The National Science Foundation awarded a $499,553 Project Grant to Grinnell College under the Integrative Activities program (CFDA 47.083) to acquire a laser scanning confocal microscope. The microscope will support research and teaching activities in biology, biochemistry, chemistry, and physics at Grinnell College from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2025. Specifically, the microscope will be used to study synaptic plasticity, detect microtubule formation below the diffraction limit of light, characterize neurovascular patterning in heart development, decipher genetic control of calcium levels in cell migration, characterize mitotic spindle function, and detect allosteric changes in nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The microscope will also enable the creation of a new microscopy techniques course and incorporation of the instrument into an existing educational program for prison inmates. Regional workshops on fluorescence and confocal microscopy techniques for undergraduate education will further disseminate results from this NSF support.
Generated 1/6/24, 2:36 PM