The objective of this proposal is to fund the purchase of a gel and blot analysis system for investigators at FSU conducting cellular and molecular research. Such a system which produces rapid, quantitative analyses of data produced with molecular probes (radioactive, chemiluminescent, fluorescent, or chemifluorescent) is absolutely essential to competitive research in these areas. Four funded investigators comprise the major users group, and an additional group of seven minor users are included. The focus of research in these laboratories include a broad variety of cell and molecular questions in the areas of structural cell biology, developmental neurobiology, gene regulation and molecular biology in multicellular organisms. These investigators are currently conducting research requiring such an analysis system and "making do" with much less accurate and much more time-consuming techniques (autoradiography with X-ray film and subsequent densitometry). Additionally, this equipment will be available to 3 new faculty who are in the initial phase of their research careers as independent investigators, as well as several faculty with established (but in some cases unfunded) programs. A large number of undergraduate and graduate students will be the primary beneficiaries of the use of this equipment.
