The University of Delaware (UD) has a very high research activity (Carnegie Classification) and much of this activity focuses on diverse fields of biomedical research. In particular the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering depend heavily on advanced imaging instruments for research in tissues, cells and biomaterials. UD has maximized utilization of these instruments with an established multi-user imaging core facility, which is responsible for maintaining, scheduling equipment usage, training users and consulting on advanced technical projects or development of new imaging techniques. One of the first confocal microscopes we acquired at UD, an LSM510 VIS confocal microscope, is housed in the Delaware Biotechnology Institute (DBI) Bio-Imaging Center at UD. The instrument is now 15 years old and no longer in use due to poor image quality and the manufacturer no longer providing service contracts as of September 2009. This application is a resubmission requesting funds to replace this obsolete instrument, which no longer meets the needs of our user community, with an LSM710 inverted confocal microscope with an environmental chamber. The proposed system will be located in the microscopy suite at the DBI and administered by the Bio- Imaging Center technical staff. This will ensure access to the proposed microscope to all investigators who utilize the DBI Bio-Imaging Center, which is a critical core facility for numerous NIH funded research projects at UD. Currently, the DBI Bio-Imaging Center only has LSM510 generation inverted confocal microscopes that lack the sensitivity and environmental control for live-cell experiments. Therefore, we are requested an LSM710 inverted confocal microscope to support NIH funded investigators researching a diverse array of biomedical processes that include engineering vascular grafts, programmed cell death, cardiovascular, biomechanics, salivary glands, vocal fold bioengineering, eye development, thrombosis, bone formation and HIV assembly.
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