The global mission of the Developmental Resource for Biophysical Imaging and Opto-electronics is the design and development of new technologies for the visualization and measurement of biological processes with the ultimate aim of solving fundamental problems in biomedical research. This Resource concentrates on the direct optical observation of raw biological events. Physical techniques and instrumentation are optimized for sensitive investigations of single molecules or small groups of molecules within a dynamical system or living specimen. Fluctuation Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS), an analysis technique which distills dynamical information from the fluctuations in a fluorescence signal, enables measurement of molecular dynamics and intermolecular kinetics in extremely sparse solutions. Technological advances have enabled previously difficult dynamical measurements: protein folding, in vivo molecular dynamics, and single molecule analysis. The Optical Force Microscope (OFM), a Resource technology composed of a probe particle suspended by optical tweezers, makes possible measurements of delicate surfaces and tiny forces. The primary focus of this Resource has now become the development and application of its latest invention: multi-photon excitation (MPE) for microscopy, which enables 3-d localized excitation for imaging, photobleaching and photo-activation deep within thick tissue. MPE provides the ability to observe dynamical molecular processes in live tissues with subcellular detail, an experimental regime that has been largely unexplored. Other vital methods, such as ultrasound, NMR, PET, yield typical resolutions in the millimeter range. MPE accesses previously inaccessible spectral windows such as tissue and drug auto-fluorescence. These capabilities and some unexpected discoveries have recently drawn this Resource to focus on problems with direct biomedical relevancy. Collaborations have introduced direct disease relevance: Alzheimer's osteoporosis, liver degeneration, serotonin secretion, auditory neurobiology, stroke and malignancy.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
Type
Biotechnology Resource Grants (P41)
Project #
2P41RR004224-11
Application #
2679872
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG7-SSS-X (02))
Project Start
1988-09-30
Project End
2003-08-31
Budget Start
1998-09-30
Budget End
1999-08-31
Support Year
11
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Cornell University
Department
Engineering (All Types)
Type
Schools of Engineering
DUNS #
City
Ithaca
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
14850
Migone, Fernando F; Cowan, Robert G; Williams, Rebecca M et al. (2016) In vivo imaging reveals an essential role of vasoconstriction in rupture of the ovarian follicle at ovulation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 113:2294-9
O'Dell, Ryan S; Cameron, David A; Zipfel, Warren R et al. (2015) Reelin Prevents Apical Neurite Retraction during Terminal Translocation and Dendrite Initiation. J Neurosci 35:10659-74
Byrnes, Laura J; Singh, Avtar; Szeto, Kylan et al. (2013) Structural basis for conformational switching and GTP loading of the large G protein atlastin. EMBO J 32:369-84
Jain, Manu; Robinson, Brian D; Scherr, Douglas S et al. (2012) Multiphoton microscopy in the evaluation of human bladder biopsies. Arch Pathol Lab Med 136:517-26
Degala, Satish; Williams, Rebecca; Zipfel, Warren et al. (2012) Calcium signaling in response to fluid flow by chondrocytes in 3D alginate culture. J Orthop Res 30:793-9
O'Dell, Ryan S; Ustine, Candida J M; Cameron, David A et al. (2012) Layer 6 cortical neurons require Reelin-Dab1 signaling for cellular orientation, Golgi deployment, and directed neurite growth into the marginal zone. Neural Dev 7:25
McMullen, J D; Kwan, A C; Williams, R M et al. (2011) Enhancing collection efficiency in large field of view multiphoton microscopy. J Microsc 241:119-24
Kim, Sally A; Sanabria, Hugo; Digman, Michelle A et al. (2010) Quantifying translational mobility in neurons: comparison between current optical techniques. J Neurosci 30:16409-16
Bowles, Robby D; Williams, Rebecca M; Zipfel, Warren R et al. (2010) Self-assembly of aligned tissue-engineered annulus fibrosus and intervertebral disc composite via collagen gel contraction. Tissue Eng Part A 16:1339-48
McMullen, Jesse D; Zipfel, Warren R (2010) A multiphoton objective design with incorporated beam splitter for enhanced fluorescence collection. Opt Express 18:5390-8

Showing the most recent 10 out of 68 publications