NSF Award
1126150
This NSF MRI Award funds the acquisition of a confocal laser scanning microscope that will facilitate student and faculty research at Pace University. The most fundamentally important functionality that will be gained by this acquisition is the ability to do 3-dimensional imaging in live organisms. Some of the research projects that will be facilitated include 3-dimensional imaging of neuronal differentiation in live zebrafish embryos; in vivo imaging in juvenile squid in order to assess the molecular mechanisms important for a symbiotic relationship between bacteria and squid; 3-dimensional imaging in Arabidopsis plants to assess the molecular mechanisms, and environmental influences, of stomatal development; and multicolor fluorescent protein imaging in cancer cells to assess the subcellular localization and interaction of specific molecular pathways controlling cell growth, division, and apoptosis. For all of these projects, the ability to image non-invasively in vivo greatly increases the physiological relevance of the research questions that can be addressed<br/><br/>The acquisition of this confocal microscope will also give the diverse undergraduate student body at Pace University exposure to leading-edge experimental approaches. The undergraduate curriculum in biology, chemistry, and physics requires an independent student research project. Thus, with the acquisition of this confocal microscope, students will have the opportunity to gain firsthand experience with imaging of cellular and molecular processes in vivo, in live organisms. This gives students an opportunity to gain an appreciation for how current approaches allow researchers to address more meaningful questions about the molecular mechanisms important for biology, and an understanding and appreciation for the possibilities of a career in the basic sciences. In a similar vein, an established relationship between Pace University and the Ossining High School Fundamentals of Science Research course will give high school researchers the opportunity to employ current microscopy approaches for their independent research projects.
