Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

This proposal is to facilitate the research needs of the entire Biology and Chemistry/Biochemistry Departments at the University of Windsor. Hence, the areas of science it encompasses are diverse; from cellular and molecular biology/biochemistry/genetics studying areas such as how organisms develop, how cells grow, divide and regulate cell death in normal and abnormal situations, how the body regulates its lipid/fat content, how cells interact with one another and the environment around them to physiological questions relating to how animals process both smell and sound and how this controls important responses to the external environment. Each of these research programs rely very heavily on microscopy as the endpoint to analyse and publish data. Currently this group is sharing a 15 year old core facility microscope which is outdated, heavily utilized and limited in its capabilities with regard to camera resolution and spectral imaging. With our Departments growing in the number of NSERC funded young faculty dependent on microscopy it is absolutely essential that we expand and improve our imaging capabilities here at the University of Windsor. Acquisition of a core facilities microscope, with updated capabilities to image a wide range of different colours at enhanced speed and with much improved resolution is absolutely essential to facilitate the success of the research and training of the programs described in this application.