Mesa State College, a primarily baccalaureate-granting comprehensive liberal arts college focused on undergraduate education and research, has received a Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award to purchase a spinning disk confocal microscopy system that allows enhanced imaging of cells and tissues. Faculty from the Biology Department at Mesa State College will use the microscope to investigate a broad range of important topics. Research projects that will be aided immediately by this equipment include studies into the development of the vertebrate amnion, cellular signaling mechanisms in social amoebae, the mechanism of action of rattlesnake toxins and the role of lysyl-oxidase in lung cancer metastasis. These projects have regional, national and global impacts. Because all of these projects involve undergraduate researchers, this equipment will play an important role in training aspiring scientists. The requested equipment will also strengthen ties with other institutions. In addition to significantly expanding the research capabilities at Mesa State College, the microscope will also be integrated into the curriculum, where students will use it in inquiry-driven experimental exercises and independent research projects. Results from the research projects will be dessiminated through student and faculty presentations at regional and national meetings, and through the publication of peer-reviewed journal articles.
