This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Scientists at the Center for Study of Gene Structure and Function (Gene Center) at Hunter College use animals in their outstanding research programs. Their investigations are monitored by an active Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) committee and supported by a well run Animal Facility. The facility maintains a variety of vertebrate animal species. We have made major efforts during the past funding period to upgrade and expand the Animal Care Facility. Because of the increased research involving animals, the animal census has increased significantly. To maintain adequate care and surveillance of the animals, it is now essential to hire a full-time veterinarian. We plan to recruit and hire a veterinarian with RCMI grant funds. At the end of the next five year period, the institution will provide a permanent line for this hire. These improvements will enable research scientists at the Gene Center to be more productive, especially in research that addresses health disparities. The planned improvements, including the full-time veterinarian, will also bring the facility in line with Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) standards for certification. The Digital Bio-Imaging Core Facility, established in 1995, offers visualization of sub-cellular structures with digital image processing and video microscopy. The facility also provides for laser scanning analysis of experimental data. Gene Center Researchers use the facility to conduct pioneering research in the following areas: Damage and Repair of the Nervous System, Neurobiology of Drug Abuse, Molecular Mechanism of Pain, Protein Structure and Function, Molecular Basis of Behavior, Immunology and Development, Nanotechnology and Bio-Organic Chemistry. Our plan is to replace an obsolete ten-year-old confocal microscope with an instrument that meets our research needs. We also plan to purchase a digital transmission electron microscope (TEM) to replace a very old and obsolete analog model so that we may serve the needs of our researchers. The two microscopes will be located in the Digital Bioimaging Core Facility, which will be renovated using institutional funds to accommodate the instruments. We are also requesting RCMI grant support to hire a research assistant with expertise in preparing samples for electron microscopy. This research assistant will be supervised by Dr. Lloyd Williams, the manager of the facility. The proposed improvements will significantly upgrade the facility, while making it possible to perform sophisticated and quantitative experiments and to share research results through the internet in real time. These improvements will make a major impact on the research output of the Gene Center.
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