Research Infrastructure: MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of an Olympus FV4000RS Confocal Microscope System to Advance Research and Training at the University of Scranton

An award is made to the University of Scranton to acquire an Olympus Fluoview FV4000 inverted confocal microscope to enhance teaching and cutting-edge research in multiple biological fields, driven by undergraduate and master’s student research. In line with the University’s goals of promoting science as an enterprise of inquiry and discovery, this microscope will be integrated into multiple upper-level biology courses to enhance research experiences to undergraduate and graduate students in STEM. The microscope will also be accessible to faculty members at other universities in the Scranton area, where confocal access is inadequate or absent. In addition, confocal workshops and summer research experiences for high school students will be provided to aid in the expanded training for users beyond the University of Scranton. More specifically, acquisition of this microscope will support multiple research programs investigating questions in cellular biology, microbiology, molecular biology, parasitology, and physiology. By enabling in-depth observations of cells/tissues, time-lapse imaging, and controlled-culture conditions, faculty and students will be able to characterize the interaction between neuron dynamics and other factors, including metabolic dysfunction, neurodegeneration, environmental stressors, and social behavior in insects. Furthermore, secondary departmental users with expertise in bacterial evolutionary morphology and plant developmental biology will now be able to image with much higher resolution and more rapid imaging, increasing efficiency. Together, acquisition of the Olympus Fluoview FV4000 inverted confocal microscope will ensure that these faculty are able to continually advance in their field, remain competitive for future funding opportunities, and effectively train a future STEM workforce. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.