Microarray Scanner

Non-Technical Summary: The Objective is the purchase of a multiuser microarray scanner to support the food safety research being conducted in the Department of Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences and the Great Plains Food Safety Institue. The Department currently does not have a microarray scanner. A microarray scanner is a high-throughput technology used to study up to thousands of genes in a single sample of RNA. Microarray analysis using powerful software allows researchers to make a more comprehensive study of the genes of organisms. Many of our food safety research projects will be enhanced and improved by the incorporation of microarray analysis. These research projects include the study of genetic regulation in Escherichia coli on the surface of ground beef, the study of how the fungus Fusarium graminearum makes mycotoxin under conditions of food processing, the study of diseases caused by Escherichia coli infections of chickens, the development of a microarray-based diagnostic assay for West Niles Virus, and studies on disease-causing mechanisms of the important bacteria Salmonella and Campylobacter during the production and processing of poultry. <P> Approach: The new equipment will provide for the enhancement or research projects in the Department of Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences and the Great Plains Food Safety Institute. A microarray hybridization station, as well as other required equipment, already exists in the PDs laboratory. The Department currently lacks a microarray scanner, but has an increasing number of faculty that intend to incorporate microarray analysis in their Food Safety research. The new microarray scanner will be extremely benefitial to their long-term research projects, allowing them to become more competitive for future funding: Dr. Pruess will use the scanner to study global regulation in Escherichia coli on the surface of ground beef, Dr. Wolf-Hall will study how Fusarium graminearum mycotoxin synthesis is regulated under conditions of food processing, Dr. Gibbs will further her understanding of colibacillosis in chickens, Dr. Khaitsa will develop a microarray based diagnostic assay for West Niles Virus, and Dr. Logue will determine the expression levels of Salmonella and Campylobacter pathogenesis factors at the production and processing level of poultry.