ALTERATION AND RENOVATION The goal of the Alteration and Renovation of to create the new Customized Physiology and Imaging Core (Core C, CPIC) is to build upon a proven track record of innovative research, providing a stimulating and productive environment for our state-of-the-art imaging and microscopy equipment that will foster interactions among faculty, junior faculty and their graduate students, while generating new ideas and collaborations. To achieve this goal, we will pursue the following Specific Aims:
Specific Aim 1 renovates the existing imaging facility in the Larner College of Medicine, currently limited by space and accessibility, to a modern, sophisticated center that encourages collaborations among junior and senior faculty and promotes cutting- edge experimentation.
Specific Aim 2 creates dedicated space for image analysis and 3D printing equipment; two rapidly evolving and important aspects of our ongoing and proposed research. The CPIC is unique at the University of Vermont in that it will house state-of-the-art instrumentation designed for live tissue experiments. The current imaging facility is hampered by insufficient space and poor climate control. There are not enough rooms to house microscope systems separately, leading to equipment crowding and hindering usability. Furthermore, the room sizes are too small, obstructing access for routine maintenance and modification, failing to meet vendor specifications, and preventing new instrument acquisition. The proposed renovation will be jointly overseen by the University's central Facilities Design and Construction and the Larner College of Medicine Facilities Administration. The new CPIC will have 6 rooms for imaging/microscopy, a 3D printing room, a centralized laboratory space and an office. Renovation will be done in two phases to limit disruption. The first phase renovates space adjacent to the existing space into two microscope rooms and an office. The second phase renovates existing space into 4 microscope rooms, a 3D Printing room, and a centralized laboratory. Upgraded climate control systems will provide the required temperature control. Grant Hennig, PhD, will be Core Director, and provide imaging and analysis expertise. Todd Clason, the CPIC Manager, will occupy the office, providing Core users ease of access to his expertise. He will oversee daily operations, usage schedules, user training and maintenance of Core instrumentation. Dr. Thomas Heppner will provide electrophysiology and 3D Printing expertise. Drs. Albert Gonzales and Masayo Koide will each head a COBRE project and make substantial use of the new Core. Renovation of the existing Core has strong support by the Larner College of Medicine, which has allocated additional space, and provided architectural drawings and floor plans for the CPIC. The renovated Core will be exceptionally well-suited to serve the diverse imaging/electrophysiology needs of COBRE and UVM research communities, and supporting the career transition of our COBRE project directors to independence.
