Project Summary/Abstract This Shared Equipment Evaluation Program (ShEEP) application requests funds to purchase a Zeiss Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope 980 with AiryScan 2 that will be used to support the research mission at the Central Virginia VA Health Care System (CVHCS). Six major VA-funded investigators including Drs. Dupree, Huizar, Zhou, Tan, Neuwelt, and Ren require this equipment to generate high and super resolution, high quality multi-labeled, z-stack images of fixed tissue and live cells in real to support their VA Merit or CDA2 funded grants. In addition to these 6 VA funded investigators, an additional 4 minor users (Drs. Baron, Pandak, Kapadia and Lafrenaye) will also use the microscope system to continue their veterans’ related research and to generate the essential preliminary data to compile and submit competitive VA Merit applications. The requested Zeiss Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope 980 with AiryScan 2 provides investigators with the capability to collect high and super resolution (120nm x/y), 2D, 3D and 4D fluorescent images of both formaldehyde fixed samples and live cells. The microscope will be equipped with a combination of dry and oil immersion objective lens ranging from 10X to 63X magnifications and 7 solid state LED lamps with optimal excitation wave lengths ranging from 385nm to 630nm. The software that supports the microscope enables accurate and reproducible image collection with high scientific rigor by providing easy Nyquist sampling and lambda/spectral image collection based on the utilization of the 32-element detector. The scan head is equipped to image greater than 30 channels simultaneously without compromising resolution or image quality. The Zeiss Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope 980 with AiryScan 2 will facilitate our investigators to conduct their existing, funded studies and to pursue unexplored areas of research with greater efficiency and accuracy that can be currently achieved. Presently, the CVHCS does not have a confocal microscope or any similar imaging equipment. VA researchers must use the confocal microscope at our academic affiliate, which is a 15- minute drive from the CVHCS campus resulting in decreased productivity and potentially compromising sample quality and data accuracy. Therefore, we request ShEEP funds to purchase this microscope for use in our ongoing VA-funded studies related to neurodegenerative disease, cancer, metabolic liver disease, heart arrythmia/disease, movement disorder and head trauma. The acquisition of this state- of-the-art microscope will significantly expand our Core Facility capabilities for basic and translational studies and promote collaborations within the CVHCS and between CVHCS researchers and VA-funded investigators outside the CVHCS consistent with the Enterprise research model initiated by the VA research program.