A broadly accessible and versatile spinning disc microscope to probe biological processes across temporal and spatial scales

In this proposal, we request funds to purchase a Nikon W1-SoRa spinning disc confocal microscope with integrated photomanipulation and Ring-TIRF. This highly versatile system will enable gentle, high-speed fluorescence imaging across a broad range of temporal and spatial scales, from the sub-second movements of proteins within cells to the millimetre scale organization of the mammalian brain. To maximize its utility, we have configured this system to accommodate samples from across the kingdoms of life and with the capacity for precise and rapid temperature fluctuations and optical perturbations. The W1-SoRa will significantly extend the capacity and capabilities of our current workhorse microscope, a 10-year-old Zeiss LSM880, thereby futureproofing advanced imaging at Warwick. The University of Warwick School of Life Sciences (SLS) is home to world-class bioscience researchers who use fluorescence microscopy to study biological processes that span the BBSRC’s remit, including an integrated understanding of health, bioscience for clean growth and for sustainable agriculture and food. Specific research objectives of this application will be led by PcLs and include studies of the mechanisms of cell polarization in animal cells, neurocircuitry and gene expression patterns in the mammalian brain, the dynamics of cyanobacterial communities, the stress and pathogen responses of plants from the subcellular to the tissue-scale, phage-mediate therapy and biocontrol, and the mechanisms of genome editing during embryonic development. Therefore, this instrument will provide a critical foundation supporting a broad range of impactful studies that align with the priorities of the BBSRC. The W1-SoRa will be housed within SLS’s Bio-Analytical Shared Resource Laboratory (BioSRL) and will be the first multi-user system of its kind in the Midlands. The W1-SoRa and the technical expertise of the BioSRL will be available to users from across the higher education and public sector, and spare capacity will be made available to industry. This new microscope will enhance and complement the University of Warwick’s existing cutting-edge imaging technology facilities, including transmission electron microscopy (Advanced Bioimaging RTP), scanning electron microscopy (Electron microscopy RTP) and Warwick Medical School Computing and Advance Microscopy Development Unit (CAMDU). We are committed to providing highly accessible facilities that combine state-of-the-art technologies with technical skills and expert knowledge, thereby providing empowering innovative and impactful research (World-class places: Infrastructure). We will enable the Research Technical Professionals (RTProfs) supporting this instrument to become experts and ensure the technical expertise is sustainable by providing RTProfs with opportunities for career progression. Microscopy is a cornerstone of modern biological research because it enables visualisation of life’s dynamics from the molecular to the organismal scale. Over the last decade, substantial advancements in the speed, sensitivity and resolution of imaging instruments have revolutionized our understanding of many fields of biology and generated new frontiers of inquiry that will motivate cutting-edge studies in the decade to come. Investment in a versatile and multi-user W1-SoRa at the Warwick’s BioSRL will enhance the imaging capabilities available to the Midlands research community, thereby helping to maintain the UK’s position as an international leader in the biosciences. In addition, by providing access to trainees at all stages and by incorporating the W1-SoRa into our cross-doctoral training partnership training course, this instrument will help train the next generation of scientists to harness high spatial and temporal resolution imaging. As such, investment in a W1-SoRa for Warwick’s BioSRL will have significant impacts both regionally and nationally.