MRI: Acquisition of a Leica M205 FA Stereomicroscope with Fluorescence

Suny College At Oswego, Oswego NY

Investigators

Abstract

An award is made to State University of New York at Oswego to purchase a Leica M205 FA Stereomicroscope with fluorescence to facilitate analyses and to provide high quality bright field or fluorescence images of fixed and living whole-mount organisms, tissues, or organs in culture. This microscope will not only allow investigators to make significant progress with their individual research projects and collaborations with faculty of the chemistry and anthropology departments, but will have broader impacts with regards to expanding interactions with local high school teachers and their students. Being a NCATE-accredited institution, SUNY Oswego offers courses and training program to teachers of advanced placement (AP) biology and to students entering grades 2-10, enabling direct connections and communication between the faculty of SUNY Oswego and the local science teacher and student community. The investigators are particularly committed to promoting training and participation of students from local schools, which are in a socioeconomically challenged region of New York State. The Leica M205 FA Stereomicroscope with fluorescence significantly bolsters programs at SUNY Oswego by enhancing research, research training, teaching, and community outreach. The instrument will immediately facilitate the study of the following biological processes: interactions between various signaling pathways to learn about formation of unique body forms; genetic factors leading to the evolution of chromosomes in the nematode C. Elegans; pathogenicity of aquatic mites in freshwater mussels, which will aid in conserving these biological indicators of ecosystem health; directed cell migration, which is essential for understanding physiological and pathophysiological. Microscopy of intact organisms and tissues, coupled with the advance of fluorescent markers that can be genetically encoded to overexpress or knock down gene signaling pathways, is a powerful tool for basic research into biological structure, development, and function. Improving spatial and temporal resolution of whole-mount or organ imaging techniques is essential to realize the full potential of this approach. The Leica M205 FA Stereomicroscope with fluorescence system will be housed in the Molecular Biology & Biochemistry Center (MBBC) at SUNY Oswego, ensuring the availability of the microscope to train new users, and facilitating maintenance of the instrument due to the proximity of the MBBC facility to faculty.