Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

NSERC-RTI funds are requested to acquire an integrated platform for conducting fluorescence microscopy with advanced software to support a broad range of image capture and analysis parameters. My request is to replace an obsolete (22 years old), broken microscope that is no longer able to meet even my team's most routine microscopy needs. Fluorescence microscopy is a valuable tool needed for many areas of biological research. It can be used for a diverse range of experiments to analyze cell populations, tissue morphology, protein localization and expression within cells and to evaluate cellular functions such as attachment, proliferation, migration in cultured cells or on bio-printed substrates. This sophisticated equipment is needed to meet the experimental needs of numerous researchers and their trainees. The requested microscope and image analysis workstation is integral to the NSERC-funded research programme of the primary applicant Dr. Tara Haas and numerous users within Faculties of Health, Science and Engineering at York University. My current and future research hinges on fluorescence microscopy for the effective assessment of capillaries and myofibers within muscle (including capillary quantification) and to study vascular cell behaviours in vitro and the intracellular localization of key molecular actors controlling the angiogenic process. There is a dire need for this apparatus, as my current equipment is unusable. At present, my group must access the core facility confocal microscope to conduct all our microscopy needs, despite most of our experiments not requiring confocal microscopy. The core facility microscope is heavily used and has limited availability. The user fees also are exorbitant when used daily. Crucially, these issues significantly impede the research progress of the applicant and their HQP. The microscope station that I intend to purchase will meet the immediate and long-term research needs of the applicants, as well as additional research groups at York University in the Muscle Health Research Centre and collaborators in the Faculty of Engineering. The requested microscope platform is flexible and user friendly, making it ideal for multi-laboratory use. Many HQP will benefit from the use of this equipment. Trainees will become proficient using the foundational cell biological approach of fluorescence microscopy for their various research purposes. Replacing my broken microscope platform will enable more trainees to incorporate sophisticated microscopy techniques into their projects, which will elevate the quality and potential impact of their data. It will attract new trainees to join my research team and will facilitate collaborations of HQP with other researchers.