The Cell Sciences Imaging Facility (CSIF) offers state-of-the-art fluorescence and electron microscopy services to Stanford Cancer Institute researchers. The facility provides investigators with advanced imaging systems to image and analyze the molecular and structural organization of cells and tissue at a microscopic level, crucial for researchers studying the biological mechanisms involved in cancer. The CSIF operates at two sites on the Stanford campus, one at the Beckman Center and the other at the newly built Shriram Center for bioengineering across the street from the medical campus. Both locations are available to all SCI researchers. The CSIF is directed by Jon Mulholland, an experienced microscopist and cell biologist, who oversees its day-to-day management. CSIF occupies a combined total of 3,000 square feet in the Shriram and Beckman centers, and employs five full-time research scientists to assist SCI investigators with microscopy needs. The two imaging facilities have ten advanced light and electron microscope systems that provide confocal, deconvolution, 2-photon and super resolution, as well as electron microscopy technologies. For electron microscopy, the CSIF maintains a full-service laboratory that offers sample preparation and training for both transmission and scanning electron microscopy technologies. Over the last five years, the CSIF has been awarded approximately $2.4 million in instrumentation grants from the NIH's Shared Instrument Grant program. In addition, it has received over $2.2 million in internal instrumentation funding, bringing the total award amount to $4.6 million. The facility operates on a cost-recovery basis, with ongoing expenses recovered primarily through user fees; the resource?s annual operating costs are approximately $1,050,000. Since 2009, over 95 SCI members from all research programs have used the CSIF, with the majority of usage coming from the Cancer Stem Cells, Cancer Biology, TOPS and Immunology & Immunotherapy Programs. Future goals of the CSIF include developing and providing correlative electron to light imaging as well as large volume 3D and array tomography imaging. Further, CSIF plans to apply for the 2015 NIH SIG program for two types of advanced instrumentation: one for an advanced SEM system for serial block face SEM that will enable large volume, 3-dimensional reconstruction of tissue at high enough resolution and second for a bio-AFM that combines advanced atomic force measurements with epifluorescence light imaging modalities that will enable characterization of a cell's mechanobiology and protein/molecular composition.
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