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

This versatile high-throughput microbiological and biochemical characterization system will allow several researchers at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMCC) to initiate new collaborations among chemists, chemical engineers and biologists to explore novel research directions in the areas of: 1) constructed wetland microbiological community characterisation, 2) ecotoxicological data generation, 3) microbiologically assisted arsenic speciation, 4) phytoremediation and rhizospheric bacterial interactions, 5) sequential PCB transformation investigation, 6) cellular apoptosis and anti-apoptosis research, and 7) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay development for endocrine system disruption research. The requested instrumentation (Plate Reader Suite) is a full fluorescence, absorbance plate reader that can read from up to 1536 wells per plate, equipped with an automated plate stacker, in addition to a black walled quartz 96 well microplate for fluorescence signal detection.The requested Plate Reader Suite will support emerging research programs important to Canadians including A) emerging contaminants in water, B) ecotoxicology, C) Risk assessment and environmental remediation, D) fundamental cellular death research. The research programs described are directly in line with the NSERC Science and Technology Priority areas of ""Environmental Sciences and Technologies"" and ""Health and Related Life Sciences and Technologies"", in addition to the Strategic Area of ""Water-Related Research"".An important intent of the research programs supported by the Plate Reader Suite is to train a highly qualified group of science and research professionals in chemistry, environmental science, environmental engineering, and biology in Canada. The requested instrumentation will expand the training of current highly qualify personnel and will attract strong potential candidates for Canada's leaders of tomorrow.