MRI: Acquisition of a Spinning Disk Confocal Super-resolution Microscope for Transcriptomics Research at Boston University

Trustees Of Boston University, Boston

Investigators

Abstract

Some of the most promising frontiers in life science are uniquely enabled by a new class of microscopes that allow researchers to study molecular-scale structures and the functions they perform within living tissue. This is a step-change in the field of biomicroscopy. In this project, a collaborative group of engineers, scientists, and physicians at Boston University (BU) will acquire a new super-resolution spinning-disk confocal microscope and use it to study precisely how gene expression within cells conduct their lifegiving functions and how neurons connect to and signal one another in brain networks that guide behavior and create memories. Access to this transformative instrument will catalyze cutting edge research at the intersection of life science and engineering disciplines, enhancing interdisciplinary training for graduate students and future practitioners. Use of this shared research instrument directly impacts BU's academic community, as well as robust summer programs oriented to underserved groups and teachers in minority serving educational institutions and community colleges. The project will acquire a Nikon CSU-W1-SoRa super- resolution spinning disk confocal microscope for a shared core facility managed by the BU Photonics Center. This recently commercialized microscope offers a combination of imaging speed and resolution that comprises a step-change in the field of biomicroscopy. It allows, for the first time, fluorescence imaging with resolution and frame rate sufficient to explore large biological sample volumes with molecular precision in real time. Transformative research areas that are enabled by the microscope's unique combination of features include spatially resolved transcriptomics, a technique to connect gene expression to the spatial organization of cells; multi-scale connectomics, a technique to create comprehensive three-dimensional maps of neural connectivity in a living nervous system; and live cell and tissue imaging, through which structural and functional attributes of living cells, engineered tissues, organoids, and whole organisms can be studied. The first of its type on the BU campus, this microscope will be a major asset for life-science and engineering research groups at BU, including nine major users from five different departments. High utilization of the microscope is anticipated, especially given the instrument's reputation for robust, turnkey operation and seamless switching among imaging modalities. 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.