MRI: Acquisition of a Spinning Disk Confocal Super-resolution Microscope for Transcriptomics Research at Boston University

MRI：波士顿大学购买用于转录组学研究的转盘共焦超分辨率显微镜

• 批准号: 2215990
• 负责人: Thomas Bifano
• 金额: $ 61.55万
• 依托单位: Trustees of Boston University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-09-01 至 2025-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2215990&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Spinning; Disk; Confocal

Some of the most promising frontiers in life science are uniquely enabled by a new class of microscopes that allow researchers to study molecular-scale structures and the functions they perform within living tissue. This is a step-change in the field of biomicroscopy. In this project, a collaborative group of engineers, scientists, and physicians at Boston University (BU) will acquire a new super-resolution spinning-disk confocal microscope and use it to study precisely how gene expression within cells conduct their lifegiving functions and how neurons connect to and signal one another in brain networks that guide behavior and create memories. Access to this transformative instrument will catalyze cutting edge research at the intersection of life science and engineering disciplines, enhancing interdisciplinary training for graduate students and future practitioners. Use of this shared research instrument directly impacts BU's academic community, as well as robust summer programs oriented to underserved groups and teachers in minority serving educational institutions and community colleges.The project will acquire a Nikon CSU-W1-SoRa super- resolution spinning disk confocal microscope for a shared core facility managed by the BU Photonics Center. This recently commercialized microscope offers a combination of imaging speed and resolution that comprises a step-change in the field of biomicroscopy. It allows, for the first time, fluorescence imaging with resolution and frame rate sufficient to explore large biological sample volumes with molecular precision in real time. Transformative research areas that are enabled by the microscope's unique combination of features include spatially resolved transcriptomics, a technique to connect gene expression to the spatial organization of cells; multi-scale connectomics, a technique to create comprehensive three-dimensional maps of neural connectivity in a living nervous system; and live cell and tissue imaging, through which structural and functional attributes of living cells, engineered tissues, organoids, and whole organisms can be studied. The first of its type on the BU campus, this microscope will be a major asset for life-science and engineering research groups at BU, including nine major users from five different departments. High utilization of the microscope is anticipated, especially given the instrument's reputation for robust, turnkey operation and seamless switching among imaging modalities.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

生命科学中一些最有希望的边界是由一类新的显微镜独特地启发的，这些显微镜使研究人员能够研究分子规模的结构及其在活组织中的功能。这是生物显微镜领域的逐步变化。在该项目中，波士顿大学（BU）的一个工程师，科学家和医师的合作小组将获得新的超分辨率旋转磁盘共聚焦显微镜，并利用它来精确研究细胞中基因表达在细胞中如何发挥其生命的功能，以及如何在大脑网络中与彼此之间的神经元如何连接并引起大脑网络和创造记忆。使用这种变革性的工具将在生命科学和工程学科的交集中催化尖端研究，从而增强研究生和未来从业者的跨学科培训。该共享研究工具的使用直接影响BU的学术社区，以及针对少数群体服务不足的团体和教师提供教育机构和社区学院的稳健夏季计划。该项目将为BU PhotoNics中心管理的共享核心设施，以获取尼康CSU-W1-SORA超级分辨率旋转磁盘旋转磁盘旋转磁盘共同的核心显微镜。这款最近商业化的显微镜提供了成像速度和分辨率的组合，包括在生物显微镜领域的逐步变化。它首次允许以分辨率和框架速率进行荧光成像，足以实时探索具有分子精度的大型生物样品体积。由显微镜独特功能组合启用的变革性研究领域包括空间分辨的转录组学，这是将基因表达与空间组织连接到细胞的空间组织的技术；多尺度连接组学，这是一种在生活神经系统中创建神经连通性的全面三维图的技术；以及活细胞和组织成像，可以研究活细胞，工程组织，器官和整个生物的结构和功能属性。该显微镜将是BU校园中的第一种类型，将是BU的生活科学和工程研究小组的主要资产，其中包括来自五个不同部门的九个主要用户。预计将对显微镜进行高度利用，尤其是考虑到该工具在成像模式之间的稳健，交钥匙操作和无缝切换方面的声誉。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并且被认为值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查标准通过评估来进行评估。