Equipment: MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of a JEOL JEM-120i Transmission Electron Microscope with 3D Tomography for the Central Microscopy Facility at the Marine Biological Laboratory

An award is made to the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts to enable the acquisition of a transmission electron microscope capable of high-resolution three-dimensional imaging of cells and tissues. This instrument will be housed in the MBL’s Central Microscopy Facility and will greatly amplify the research and discovery potential for both year-round resident scientists and visiting scientists in areas spanning biology, bioengineering, and biomedicine. This instrument will also enable new educational opportunities for undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers who participate in MBL’s courses and research training programs. Under this award, an electron microscopy focus group at MBL will train new users in the theory and techniques of electron microscopy and image analysis using a hands-on workshop format. As a microscope of its kind with limited availability in Southeast Massachusetts, this instrument will strengthen research collaborations among the six research institutions in Woods Hole and beyond. Since the MBL attracts visiting scientists and students from across the U.S., this award will support training in advanced imaging technologies and stimulate workforce development in Massachusetts, the Northeast, and nationally. Electron microscopy is a critical component of research in basic and applied science. This state-of-the-art microscope will advance research that spans disciplines including neuroscience, cell biology and development, regeneration, and ecology. Specific projects harness the unique adaptations and ultrastructural features of cells and tissues within marine and aquatic animals to understand how neurons develop, communicate, and give rise to complex behaviors; how organisms develop, regenerate, and age; and how environmental stressors impact their physiology. The advanced microscope will expand MBL’s research capabilities and facilitate science that improves Artificial Intelligence models, bioinspired materials, biotechnology, and human health. Education and training in advanced instrument technologies and Artificial Intelligence-assisted image analysis will further strengthen the biotechnology workforce in the U.S. 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.