Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
University of Western Ontario
$40,469.00
Imaging and microscopy suite software and hardware upgrades
FY 2010-11
Summary
We request $40468.50 in funds to upgrade the software and computer associated with two heavily used microscopes. The existing equipment includes a low-magnification stereo florescent dissecting microscope, and a high-magnification florescent compound microscope. The microscopes are both outfitted with dedicated cameras. Both cameras are run through a shared Mac G4 computer running Openlab software Version 3. The microscopes and its associated camera, computer and software were purchased over a number of years (1996, 1999 and 2000) for a total of over $171,000. Since then both microscopes, along with the associated computer and software, have been used by many faculty, research staff, graduate and undergraduate students alike in pursuit of their research projects. The existing microscopes are excellent. The dissecting microscope optics are ideal for photography of a variety of embryos, including frog, fish, fly, and plants. The compound scope is ideal due to its excellent optics. Tying the microscopes and the camera together is the Openlab software - a powerful and yet user friendly element. HOWEVER, the Openlab software and Mac computer on which is runs are both dated and problematic. The computer is old and running at less than optimal speeds and capabilities. While essential and heavily used, the current software and computer configuration are limiting use. An upgrade to the computer and software of this microscope suite would increase functionality and productivity, and as such is warranted. We here request funds to upgrade the hardware and camera for the stereo scope, the existing computer and imaging software, such that the existing microscopes may still be used. This upgrade is cost effective, as this request is only a fraction of the cost that the system was to establish. The new computer will be state of the art and provide the optimum speed and memory resources that are required by modern imaging software. In addition the simple and yet powerful Openlab software, which is familiar to the users, is simply being updates to a current version (5.5.1). The transition to the update should be seamless, and will quickly and beneficially impact existing users research programs.
Program
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Recipient
Location
Ontario, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
406572-2011
Name nom
Damjanovski, Sashko
Department département
Biology
Organization id
36
Institution établissement
University of Western Ontario
Province en
Ontario
Province fr
Ontario
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2010
Competition year année de concours
2011
Award amount
40469
Program id
EQPEQ
Program name en
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Program name fr
Outils et instruments de recherche - catégorie 1 (<150 000$)
Group en
Discovery grants programs
Group fr
Programmes de subventions à la découverte
Committee code
1501
Committee name en
Genes, Cells and Molecules
Committee name fr
Gènes, cellules et molécules
Area of application code
1200
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application fr
Avancement des connaissances
Research subject code
5100
Research subject group en
Cell biology
Research subject group fr
Biologie cellulaire
Research subject en
Cell biology
Research subject fr
Biologie cellulaire
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Imaging and microscopy suite software and hardware upgrades
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
We request $40468.50 in funds to upgrade the software and computer associated with two heavily used microscopes. The existing equipment includes a low-magnification stereo florescent dissecting microscope, and a high-magnification florescent compound microscope. The microscopes are both outfitted with dedicated cameras. Both cameras are run through a shared Mac G4 computer running Openlab software Version 3. The microscopes and its associated camera, computer and software were purchased over a number of years (1996, 1999 and 2000) for a total of over $171,000. Since then both microscopes, along with the associated computer and software, have been used by many faculty, research staff, graduate and undergraduate students alike in pursuit of their research projects. The existing microscopes are excellent. The dissecting microscope optics are ideal for photography of a variety of embryos, including frog, fish, fly, and plants. The compound scope is ideal due to its excellent optics. Tying the microscopes and the camera together is the Openlab software - a powerful and yet user friendly element. HOWEVER, the Openlab software and Mac computer on which is runs are both dated and problematic. The computer is old and running at less than optimal speeds and capabilities. While essential and heavily used, the current software and computer configuration are limiting use. An upgrade to the computer and software of this microscope suite would increase functionality and productivity, and as such is warranted. We here request funds to upgrade the hardware and camera for the stereo scope, the existing computer and imaging software, such that the existing microscopes may still be used. This upgrade is cost effective, as this request is only a fraction of the cost that the system was to establish. The new computer will be state of the art and provide the optimum speed and memory resources that are required by modern imaging software. In addition the simple and yet powerful Openlab software, which is familiar to the users, is simply being updates to a current version (5.5.1). The transition to the update should be seamless, and will quickly and beneficially impact existing users research programs.
