High resolution imaging

The Centre for High Resolution Imaging and Processing CHIPs will be opened on 10 December with a seminars and guest speakers. The centre is a purpose built electron microscopy suite dedicated to supporting biomedical research for use by scientists in Dundee and elsewhere in the UK.

The establishment of the centre and purchase of new microscopes will greatly enhance the facilities for the scientists in all disciplines across the school of life sciences. Electron Microscopy is excellent for viewing the fine structure of cells of plants and animals, bacteria and viruses, allowing scientists see the surface and internal structure of cells and tissues. The new facilities will not only allow unfixed samples to be viewed but will emphasise quantitative analysis of changes in cells. This is crucial to allow scientists to see the workings of cells and to understand how and why they function as they do.

The building of the facility followed the award of a £1M grant from the Joint Infrastructure Fund (JIF) in 1998. Additional funding from the MRC, The Wellcome Trust and elsewhere brought the total funding for the project to over £2M, allowing the purchase of powerful new electron microscopes and ancillary equipment, and the employment of staff needed to operate the facility.

The coordinator of the JIF bid was Professor Angus Lamond, Head of the Division of Gene Regulation and Expression and the Centre will be run by Dr Alan Prescott of the Division of Cell Biology and Immunology. Speakers at the opening in the MSI large lecture theatre on 10 December will be: Professor Keith Gull, University of Manchester, Professor Chris Hutchison, University of Durham and Professor Terry Allen, Christie CRC Research Centre, University of Manchester.

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