An award is made to the State University of New York at Geneseo to acquire a UVP BioSpectrum 815 imaging system. This advanced imaging system will accelerate research in the areas of Biology, Biochemistry and Chemistry through its increased sensitivity for data collection and will allow for expanded data acquisition in the areas of immunology and cytochrome biology, the biologics of iron-containing compounds bonded to a protein. It will capture and analyze high resolution images of protein and DNA gels that are labeled with UV fluorescent, or color reagent tags. In addition it will allow for examination of tagged nucleic acid and protein targets on the same gel and will also image laboratory-grown bacterial and eukaryotic colonies. More than 30 undergraduates per year will use the imager in faculty-led research projects and more than 200 undergraduates per year will utilize the imager in their laboratory classwork in the areas of ecology, genetics, molecular and cellular biology, immunology, chemistry, biochemistry, neurobiology and environmental sciences.
The UVP BioSpectrum 815 Imaging System will be immediately incorporated into a number of ongoing projects including: (1) studies of the effects of ultrapotent steroid use on vulvar carcinogenesis that will shed light on the mechanisms involved in altering key transcription factors; (2) investigations into nucleic acid methylation in Trypanosoma brucei that will address a lack of knowledge on the full repertoire of DNA bases in organisms; (3) investigation into the molecular and genetic mechanisms controlling the growth and development of the retina, which is leading to an understanding of gene mutations associated with developmental defects of the retina; (4) investigation of the transcriptional and translational regulation of a major meiotic transcription factor as applied to growth of filamentous fungi; (5) investigations into the biogenesis and function of c-type cytochromes, furthering knowledge on the synthesis of iron-, or heme-containing proteins; and (6) studies into the interaction of therapeutically small molecules with their nucleic acid targets, which will lead to an improved understanding of molecular interactions. It is expected that additional investigators in the Biology and Chemistry Departments as well as at least one in the Psychology Department at SUNY Geneseo will utilize the instrument. The instrument will be immediately incorporated into several laboratory courses that are taught by both the Biology and Chemistry Departments.
