Over the last several years, microscopy as a scientific tool has reinvented itself. It has changed from a group of principally descriptive methodologies, to a wide range of primary tools and techniques to investigate the molecular organization of organs, tissues and cells. Advances in microscope and camera design, fluorescent dye technology and the development of fluorescent proteins and multiple other novel imaging methods including 2 photon, FRET, TIRF and luminescence imaging has made the simultaneous resolution and quantitation of multiple concurrent molecular markers for both protein and DNA at a sub-micron resolution a reality. The recognition of the potential utility of these techniques to the rapidly expanding research community here at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPC D led to the formation of a centralized microscope imaging center; the Center for Biologic Imaging (CBI), eleven years ago. Since then the CBI has become an essential resource for most of the research programs within UPCI. The Center, which forms the Cell and Tissue imaging core within this proposal performs microscopic analyses services for members of the UPCI research community, from the traditional to the cutting edge using a full complement of microscope technologies. Since the last review of this facility the UPCI has relocated to the Shadyside campus, this has meant that a satellite facility of the Imaging Core will be established in the new Hiltman research building specifically to supply imaging capabilities to researchers in this building. This demands significant investment in instrumentation and personnel. To offset these costs, we have submitted a proposal to the NCRR to provide instrumentation for this building, however we will use the support from this application specifically to provide support for personnel who will work in this new facility in the Shadyside campus.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 1187 publications
