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

Researchers in the Departments of Biology and Chemistry at Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) working in the fields of cell biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology will utilize the chemiluminscence and fluorescence imaging system to: study the effects of intracellular and extracellular protozoans on fish cell lines; characterize the various membrane microdomains in myelin; and determine the mechanism of protein targeting and import into chloroplasts. The requested imaging system will support the research programs of all three co-applicants (in addition to other current, and likely future researchers in both departments), and contribute to the training of undergraduate and graduate students. The imaging system includes a high-resolution ultra-cooled CCD camera with various excitation sources and emission filters. The system will permit visible, UV, fluorescence, and chemiluminescence applications for 1D and 2D gels, Western, Southern, and Northern blots, colony counting, organism/ tissue imaging, macroarrays, TLC plates, and microtiter plates. Therefore, the system will play a significant role in supporting and enhancing a broad range of research programs, and in so doing will help support newly established graduate programs in both departments, and thereby contribute to the growing research intensity within the Faculty of Science at WLU.