# Microscopy Core

> **NIH NIH P30** · INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS · 2024 · $171,159

## Abstract

ABSTRACT (MICROSCOPY CORE)
The overall goal of the Microscopy Core is to provide IDRC investigators with effective access to advanced
methods of light microscopy, particularly the powerful new techniques of intravital microscopy developed
during the previous grant period. The Microscopy Core utilizes the extensive facilities of the Indiana Center for
Biological Microscopy (ICBM), the School of Medicine's 20 year-old core microscopy facility. The Core is
equipped with three point-scanning confocal/multiphoton excitation microscopes, as well as a spinning-disk
confocal microscope and multiple digital workstations supporting quantitative two- and three-dimensional
image analysis. The Core is fully equipped to support intravital microscopy, providing investigators with space
in a surgical suite with all necessary supplies for surgery, anesthesia, and animal monitoring. The Microscopy
Core benefits not only from the extensive facilities of the ICBM, but also the reliable performance of systems
that are fastidiously maintained by ICBM staff and continuously supported with manufacturers' service
contracts. Specifically, the Core will apply and adapt methods of intravital microscopy that the ICBM has
developed over the past 12 years to studies of the pathophysiology of diabetes and will develop and implement
novel assays of protein and cell function based upon fluorescent protein biosensors, applying a combined
approach of spectral and time-resolved fluorescence quantification. The Microscopy Core is Directed by Dr. K.
Dunn, with Dr. R. Day serving as Associate Director. The Core leverages the expertise of a staff scientist and
technician, and interfaces closely with the Islet & Physiology Core of the IDRC to ensure that tissue resources
and surgical expertise are tightly integrated. The Aims of the Microscopy Core include:
 (1) Implementation of methods of quantitative intravital microscopy.
 (2) Continued development of intravital microscopy methods that will be applied to biological systems of
interest to IDRC investigators, including approaches for studies of muscle and neurons in the brain.
 (3) Implementation of fluorescent protein biosensors for intravital and in vitro studies, including the
optimization of biosensors for confocal and multiphoton microscopy, the design of viral vectors, validation of
biosensor performance, optimized methods of image collection and quantitative analysis.
 (4) Training in the methods of microscopy and image analysis developed by the core for investigators
whose needs exceed the capacity of the core.
 (5) Technical support for laboratories lacking microscopy expertise to utilize additional challenging
techniques; e.g., fluorescent biosensor-based in vitro studies, fluorescence lifetime microscopy).

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10877696
- **Project number:** 5P30DK097512-10
- **Recipient organization:** INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Amelia K Linnemann
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $171,159
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2015-07-06 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10877696

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10877696, Microscopy Core (5P30DK097512-10). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10877696. Licensed CC0.

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