Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Integrative Activities awarded the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center (DDPSC) $783,491 on March 15, 2026, under the Integrative Activities program (CFDA 47.083) to acquire a ZEISS LSM 980 Airyscan confocal microscope for plant research. The primary product delivered through this award is the acquisition and integration of the advanced imaging equipment into the Center's Advanced Bioimaging Laboratory (ABL), which will support over twenty federally and privately funded research initiatives led by thirteen principal investigators. The microscope system provides critical capabilities including parallel spectral imaging, high-speed and high-resolution modalities, and automated high-throughput capabilities for multi-well plate experiments, enabling precise quantification of cellular and molecular movement in plant tissues.

Beyond equipment acquisition, the DDPSC will deliver research infrastructure access and scientific training services to the broader academic community through shared facility use of the new system. The award supports workforce development activities including training of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in advanced bioimaging techniques, mentorship of high school and college students in imaging projects, teacher workshops, and collaborative research partnerships with the University of Missouri and University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The system will facilitate advanced investigations into microbial interactions, stress responses, nuclear structure, and protein localization in plants, with project completion anticipated by February 28, 2029.