2012 — 2015 |
Nowak, Scott (co-PI) [⬀] Davis, Marcus [⬀] Hudson, Martin Salerno, John |
N/AActivity Code Description: No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Mri: Acquisition of a Confocal Microscope For Multidisciplinary Research @ Kennesaw State University Research and Service Foundation
The Zeiss LSM 700 Laser Scanning Confocal Imaging System will be used in multidisciplinary research and education in the Departments of Biology & Physics and Chemistry and Biochemistry at Kennesaw State University (KSU) and will be the anchor instrument of KSU's microscopy core facility in the new Science Laboratory Building. The LSM 700 and integrated workstation with ZEN (Zeiss Efficient Navigation) software is capable of covering a broad range of imaging needs, from multiple fluorescence and co-localization analysis to live cell imaging to photoactivation of fluorophores. This flexibility will maximize the number of researchers, and types of research, that can make use of the microscope. The confocal imaging system will advance KSU research programs, foster new research directions, and generate data that will complement many other techniques employed by researchers at KSU, such as: fluorescent and standard microscopy, cell culture and in vivo assays, gel-shift, equilibrium saturation and competition assays. The LSM 700 system will enhance the ability of KSU researchers to generate and interpret data. The integration of confocal results with experiments already performed at KSU will provide crucial insights for on-going research in developmental biology, molecular genetics, neurobiology, botany, ecology, evolutionary biology, biochemistry, and related fields at KSU and our collaborator institutions. Although the primary use of the microscope will be for research, it will also be integrated into research training and course curricula.
Confocal microscopy is an increasingly common research tool for visualizing biological and biochemical systems. Acquisition of the LSM 700 confocal microscope will have a significant impact on the research environment at Kennesaw State University (KSU), giving researchers in the Departments of Biology & Physics and Chemistry & Biochemistry the ability to more fully describe interactions important to the systems they study. Publication of innovative research by KSU faculty incorporating confocal data will provide insights into such fields as cell and developmental biology, biochemistry, ecology, evolutionary biology, and anatomy. In addition, the instrument broadens the array of research tools available to researchers at KSU and makes them more attractive collaborators for scientists at more research-intensive institutions. Beyond primary research, teaching experiments will be designed to incorporate confocal microscopy into the classroom. Bringing a more quantitative approach to bear on research problems using confocal microscopy will also make faculty better teachers and afford invaluable research training to undergraduates, including members of underrepresented groups. Hands-on training in the technology and usage of confocal imaging will better prepare KSU graduates for STEM careers.
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2013 — 2016 |
Nowak, Scott (co-PI) [⬀] Hauge, Xueya Hudson, Martin |
N/AActivity Code Description: No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Mri: Acquisition of a Fluorescence Assisted Cell Sorter For Research and Teaching @ Kennesaw State University Research and Service Foundation
An award is made to Kennesaw State University (KSU) to acquire a Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorter (FACS) for use in a diverse series of research and teaching applications across multiple disciplines. The FACS instrument will be used to identify, isolate, and purify a broad range of cells and cell components including mouse embryonic stem cells, neurons, muscle cells, bacteria, organelles, and liposomes. These FACS-purified samples will further research programs that seek to understand brain, muscle, and skeletal development and function, as well as the mechanisms behind bacterial locomotion,a key factor in bacterial pathogenicity. In addition, the FACS will be used to identify and isolate cells possessing novel proteins of interest and for the isolation of specific cell types during molecular cloning studies.
In addition to expansion of research capabilities, the acquisition of cell sorting technology will offer new avenues for course development in the science curriculum at KSU. FACS experiments will be employed in undergraduate courses, bringing state-of-the art instrumentation to cell biology, microbiology, chemistry, and biochemistry instruction. FACS experiments will also be introduced to the graduate curricula in biology and biochemistry, complementing existing instructional modules in flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Opportunities for cell sorting experiments will facilitate recruitment, training, retention, and graduation of undergraduate researchers in multiple STEM programs. These include those funded by the KSU Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, the College of Science and Mathematics, and the National Science Foundation's Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP). Students trained in flow cytometry and FACS skills will be more competitive for jobs in the biotechnology arena and will be better prepared for enrollment into STEM graduate programs. Finally, the powerful capabilities of cell sorting will promote international collaborations, engaging overseas students in research endeavors at our institution and promoting a culture of global learning.
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2016 |
Hudson, Martin Lyn |
R15Activity Code Description: Supports small-scale research projects at educational institutions that provide baccalaureate or advanced degrees for a significant number of the Nation’s research scientists but that have not been major recipients of NIH support. The goals of the program are to (1) support meritorious research, (2) expose students to research, and (3) strengthen the research environment of the institution. Awards provide limited Direct Costs, plus applicable F&A costs, for periods not to exceed 36 months. This activity code uses multi-year funding authority; however, OER approval is NOT needed prior to an IC using this activity code. |
Interneuron Shape and Sensory Circuit Robustness @ Kennesaw State University
Project Summary Factors controlling cell shape are crucial to cellular function. This is especially so in neurons, which need to extend axons over long distances in order to connect with their appropriate synaptic partners. Eph receptor tyrosine kinases (EphRs) and their cognate ephrin ligands play key roles in many aspects of nervous system development and are particularly important for axon targeting. How EphRs and ephrins govern the final shape of a neuron and its subsequent synaptic connections is not well understood. We propose to investigate this using the nematode C. elegans as a tractable model for these studies. The C. elegans genome contains only a single EphA receptor and four ephrin-A genes, which greatly simplifies analysis of EphR/ephrin function. Also, the entire nervous system architecture has been determined, allowing one to make predictions of neuron function in response to changes in cell shape. Non-invasive optogenetic tools have been developed that allow the physiological stimulation of single neurons. Similarly, Ca2+-sensitive GFP and RFP variants have been developed allowing one to record changes in Ca2+ dynamics in response to stimuli. Finally, C. elegans exhibits specific behaviors, allowing us to understanding the consequences of cell shape change or physiology at the behavioral level. We recently identified novel roles for the C. elegans EphR gene vab-1, and it's ephrin ligand, efn-4 in controlling AIY interneuron shape. These cells function as a left-right pair and are required for the transduction of thermosensory information. Electron microscopy reveals that the AIYL and AIYR cells make a gap junction contact in the dorsal side of the nerve ring. Our fluorescence reporter data also reveals physical contact between AIYL and R on the ventral side of the nerve ring. Whether these contact points are required for normal AIY function is not known. We propose a genetic approach to assaying the role of AIY morphology in their physiology and behavior. efn-4 mutations cause defects in axon outgrowth, preventing the AIY cells from making dorsal contact. Conversely, efn-1 mutations prevent the AIY cells from making contact on the ventral side of the nerve ring. We hypothesize that AIYL/R communication will be blocked in one or more ephrin mutants. This also suggests that AIY-based behaviors such as isothermal movement will be compromised. This has important implications for predicting and modeling neural circuit function. Our approach will be broadly applicable to investigating the molecular, cellular and behavioral consequences of other genes involved in neural development. The strong conservation of neural function between C. elegans and humans indicates that information gained from a simple model system will have direct influence on the understanding of human neurodevelopmental disorders. This project directly addresses fundamental mechanisms in developmental neurobiology, and will accomplish both broad and specific AREA program goals, including enhancing Kennesaw State University's research environment and exposing students to high quality research through direct participation.
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0.958 |
2016 — 2019 |
Van Dyke, Michael Davis, Marcus (co-PI) [⬀] Hudson, Martin Griffin, Melanie Mcneal, Joel |
N/AActivity Code Description: No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Mri: Acquisition of a Nucleic Acid Analyzer For Research and Teaching @ Kennesaw State University Research and Service Foundation
An award is made to Kennesaw State University (KSU) to fund an electrophoretic nucleic acids analyzer and accessories for the use in multidisciplinary research and research training. Electrophoresis is the primary means of analyzing nucleic acids, separating nucleic acids based on their size and, to a lesser extent, conformation. Through an electrophoretic analysis, critical qualitative and quantitative information regarding the composition of a nucleic acid sample can be obtained. The nucleic acid analyzer will be part of the existing massively parallel / next generation sequencing facility, including an Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine semiconductor sequencer (PI Van Dyke), thereby significantly expanding facility capabilities. Primary benefits will be in research, including projects involving undergraduate and graduate (Master of Science in Integrative Biology, Master of Science in Chemical Sciences) students. Additionally, programs that enhance research access to under-represented populations, including KSU's NIH-funded Peach State Bridges to the Doctorate and NSF-funded Chemistry and Biochemistry Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences programs, will benefit from this instrumentation. Involvement of the facility with course curricula is also planned, especially given the increasing importance of next-generation sequencing and transcriptome analysis in both health-related and research fields. Hands-on training in the technology used for contemporary nucleic acid sample quality control will better prepare KSU trainees for a broad range of STEM careers.
An electrophoretic nucleic acids analyzer provides automated sample processing and scalable throughput for a variety of DNA and RNA quality control applications. For example, they are routinely used to determine the integrity of genomic DNA samples before their use in involved and costly procedures such as next generation sequencing, microarrays, and quantitative PCR. The nucleic acids analyzer will be used initially by a core group of five laboratories at KSU and their collaborators. Dr. Michael Van Dyke investigates orphan transcriptional regulators in a variety of organisms, including E. coli and Thermus thermophilus. Dr. Martin Hudson studies the role of heparan sulfate proteoglycans and anosmin-like proteins in nervous system development, using C. elegans and stem cell models of nervous system differentiation. Dr. Joel McNeal investigates photosynthetic gene evolution, host/parasite interactions, and microbial endophytes in the parasitic plant genus Cuscuta. Dr. Melanie Griffin studies the global targets of the leucine response protein in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Dr. Marcus Davis explores the developmental mechanisms that pattern vertebrate appendages (fins and limbs) and the evolution of HOX gene regulation. Nucleic acids analysis will provide their materials, ranging from combinatorially selected fusion libraries to developmental stage-selected RNAs, with essential quality control assessments, thereby increasing the likelihood of success in their research and teaching endeavors.
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