Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Plant and animal tissue fossilization is relatively common in the fossil record. Such exceptionally preserved fossils can provide unique windows into the life history, ecology, and phylogeny of extinct organisms. Microanatomical structure and variation has, however, been incompletely assessed in many modern organisms, complicating anatomical comparisons in extinct groups. Therefore, we are requesting funding for a suite of equipment for experimentation (incubator), paraffin embedding (tissue processor, embedding molds), and preparation of slides (linear stainer) for histological analysis. The equipment requested in this application will support our NSERC-DG funded research programs that reconstruct the life history and ecological niche of extinct organisms (plants and vertebrate animals) through examination of tissues from modern analogues. This suite of equipment is not available on campus and its absence limits the scope of our research questions and causes delays in processing when samples are sent off-campus. This equipment will provide an integrative, interdisciplinary environment for users and HQP, with targeted training from the applicants to prepare HQP for jobs in the biological sciences, environmental sciences, health sciences, and geological sciences, which are all in-demand areas for Canadians.