A grant received by the Ball State University biology department has helped provide revenue to create a high-tech microscope facility in the basement of the Cooper Science Building.
The facility will house a variety of microscopes including a transmission electron microscope, a scanning electron microscope, an epifluorescence microscope, a scanning tunneling microscope and a $300,000 confocal microscope, Dr. Carl Warnes, chairman of Ball State University's biology department, said.
"The facility is state-of-the-art, with the suppliers of the Zeiss confocal scope hoping to use our setup to promote design of facilities at other institutions," he said. "It has excellent track lighting, foot control of lighting by the user of the scope, for instances where visual images are not as intense, and excellent soundproofing of rooms so that noise or vibration will be minimal. The room will eventually allow for images captured in the Cooper facility to be electronically transmitted to individuals and companies who work with us examining specimens, both biological and physical."
While Warnes said that most major research institutions and several industries have the equipment found in the facility, Ball State offers access to the facility to undergraduate and graduate students.
"In this facility, we train both undergraduate and graduate students on theory and operation of the microscopes so they can work independently on thesis research and classroom project," assistant professor of medical education and physiology adjunct professor of physiology, Dr. Derron Bishop said. "At much larger institutions, students rarely have access to these kinds of microscopes since they are largely reserved for the research projects of professors and advanced members of their labs."
Biology graduate student Cathy Griffith believes the lab will give students beneficial experience.
"Allowing students to get hands-on experience with microscopes like these will definitely give them an edge when searching for a research position," she said. "Most universities are either too large for students to have access to the facility like they do here or the school simply doesn't have a scope comparable to these. The scopes are on the cutting edge of imaging technology and Ball State students are very lucky to have the chance to work with them."
Griffith has had an opportunity to work in the lab.
"I have used the lab several times, although I still require professor supervision," she said. "I'm not that comfortable yet. The scopes themselves are not intimidating; however, the software used to operate the scopes and produce an image can be slightly overwhelming. I think several days of practices in the lab will take care of the feeling. Anyway, any intimidation is greatly overshadowed by the brilliant, high-resolution images that can be taken from the scopes. Ball State University has an older fluorescent microscope that has been used in biology classes for years to view fluorescing cells and all manner of labeled specimens. The new confocals blow the old scope clear out of the water."
Warnes said biotechnology, microbiology and physiology students will reap the most benefits from the facility; however, faculty and students in the College of Sciences and Humanities and the Muncie Center for Medical Education will have access to the facilities and will be the primary users.
"I anticipate facilities, such as this one, will have a tremendous impact on the university," Bishop said. "For faculty, new microscopes in the facility permit entirely new avenues of research and increase our competitiveness to attract national funding for our research programs. In addition, one of the goals of the facility is to partner with East Central Indiana businesses that need advanced microscopy as part of their quality control programs. We've already developed relationship with several businesses ... I see this as a tremendous opportunity for our students to work side-by-side with industry partners to address real-world applications."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
