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

In this RTI application, we request funding for a infrared Odyssey scanner system for the Centre of High-Throughput Biology (CHiBi) at the University of British Columbia. The Odyssey is highly versatile instrument to perform quantitative imaging for Western blotting, ELISA, tissue section analysis, as well as Northern and Southern blotting. CHiBi is a multi-disciplinary center that applies high-throughput methods in a variety of biological systems like proteomics, chemical biology and genomics. Work in the laboratories of the applicants focus on global interactome, proteolysis, biomarker discovery and signaling pathways to study protein quality control systems, host-pathogen interactions and honey bee biology. It often requires precise quantifiable measurements of proteins by Western blot that cannot be achieved by standard chemi-luminescent techniques, due to lower dynamic range. For instance, Dr Mayor's lab has successfully used fluorescent-based protein quantification methods with the requested instrument to screen for candidate genes implicated in protein quality control. Funding for this instrument will enable to perform quantitative analysis 1) to establish and optimize methods for sample preparation for mass spectrometry analysis, 2) to validate results obtained by quantitative mass spectrometry analysis, and 3) to screen for candidate genes implicated in ubiquitylation and protein quality control pathways. In addition, the quantitative imaging system will enable larger applications, like ELISA screening for new biomarkers to study the collapse of honey bee colonies. The new instrument is expected to have an important impact on the research and training of highly qualified personal at CHiBi.