Confocal Core for the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology

Division Of Basic Sciences - Nci

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Due to public safety measures, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology Microscopy Core operated with significantly reduced hours of operation and training of new users was discontinued for much of the year. Nonetheless, last year, 27 researchers used the resources of the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology Microscopy Core. Almost all of the Principal Investigators in the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology have projects that involve the Core facility. Dr. Lawrence Samelson uses Core resources for the project Biochemical basis of T cell activation. Dr. Paul Randazzo has made use of the Core for the projects Regulation of focal adhesions and Turnover of invadopodia. Dr. Stavroula Mili has used Core instruments for the project Regulation and functions of localized RNAs. Dr. Ying Zhang uses Core instruments for the project Molecular mechanisms of TGF-beta signaling pathways. Dr. Ramiro Iglesias-Bartolome uses Core instruments for two projects, Signaling pathways regulating stem cell fate decisions and G-protein-coupled receptor signaling in cancer development and treatment. Dr. Roberto Weigert used Core instruments for his work in Intravital confocal microscopy. While most of the researchers come from the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, the Core has been used by scientists from the Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology of the National Cancer Institute, the Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression of the National Cancer Institute, the Cancer and Inflammation Program of the National Cancer Institute, the Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Department of Laboratory Medicine of the NIH Clinical Center, and The University of Maryland Department of Physics. Most of the users view immunofluorescent staining on fixed samples with a Leica laser scanning confocal microscope. The Core recently acquired a a module for life-timing imaging on the Leica SP8 laser scanning confocal microscope. The spinning disk microscope has been used for live cell imaging of 3 simultaneous, as well as intravital imaging in live animals. We routinely use our TIRF microscope for observing the kinetics of signaling complex formation in Tcells and Single Molecule Localization techniques. The Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology Microscopy Core contains resources for analyzing and quantifying image data. Core personnel also provide information on new imaging technologies to NCI researchers.