"EMU: Acquisition of am Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (FEG) - Quattro S for modernization and expansion of services provided by the Research Center "Electron Microscopy Center" of IBB UNESP"

• Grant number: 23/17266-5
• Support Opportunities: Research Infrastructure Program - Small Medium Sized
• Start date: September 01, 2024
• End date: August 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Daniela Carvalho dos Santos
• Grantee: Daniela Carvalho dos Santos
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Claudio de Oliveira ; Patrick Mathews Delgado ; Silvia Rodrigues Machado

Abstract

The Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (FEG) - Quattro S is a multi-user microscope equipped with innovative technological solutions in the field of scanning electron microscopy, with great potential for application in different areas (biological and material research), enabling an enormous positive impact in the research carried out using this equipment, in terms of international scientific competitiveness. This equipment will enable the modernization and expansion of the services provided by the Research Center "Electron Microscopy Center" (EMC), Biosciences Institute of Botucatu, UNESP. The ECM follows a successful management dynamic, which it has maintained the Center's operation as a reference facility in electronic microscopy in Brazil for 46 years. The EMC is a highly qualified multi-user research laboratory, with robust infrastructure and technical capacity to perform sample processing services for electron microscopy, providing a multi-user equipment and offering technical training for the hands-on of the equipment. The EMC is registered on the National Research Infrastructure Platform MCTI and is intended to offer conditions for the development of scientific, academic and extension activities, specific to the University and/or other Public and Private Institutions purposes, which require the services provided in electron microscopy and other equipment installed in this center. Environmental high-definition Scanning Electron Microscopy (FEG) - Quattro S is an important analytical and technical tool, from millimeter to nanometer scale used in the characterization of materials from different fields of knowledge, allowing scientists to know and characterize the ultrastructure and the chemistry composition of biological structures, metals, and other materials with this state-of-the-art tool. The requested equipment will bring a great advance in cellular, molecular and nanoparticle knowledge not only for the state of São Paulo, but for the whole country since this scientific tool is restricted to a few research laboratories in the country. The equipment will bring innovation and greater coverage of the services offered by UNESP, enabling a considerable advance in the quality of scientific research carried out in the state of São Paulo, in addition to allowing the offering of a new high-definition ultrastructural electron microscopy analysis service, still non-existent at this campus. It is also considered that the SEM (FEG) - Quattro S is an ideal choice for multidisciplinary environments such as UNESP with users from different locations, making electron microscopy workflows accessible to a wider community of scientists. Internal and external users of the SEM (FEG) - Quattro S will have full access to the multi-user equipment and application software packages developed and continuously maintained to facilitate simplified workflows compatible with other products from Thermo Scientific company, whose commercial exclusivity letter for the equipment was attached to this very proposal. The impacts generated using this multi-user equipment requested in associated and complementary projects will be enormous, scientifically positive and will represent a milestone in the advancement of ultrastructural and molecular knowledge in the different samples investigated now and in future projects supported, improving the international scientific competitiveness of Brazilian research. (AU)