MRI-RUI: Acquisition of the C1 Confocal Microscopy System for Cellular Analysis in the Biological Sciences

MRI-RUI：购买用于生物科学细胞分析的 C1 共焦显微镜系统

• 批准号: 0215775
• 负责人: Robert Kurt
• 金额: $ 14.41万
• 依托单位: Lafayette College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-07-01 至 2005-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0215775&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; RUI; Acquisition; C1; Confocal

Abstract:A grant has been awarded to Dr. Robert A. Kurt at Lafayette College to purchase a Confocal Microscopy System. The confocal system is capable of three-color fluorescent imaging and three-dimensional cellular analysis. Consequently, three different proteins can be analyzed with respect to each other and their location within a cell. This is ideal for studying protein-protein or cell-cell interactions and to discern the potential function of recently identified proteins. With the acquisition of this instrument many exciting projects can be carried out. The Confocal Microscopy System will enable Lafayette faculty to modify and enhance courses to include training in sophisticated research techniques, expand the areas of research for both students and faculty, and finally contribute to the advancement of knowledge within the field of biological science by exploring molecular and cellular interactions as they occur within living cells. The research projects to be performed with this instrument will focus on a variety of biological sciences including cellular, molecular, developmental biology and immunology. Some of the projects supported in this proposal include an examination of the molecular organization of G protein coupled receptors and associated molecules during T cell migration. For this project proteins utilized by T cells for migration will be labeled so that protein-protein interactions can be investigated as the T cells respond to chemokines. The chemokine receptor signaling cascade in T cells is poorly defined, thus this project should uncover some of the basic steps utilized for T-cell migration. Another project that will be carried out with the microscope will be an examination of the cross-regulation between T cell and chemokine receptor signaling pathways. This project will examine the interactions between proteins utilized by both the TCR and chemokine receptor signaling pathways in order to understand how these different pathways influence each other. Neural development and communication in Drosophila melanogaster is another area of research and training that will be enhanced with the confocal microscopy system. In particular the instrument will aid in the studies of bang-sensitive mutants. One project will investigate the effects of these mutants on mitochondria and their function. Another set of experiments is to examine the ability of third instar larvae of bang-sensitive mitochondria to maintain their electrochemical gradient. The broader impact of the proposal is that these projects will be carried out by undergraduate students and as a result facilitate the research, research training and education of students for careers in science. Some of the research training activities in the Department of Biology at Lafayette College include Independent Study, Honors Thesis, the Excel Scholar Program, and research-oriented courses such as Electron Microscopy and Tissue Culture courses. Thus, the Confocal Microscopy System will be utilized to further strengthen the curriculum and research in Biological Sciences at Lafayette College. The Biology Department has a long history of encouraging student participation in research. By graduation many majors have had at least two semesters of extensive research experience. Often, this in depth exposure to research fuels a desire to pursue post-graduate study. Additionally, several courses will be modified to include training in specimen preparation and analysis with confocal fluorescence microscopy. Consequently, it is anticipated that there will be three faculty members and approximately fifty students each year that will use the instrument.

摘要：拉斐特学院的 Robert A. Kurt 博士获得了一笔赠款，用于购买共焦显微镜系统。共焦系统能够进行三色荧光成像和三维细胞分析。 因此，可以分析三种不同蛋白质的相互关系及其在细胞内的位置。 这对于研究蛋白质-蛋白质或细胞-细胞相互作用以及辨别最近鉴定的蛋白质的潜在功能是理想的。 购买该仪器后，可以开展许多激动人心的项目。 共聚焦显微镜系统将使拉斐特教师能够修改和增强课程，包括复杂研究技术的培训，扩大学生和教师的研究领域，并最终通过探索分子和生物科学领域的知识进步做出贡献。活细胞内发生的细胞相互作用。 使用该仪器进行的研究项目将集中于各种生物科学，包括细胞、分子、发育生物学和免疫学。 该提案支持的一些项目包括检查 T 细胞迁移过程中 G 蛋白偶联受体和相关分子的分子组织。 在这个项目中，T 细胞用于迁移的蛋白质将被标记，以便在 T 细胞对趋化因子作出反应时研究蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用。 T 细胞中的趋化因子受体信号级联尚不清楚，因此该项目应该揭示 T 细胞迁移的一些基本步骤。 将使用显微镜进行的另一个项目是检查 T 细胞和趋化因子受体信号通路之间的交叉调节。 该项目将检查 TCR 和趋化因子受体信号传导途径所利用的蛋白质之间的相互作用，以了解这些不同的途径如何相互影响。 果蝇的神经发育和交流是另一个研究和培训领域，共聚焦显微镜系统将加强这一领域。 特别是该仪器将有助于研究爆炸敏感突变体。 一个项目将研究这些突变体对线粒体及其功能的影响。 另一组实验是检查爆炸敏感线粒体的第三龄幼虫维持其电化学梯度的能力。 该提案更广泛的影响是，这些项目将由本科生实施，从而促进学生从事科学职业的研究、研究培训和教育。 拉斐特学院生物系的一些研究培训活动包括独立学习、荣誉论文、Excel 学者计划以及电子显微镜和组织培养课程等研究型课程。 因此，共聚焦显微镜系统将用于进一步加强拉斐特学院生物科学的课程和研究。 生物系在鼓励学生参与研究方面有着悠久的历史。 毕业时，许多专业已经拥有至少两个学期的广泛研究经验。 通常，这种对研究的深入接触会激发攻读研究生的愿望。 此外，一些课程将进行修改，包括使用共焦荧光显微镜进行样本制备和分析的培训。 因此，预计每年将有三名教员和大约五十名学生使用该仪器。