MRI: Acquisition of a Transmission Electron Microscope

Loyola University Of Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

An award is made to Loyola University Chicago (LUC) to purchase a Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) in support of research, teaching, and outreach. This equipment will be used by LUC researchers as well as graduate and undergraduate students in STEM fields. Through didactic courses and research mentorship, over 100 LUC undergraduate students will gain valuable training on this machine annually. Two undergraduate courses at LUC will utilize the TEM as will two courses at neighboring undergraduate institutions. The TEM will have the greatest impact on high school students engaged in summer research at LUC. Each year, LUC investigators host 40+ aspiring scientists from Chicago area high schools. This high school research experience will include training and hands-on exploration using the TEM. Thus, the TEM will promote student training both at LUC and beyond. This TEM enhances research at all levels. It enables imaging, sizing, and elemental mapping of samples for a diverse ensemble of scientific fields ranging from biology to materials chemistry to environmental sustainability. Representative examples include imaging of bacteriophages, the cellular structural stability of malaria parasites, microscopic structures of lizard scales, bacterial biofilm formation, cartilage and bone formation in fish embryos, and peripheral nervous system structure. Furthermore, this machine can examine the chemistry that occurs at the surface of prototypical small molecule organic semiconductors as well as element-specific measurements of metal accumulation in living tissue. Thus, the TEM instrument will stimulate the productivity of the existing research projects as well as train the next generation of scientists. 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.