# The ShEEP request for a ZEISS Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope 980 with Airyscan 2

> **NIH VA IS1** · VA VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL · 2024 · —

## Abstract

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.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10739905
- **Project number:** 1IS1BX006333-01
- **Recipient organization:** VA VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Jeffrey L. Dupree
- **Activity code:** IS1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-10-01 → 2024-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10739905

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10739905, The ShEEP request for a ZEISS Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope 980 with Airyscan 2 (1IS1BX006333-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10739905. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*