Appalachian State Receives NSF Grant for Laser-Scanning Confocal Microscope

Appalachian State University’s William C. and Ruth Ann Dewel Microscopy Facility received a $430,900 award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to purchase a new state-of-the-art laser-scanning confocal microscope (LSM).

L-R: Jennifer Cecile, Ted Zerucha, Andy Bellemer, Sue Edwards, and Guichuan Hou of Appalachian State University worked together to secure a National Science Foundation award for a new laser-scanning confocal microscope. Courtesy of Marie Freeman.

The new LSM will improve the quality and expand the scope of the research, training and educational activities in several scientific disciplines at Appalachian, especially for biology and chemistry. The new system will replace Appalachian’s current LSM 510, which was purchased with a NSF award in 2004.

“It is very exciting that we will have the newest generation of LSM at Appalachian soon,” said Guichuan Hou, the director of the microscopy facility.

The new microscope has two features that Appalachian’s current confocal microscopes lack: a 405-nm laser and Airyscan. The 405-nm laser has more power and will extend Appalachian’s choices for fluorescent dyes such as for DNA labeling. The Airyscan greatly increases signal-to-noise ratio of fluorescence imaging and decreases photo bleaching for live cell imaging due to its improved signal detection and reduced photo damage.

“It is very important that we keep using the microscope in many different, positive ways and continue to impact our faculty and staff research, student and graduate student training and community outreach,” Hou said. “I deeply appreciate NSF and the College of Arts and Sciences for their continuous support of the microscopy facility at Appalachian.”