Axio Zoom Imaging System for 2D and 3D Analysis of Large Tissue Samples

圭尔夫大学的神经科学研究小组（NRG）是一个多学院的研究计划，旨在促进神经科学基础的研究。申请人的研究范围从神经发育和突触可塑性到神经生理学和神经变性。对NRG的投资和对所要求的Axio Zoom系统的支持将通过促进圭尔夫大学分子神经科学和成像方面的基本专业知识来推进这些研究重点。此外，这项投资将促进神经科学和细胞生物学领域的学术卓越，合作和具有国际竞争力的研究，重点是成像脑回路。在完整的（三维）神经系统中，可以精确定位神经结构的成像技术处于神经生物学的前沿。这些范围从完整大脑内复杂神经元回路的可视化到整个模型生物体的神经系统成像。通过这些方法获得的信息增加了我们对神经元连接的基础知识，并进一步加深了我们对驱动突触可塑性的机制的理解。获得最先进的高分辨率显微镜对完整脑回路进行三维成像，对于保持神经科学研究的前沿和继续在圭尔夫大学发展NRG至关重要。本申请中要求的设备包括完整的Axio Zoom.V16系统，包括用于光学切片的Apotome.2、电动载物台、基于LED的荧光和用于对澄清组织和整个模型生物体成像的高灵敏度相机。没有其他显微镜提供同时整个器官和单细胞分辨率与光学切片的附加功能。这些组成部分对于推进申请人的研究项目至关重要。该显微镜将被安置在圭尔夫大学的分子和细胞成像设施（MCIF）中，并将得到专业维护，圭尔夫大学的研究人员和更广泛的科学界可以在付费使用的基础上完全使用。MCIF将在五年内投资3万美元用于与该系统相关的服务和维护，并通过收取的用户费进行抵消。除了将从申请人的实验室培训的40多名HQP外，MCIF每年还有200多名用户将从该系统中受益。

The Neuroscience Research Group (NRG) at the University of Guelph is a multi-college research initiative that aims to promote research that advances the foundations of neuroscience. The applicants’ research ranges from neurodevelopment and synaptic plasticity to neurophysiology and neurodegeneration. Investment into the NRG and support for the requested Axio Zoom System will advance these research priorities by promoting a fundamental expertise in molecular neuroscience and imaging at the University of Guelph. Furthermore, this investment will foster academic excellence, collaboration and internationally competitive research in the areas of neuroscience and cell biology, with an emphasis on imaging brain circuity. Imaging techniques that can precisely localize neural structures, in context of the intact (3-dimensional) nervous system, lie at the leading edge of neurobiology. These range from the visualization of complex neuronal circuits within the intact brain to imaging the nervous system of whole model organisms. The information gained by such approaches increases our fundamental knowledge of neuronal connectivity and furthers our understanding of the mechanisms that drive synaptic plasticity. Having access to state-of-the-art, high-resolution microscopy for 3-dimensional imaging of intact brain circuits is critical to remain at the forefront of neuroscience research and to continue to grow the NRG at the University of Guelph. The equipment requested in this application consists of a complete Axio Zoom.V16 System including the Apotome.2 for optical sectioning, a motorized stage, LED-based fluorescence and a high-sensitivity camera for imaging of clarified tissue and whole model organisms. No other microscope offers simultaneous whole organ and single cell resolution with the added functionality of optical sectioning. These components are essential to advance the applicants’ research projects. This microscope will be housed in the Molecular and Cellular Imaging Facility (MCIF) at the University of Guelph and will be professionally maintained and fully accessible to University of Guelph researchers and the broader scientific community on a pay-for-use basis. The MCIF will invest $30K over five years for service and maintenance related to the system, offset by the user fees collected. In addition to the >40 HQP that will be trained from the applicants’ labs, the MCIF has over 200 annual users that will benefit from this system.