MRI: Acquisition of a Fluorescence Stereomicroscope to Enhance Research and Teaching at Eastern Mennonite University.

Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

An award is made to Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) to support the acquisition of a high-resolution fluorescence stereomicroscope. The requested stereomicroscope will support the research and teaching needs of faculty and student researchers at EMU and other regional institutions. Undergraduate researchers will be heavily involved in research projects using the new system and they will have opportunities to coauthor papers and present their results at scientific conferences. Seven biology, biochemistry, and environmental science courses will also benefit from the use of the microscope in laboratory sections, thus reaching a large number of students. Extensive scientific outreach activities with nearby high schools and community colleges will also benefit from demonstrations and hands-on research using the fluorescence stereomicroscope to broaden participation in scientific research. The fluorescence stereomicroscope will advance multiple research programs on topics that include: identification of novel regulators of cell migration; monitoring water quality; examining of neuronal viability and function; investigating the physiology of aging processes; understanding insect olfaction; and endosymbioses. Additional users will investigate signal transduction in plants responding to stress and the integration of sensory feedback into robot design. Data and analyses from these studies will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, presented at scientific meetings, and used in both educational and public outreach activities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.