, and undergo programmed cell death. This imaging platform will facilitate new discoveries in studies of cells isolated from a variety of tissues (heart, brain, breast, gastrointestinal tract, peripheral blood). The parallel study of hundreds of cell samples in this instrument is a significant advance over current imaging systems. The system has been developed for imaging of both unlabeled cells, as well as with fluorescent signals that provide information on the cell phenotypes within live cells. It will also allow Queen's investigators to perform high throughput screening and dose response studies that are needed to develop new tools to uncover the molecular basis of cell movement, cell-cell interactions, cell division, and cell death. The IncuCyte ZOOM imaging system will be located within the Queen’s University Biomedical Imaging Centre, allowing for easy access and effective maintenance of this system. Notably, this imaging platform will provide training for a new generation of cell biologists that will enter the work force with highly desirable skill sets used in industry and academia.