A group of funded investigators proposes the purchase of a Molecular Dynamic Storm 860 Imaging System. The primary user group includes six research groups, comprising over 40 researchers. All of the primary users are associated with a new Department of Molecular Biology and Oncology that, by Fall, 1996, will be housed in two floors of a newly-opened research building on the institution~s new North Campus. On-going expansion of the department will result in the addition of new research groups in the next few years. While the user group will require about 80% of the instrument~s capacity, sufficient user time remains to aid other researchers on campus. The instrument unites proven storage phosphor screen technology with non- radioactive fluorescent labeling techniques. This scanning technology is relatively new and has become central to the research activities of all of the principal investigators in the primary user group. This scanning is used to obtain high quality images of experimental samples that are then routinely analyzed quantitatively. The particular instrument requested is well-suited for efficient throughput by a large user group; it is configured in this proposal so that all computations will be done in the individual laboratories. The instrument results in considerable cost-savings by reducing the use of X-ray film; also, scanned images are easily used to prepare figures for slides and publications without intermediately and costly photography, leading to additional cost-savings.
