Summary
KIDNIT, the Pittsburgh Center for Kidney Research’s Resource Development Core, focuses on developing and adapting advanced light, super-resolution, and electron microscopic imaging modalities and technologies to address questions related to kidney function and dysfunction.
What they want
KIDNIT aims to foster an incubator space for imaging tool development by leveraging the Center for Biological Imaging (CBI)'s resources, expert faculty, and extensive equipment. The core will develop new and custom imaging resources, tools, and technologies specifically for kidney research, including novel clearing and 3D imaging protocols, analysis of collagen organization using instant polarized light microscopy (iPOL), development of fluorescent lifetime imaging and fluorescent energy transfer protocols, utilization of high-throughput platforms for organoid screening, and creation of novel microfluidic chambers. KIDNIT is also responsible for robust validation and quality control of new resources, such as a validated antibody collection, and collaborates with a Consortium to prioritize, implement, and replace obsolete imaging technologies by leveraging industry ties and S10 funding.
Deliverables
- New and custom-made imaging resources, tools, and technologies for kidney research
- Novel clearing and 3D imaging protocols
- Methods for analyzing collagen organization and structure using iPOL
- Protocols employing fluorescent lifetime imaging and fluorescent energy transfer
- High throughput platforms for large-scale screening of organoid form and function
- Novel microfluidic chambers
- Validated antibody collection
- Training and information transfer mechanisms
- Implementation of new and improved imaging resources
Technical requirements
- Light, super-resolution, and electron microscopic imaging modalities
- Widefield, confocal, two-photon, TIRF, light-sheet, super-resolution, and electron microscopes
- Novel clearing and 3D imaging protocols
- Instant polarized light microscopy (iPOL)
- Fluorescent lifetime imaging
- Fluorescent energy transfer
- High throughput platforms for organoid screening
- Novel microfluidic chambers
