Project Summary (2005-2008)

The Superfund Basic Research Program (SBRP) at Texas A&M University has relied heavily on the facilities and staff support available in the Image Analysis Core. This Core provides a variety of support services to SBRP investigators with major emphasis placed on assessment of the effects of a variety of biological response modifiers (including toxicants) on cells and tissues using conventional optical and electron microscopy approaches. The Core is also working with SBRP investigators to integrate advances in vital analytical cellular imaging and fluorescence probe technologies to provide some of the most sensitive approaches for analysis of the molecular mechanisms of cellular toxicity. The Image Analysis Core fills a critical need for SBRP investigators by housing state-of-the-art technologies, by providing continued maintenance and upgrades to equipment, and by offering specialized instruction and/or technical advice to investigators and their trainees. This core provides a cost-efficient and highly effective way to provide advanced imaging technologies to six different projects. Because of its extensive utilization by the individual research projects and interactions with other facilities cores, the Image Analysis Core has a strong commitment to advancing SBRP goals and provides a forum for scientific interactions between SBRP investigators.