06 High Resolution Electron Microscopy Facility

University Of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr, Houston TX

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Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY: HIGH RESOLUTION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY FACILITY (HREMF) The mission of the High Resolution Electron Microscopy Facility (HREMF) is to provide high-quality, affordable electron microscopy services to research investigators at MD Anderson Cancer Center. The facility is in the Smith Research Building and houses a JEOL JEM 1010 transmission electron microscope, a JEOL JSM 5900 scanning electron microscope, a TechnoTrade coating system, a Leica ultramicrotome, and a Leica ultrastainer. Dr. Robert Langley has directed the HREMF for the past 10 years and has 20 years of experience in microscopic imaging of tissues and cells. Kenneth Dunner, Jr, is the manager of the HREMF and is responsible for the daily operations of the facility, including processing and imaging of samples. The HREMF houses the only scanning electron microscope on campus and the only transmission electron microscope that is dedicated to research applications. Since its inception in 1997, the HREMF has received approximately $500,000 in capital equipment funds from MD Anderson. In grant Yr42, 89% of the total usage of the HREMF was by peer-reviewed funded faculty, and we are requesting 55% of the HREMF budget from the CCSG ($106,740). During the past 6 years, the HREMF has provided 6759 hours of service to 164 investigators, 132 of whom were cancer center members representing all 16 CCSG programs. Usage was well distributed among the CCSG programs, and no program accounted for more than 15% of the HREMF's resources. The facility also ranked near the top of a user satisfaction survey and made regular contributions to high-impact publications. The HREMF contributed to 124 publications in peer-reviewed journals, with 88 publications (71%) in journals with IF >5 and 31 publications (25%) in journals with IF >10, including Nature (5 articles), Nat Cell Biol (3 articles), Nat Commun (2 articles), Cancer Cell, Nat Immunol, and Nat Nanotechnol. The HREMF's Specific Aims are: Aim 1: To provide MD Anderson Cancer Center investigators with access to microscopy instruments necessary to perform research at the ultrastructural level. Aim 2: To provide complete electron microscopy specimen preparation services. Aim 3: To provide technical assistance and consultation for electron microscopy applications.