Project Summary: This proposal requests funds to acquire a Zeiss Axio Observer 7 wide-field fluorescence microscope with Apotome-3 and live cell imaging capability, which will be housed in Texas State University (TX State) shared resource operations (SRO). Over the past 15 years, TX State has sustained a steady increase in biomedical research capacity and undergraduate STEM matriculation leading to an increased need for strategic modern scientific instruments investment to bolster the TX State education and research missions. The acquisition of the proposed Zeiss Axio Observer 7 microscope will directly strengthen the research programs of three NIH- supported researchers within the TX State Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and will enhance the educational mission of the TX State Biology Department. It will bring new high-resolution imagining capabilities for studying the basic science of microbes and cancer cell-culture models to the TX State campus. The requested Zeiss Axio Observer 7 microscope will complement existing shared microscopy resources within the SRO equipment portfolio while bringing new live-cell imaging and multicolor imaging capabilities to the TX State research community. The latter will support the diverse (bio)material science and engineering training programs at TX State. Between the research and teaching major users listed in the grant application, we anticipate that >90 students/year will gain access to this instrument. This includes ~60 students/year in microbiology-related laboratory coursework spanning the undergraduate and graduate levels and >25-30 student research trainees/year through engagement in independent research experiences. Through the strategic placement of the instrument in the TX State SRO portfolio, we have guaranteed resources to facilitate new user training, routine maintenance, scheduling, standard operation procedure development/documentation, enforcing lab/equipment safety protocols, and in-depth user training for the life of the instrument. This new instrument will provide long-term research and instructional resources to engage students and research trainees in the hands-on operation of modern scientific equipment who are underrepresented in the biomedical sciences at a resource-limited institution.