An award is made to Lewis & Clark College (L&C) in Portland, Oregon to acquire a Zeiss LSM 710 Confocal Microscope, which will enable at least six different laboratories on campus (in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics Departments) as well as two collaborating labs at other institutions (in Molecular Biosciences and Neurology Departments) to expand and innovate their existing research programs. Confocal microscopy is an advanced fluorescence imaging technique that has a number of advantages over traditional fluorescence microscopy and is a particularly powerful tool for live imaging experiments. The enabled projects focus on live imaging, both in whole organisms (zebrafish, nematode, yeast) and in cultured neurons (mouse). Some of these include: 1) a powerful multicolor approach (Brainbow) to test how newborn cells in the immature brain transform into organized neuronal circuits; 2) fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) to study interactions among ribosomal components in yeast; 3) photoconvertible proteins to study the regulated release of factors in hippocampal neurons during neuronal activity; and 4) in vivo imaging techniques in living zebrafish to study the behavior of proteins that underlie Parkinson's Disease in humans. The principal investigators have externally funded, active research programs that engage undergraduate students as partners in data generation and publications in peer-reviewed journals. Acquisition of a confocal microscope will help these laboratories to generate high-quality publications in areas that utilize and develop cutting-edge live imaging approaches.
The confocal acquisition will also have a number of important broader impacts. First, future generations of scientists will have the opportunity to master modern imaging approaches during their undergraduate training. Many L&C students go on to Ph.D. programs and careers in science after winning competitive research fellowships. In part this can be attributed to L&C's strong focus on involving undergraduates in meaningful research; in the past five years, more than 90 undergraduate students have contributed as co-authors on publications. These dedicated and capable students will become trained in advanced microscopy by using the confocal system in their coursework and/or research laboratory. Second, L&C is a leader in the training of groups that are traditionally underrepresented in science. The natural sciences at L&C boast large numbers of women majors. In addition, L&C runs a successful, HHMI-funded summer research program that brings high school students from under-represented groups to campus for an intensive, 8-week laboratory experience. The confocal microscope will thus impact large numbers of young women who have chosen to pursue a career in science, as well as high school students who are just beginning to consider the direction of their future training. The opportunity to conduct live imaging experiments is often inspiring for students at this critical stage in their career path. Finally, the L&C Watzek Library Digital Initiatives staff will help design and construct an online public gallery that will showcase selected images and videos captured using the confocal microscope. The funded equipment thus has the potential to impact the broader community and to increase scientific literary among the public
