ShEEP Request for Nikon Eclipse Ni Confocal Scanning Microscope

Oklahoma City Va Medical Center, Oklahoma City OK

Investigators

Abstract

We are requesting funds to purchase a Nikon Eclipse Ni Confocal Laser-Scanning Microscope. Confocal microscopy has become a mainstay for biomedical research allowing researchers to image live cells and tissues, follow dynamic events between or within cells, and to make 3D images of cells/tissues. Currently, the research facility at the Oklahoma City VA Health Care System (OKCVA HCS) has no fluorescent or confocal microscopes. VA investigators that require fluorescent/confocal imaging for their VA-funded research have to use confocal microscopes at the Imaging Cores at either the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) or the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF). The rational for purchasing Nikon Eclipse Ni Confocal Laser-Scanning Microscope is: (1) Almost all the funded VA investigators as well as the VA investigators with pending or revised applications that will be submitted in March will need to use a fluorescent/confocal microscope in their future research, i.e., there is a great need for this instrument at the OKCVA HCS; (2) It is inconvenient and time-consuming to take samples from the OKCVA HCS to the Imaging Cores at either OUHSC or OMRF to be analyzed; and (3) Imaging live cells requires that VA investigators find tissue facilities that they can use in the building that houses the fluorescent/confocal microscopes at OUHSC or OMRF. The Nikon Eclipse Ni confocal microscope allows multi-fluorescence imaging of a variety of tissues with high resolution and contrast. The microscope uses novel optical objectives coated with Nano crystal coat for brighter and high contrast microscopic images. Its design enables simultaneous multi-channel imaging using laser illumination of the fluorescent proteins. The system uses a new LU-N4 laser unit equipped with four lasers (405nm, 488nm, 561nm, 640nm) in a space-saving mode. This newly developed laser combiner prevents alignment shift even after long-term use and allows the laser power to be controlled and modulated in a ?user-friendly? manner and dramatically reduces the need to constantly adjust the lasers on the microscope, which was a major complication that required a significant amount of maintenance in older confocal microscopes. A survey of the VA researchers at OKCVA HCS showed over 80% of the researchers have used the fluorescent confocal microscopes at the Imaging Cores at either OUHSC or OMRF for their VA funded research over the past 3 or 4 years. In addition, the VA researchers unanimously listed a fluorescent confocal microscope at the top of their list of the major piece of equipment that was needed at the OKCVA HCS. The Nikon Eclipse Ni confocal microscope will be used by seven major users who have VA Merit grants and three minor users who have VA Merit grants pending.