Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

There are different cell types in our body that play very different roles as they relate to whole-body function. Whether it be brain, immune, muscle, or circulating fetal cells, knowing how they behave in different environments and how they communicate with the rest of the body will broaden our understanding of normal function and possible treatment strategies for abnormal function. The central focus of our collective research programs is determining changes in protein content, activity, and cellular location induced by several different physiological models. To better study each cell in isolation or in conjunction with another cell, it is important to have the necessary equipment to make these measurements at cellular or subcellular levels. In some cases, these measurements require an understanding not only of what is happening within a cell or between cells but where it is happening.******We wish to address these questions in our respective research areas with a new instrument, the Cytation 5MV Cell Imaging MultiMode Microplate Reader, that will allow us to make core measures associated with RNA and protein content, protein function, and antibody presence in a variety of cell and tissue types. It is one of the most advanced instruments of this kind on the market as it combines automated digital imaging with conventional multimode microplate reading to provide cellular information and quantitative data. It will also allow us to see where these events are taking place under normal circumstances and when presented with differing cellular environments. The new instrumentation will also allow us to examine any environmental influences (e.g., exercise, diet, and pharmaceuticals) that alter cell function. ******Each year, we train 2030 highly qualified personnel (HQP) in our labs. Access to the cell-imaging microplate reader is foundational to their training in that they will learn new techniques that are only possible with this system. The features of the instrument will enrich our research findings by allowing for a multitude of measures within the same sample, and allow for greater access to equipment by HQP. The Cytation 5MV Cell Imaging MultiMode Microplate Reader is essential for our collective research programs and for the timely completion of HQP projects.******Our research programs take an integrative, top-down approach that encourages HQP to appreciate the regulation of physiological processes at the organism, systems, tissue, cell and molecular levels. Together, our research contributes novel approaches toward understanding the biological mechanisms underpinning metabolic diseases, neurodegeneration, inflammation, skeletal muscle health, and sexual orientation.**