Upgrade to Protein Imaging Suite

我们建议对我们的蛋白质成像套件进行升级，更换过时的柯达X-Omat显影剂。我们的柯达X-OMAT自1997年以来一直活跃，为达尔豪西大学科学和医学系的许多NSERC资助的科学家提供服务。这一遗留设备无法维修，因为我们无法再采购替换硬件，并且现在是我们NSERC资助的研究项目的瓶颈。正因为如此，我们正在申请资金来升级我们的蛋白质成像套件。 蛋白质是使细胞能够根据蛋白质的位置、网络和表达模式而存活和执行多种功能的通信管道。在信号转导的背景下，蛋白质调节信息在整个细胞内的移动，从细胞外，从细胞质到细胞核，反之亦然，所有这些都是对外部刺激、应激源和/或异常的内部事件的反应。评估蛋白质的一种方法是通过蛋白质印迹分析。蛋白质印迹分析可以验证蛋白质的存在、相对丰度、相对质量、翻译后修饰的存在，以及蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用的特征。不可否认，蛋白质印迹分析为许多发现做出了贡献，并且仍然是许多NSERC资助的研究项目和我们HQP培训平台的主要内容。 取代我们的柯达X-Omat传统平台将使我们能够灵活地在体内和体外对蛋白质进行成像，并允许HQP接受现代最先进的自然科学蛋白质表达分析技术的培训，这是生物技术领域的一个重要平台。这项技术的实践培训将增加他们为生物技术部门带来价值的可能性，从而增加他们被生物技术公司、公共部门聘用或通过进一步的本科生和博士后培训在学术领域分享他们的知识和技能的机会。我们的本科生将与博士生一起工作，而PDF将有机会在蛋白质纯化、量化和表达分析方面培训和指导博士生。 拟议的设备要求旨在填补达尔豪西大学由NSERC资助的研究项目在蛋白质表达分析方面的一个重要和重大的空白。我们每个实验室的HQP将可以使用最先进的蛋白质成像套件，这些套件将补充正在进行的技术，如基因编辑工具、NGS、生物信息学、显微镜平台、质谱学和组织培养技术。

We propose an upgrade to our Protein Imaging Suite by replacing our Kodak X-OMAT developer that is obsolete. Our Kodak X-OMAT has been active since 1997 with servicing numerous NSERC- funded scientists in the Faculties of Science and Medicine at Dalhousie University. This legacy piece of equipment is not serviceable because we can no longer source replacement hardware and is now a bottleneck in our NSERC-funded research programs. Because of this, we are requesting funds to upgrade our Protein Imaging Suite. Proteins are the communication conduits that enable cells to live and execute numerous functions depending on the protein's location, networking and expression pattern. In the context of signal transduction, proteins mediate the movement of information throughout the cell, from outside the cell, from cytoplasmic compartments to the nucleus and vice versa, all in response to external stimuli, stressors, and/or aberrant internal events. One way to evaluate proteins is through western blot analysis. Western blot analysis permits the validation of protein presence, relative abundance, relative mass, presence of post-translational modifications, as well as characterization of protein-protein interactions. Western blot analysis has undeniably contributed to numerous discoveries and remains a staple of many NSERC-funded research programs and training platforms for our HQP. Replacing our Kodak X-OMAT legacy platform will allow for flexibility in how we image proteins ex vivo and in vivo, and allow HQPs to be trained with modern state-of-the-art protein expression analysis technology in natural sciences that is an essential platform in the biotechnology sectors. Hands-on training in this technology will increase the likelihood they will bring value to the biotechnology sector, thereby increasing their chances of being recruited by biotechnology companies, public sector or share their knowledge and skills in the academic space through further graduate and post-doctoral training. Our undergraduate students will work with PhD students, while PDFs will be given the opportunity to train and mentor PhD students in protein purification, quantification and expression analysis. The proposed equipment request is designed to fill an important and significant gap in protein expression analysis at Dalhousie University for NSERC-funded research programs. HQP from each of our labs will have access to state-of-the-art Protein Imaging Suite that will complement on-going technologies such as gene-editing tools, NGS, bioinformatics, microscopy platforms, mass spectrometry, and tissue culture techniques.