Progress in cutting-edge biomedical studies has become increasingly dependent upon the technology required to measure biological processes as they occur in living organisms, tissues and individual cells. This has led to the broad application of imaging techniques in fundamental and applied bioscience. The most important aspect of our proposal is the assembly of a critical mass of investigators focused on the problem of studying gene expression and protein activities in intact living cells. We plan to bring together a large group of University faculty who are already pushing the capabilities of available imaging technology. This limitation in currently available imaging equipment makes the Advanced Cellular Imaging Facility (ACIF) the next logical step in the development of many novel research programs. There are three classical imaging problems that limit each of our biological research programs: sensitivity, resolution and speed. These parameters are obviously linked, and increasing one often occurs at the expense of decreasing anothep. Nevertheless, our goal is to develop a facility that will dramatically improve all three capabilities over our existing equipment. At the core of the ACIF will be the Integrated Imaging Resource (IIR), a customized instrument designed to perform a broad range of video microscopy experiments. The IIR will emphasize the following features: optimized optical paths to reduce light loss; several types of stage chambers for the maintenance of living specimens during image acquisition; a high-sensitivity cryogenic CCD camera; a high resolution/high readout rate CCD camera; a massively parallel processing unit capable of high speed image deconvolution and 3D reconstruction, which will also process confocal images; silicon graphics workstations for rapid and convenient image acquisition and processing. The IIR will be expected to perform bright field as well as low-light fluorescence and luminescence imaging in living preparations from both plant and animal specimens. It will greatly augment the fluorescence microscope facilities that currently exist in individual laboratories, and will be of use to both confocal and wide-field microscopists. The ability to keep abreast of the latest technology and to acquire hardware and software beyond the reach of individual investigators is a main goal of establishing ACIF and acquiring the IIR. A consequence of this goal is the generation and fostering of collaborative efforts amongst investigators in both the Health Science Center and the College of Arts and Sciences that will make the University of Virginia an internationally recognized center of excellence for research in cellular imaging. The ACIF participating faculty will be responsible for training both undergraduate and graduate students in its use, through direct hands-on training as well as the development of a seminar course in the applications of video imaging to life science research.
