Post-Award Notice-Justification for Newport Laser

The Biological Imaging Section (BIS) of RTB (both collectively “Program”), provides expertise, instruction, and instrumentation in optical microscopy to all NIAID investigators and therefore, has a history of providing novel technologies when they become available.  Staff members are available to assist in experimental design and in the collection and analysis of the high-quality images of living and fixed material.  Techniques include confocal, fluorescence, intravital and video microscopy, as well as post collection quantification and deconvolution.  Acquisition of state-of-the-art technologies promotes the overall mission of the DIR, NIAID by providing tools to advance projects in basic and clinical research.  Imaging has become central to many DIR studies in the field of parasitology, virology, and immunology.  In particular, confocal microscopy with its high resolution and multiple channels of data is most appropriate for collecting images of multiply labelled tissue sections or cells.  These data are used for determining colocalization of proteins, expression levels of tagged molecules, and location of parasites.  At the present time collection of data from samples with many probes (up to 10) over large areas of tissue has become a priority to understanding the immune system.

In order to continue to provide for the needs of NIAID researchers, the RTB must continue to upgrade and expand its instruments.  To this end, state-of-the-art instrumentation was needed. This was an acquisition for an Insight X3 Dual-067 laser (“Newport laser”) manufactured by Newport Corporation’s Spectra Physics division.

Awarded contract 75N93022P00354 to unknown vendor for unknown amount on 2022-02-09.