Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS
410 MRAK HALL
DAVIS,CA 95616-8671
Performing Department
Animal Science
Non Technical Summary
The objective of grant is to purchase a sophisticated piece of equipment called a high content analysis (HCA) system for the microscopic measurement of domestic livestock cells, organoids and embryos. The system will be used to take measurements on preimplantation livestock embryos, embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and organoid analysis, genome editing and embryo chimera applications, and CRISPR based genome annotation screens. This system can integrate live cell culture with high definition imaging, and data analysis capable of collecting multiple imaging parameters at different multi-well levels (from single slides to 384 well plates) over time. The miniaturization of cell culture analyses provides a feasible approach for high throughput phenotype collection in animal production research. This equipment will significantly upgrade the infrastructure housed at the Department of Animal Science, UC Davis, a USDA designated center of excellence for animal biotechnology. This equipment will help investigate the genotype-to-phenotype relationship in four major mammalian livestock species (Cattle, Pigs, Goats, Sheep), as called for by the USDA "Blueprint for Animal Genome Research 2018-2027". The combination of robust ESCs, genome editing, organoid formation and this HCA system will produce a transformative change in animal research at the cellular, tissue and organ levels.
Animal Health Component
30%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
30%
Developmental
20%
Goals / Objectives
The objective of grant is to equip the animal science program at the UC Davis campus, with a shared-use high content analysis (HCA) system for the multiparametric phenotyping of domestic livestock cells, organoids and embryos.HCA, also known as high-content screening or cellomics, is a non-biased approach to efficiently interrogate cells and cell model systems at the single-cell level. It uses a highly sensitive camera with high dynamic range along with widefield and confocal fluorescence microscopy to enable automatic imaging and data analysis of cellular perturbations resulting from systemic development, viral or bacterial infections, genetic aberrations, or from drug or chemical treatments. When the HCA system is integrated with incubators, this fully automated system can record live cell kinetic measurements for a period of days. In effect, HCA combines the power of modern cell biology with automated high-resolution microscopy and robotic handling to capture sub-cellular details.HCA systems enable the integration of cell and embryo culture, high definition imaging, and sophisticated data analysis software capable of collecting multiple imaging parameters of cells/embryos/organoids at different multi-well levels (from single slides to 384 well plates) over time. Within these systems, individual cells can be monitored for population and subpopulation analyses, thus turning a simple well of cell culture into hundreds or even millions of experiments. The miniaturization of experiments reduces animal care and reagent costs, and provides a feasible approach for high throughput phenotype collection. HCA image analysis tools provide an unparalleled methodology to measure tens to hundreds of single cell-level features from multiple bioprobe markers to determine intensity, morphology measurements such as size and shape, and texture measurements of stable and spatial cellular interactions to identify heterogeneous subpopulation responses or whole population outcomes following experimental manipulations.
Project Methods
The Department of Animal Science at UC Davis has allocated space in a 300 square foot. laboratory in Meyer Hall , adjacent to a cell culture laboratory dedicated to livestock ESC development. While it is difficult to estimate timelines due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we propose to purchase the equipment in 2021, and expect to have it operational before the end of 2021. We anticipate delivery by June, installation in July, training in September, and for the equipment to be fully operational and available by Fall Quarter of 2021. A standalone PC with software and website client image analysis tools using the product will help disseminate the workload from the instrument and allow other investigators to utilize the system. This is a critical component for easy sharing of data generated by the system among members of the team and to allow analysis by multiple investigators.