USC Core Instrumentation Fund
The Core Instrumentation Fund supports acquisition of shared instrumentation that enables major research endeavors in the sciences, medicine and engineering. Example areas of interest include, but are not limited to: Microscopy, Genomics, Imaging and Biophysics. The fund is not intended for purchase of computers unless they are integrated with other types of instrumentation.
Who Should Apply to This Announcement
This announcement is for core laboratory directors, who would like to do any of the following:
- Request full funding for equipment acquisition from the university,
- Request matching funds toward an external competition (e.g., the NSF MRI or NIH S10),
- Request matching funds to support the expansion of technical services.
This solicitation is timed to coincide with the NSF MRI acquisition program, and is the only mechanism by which applicants may request matching support from the provost office for an NSF MRI proposal.
2013 Call for Proposals
Download the 2013 Guidelines:
- Core_Instrumentation_Fnd_RFP_2012-13 (Revised 3/4/2013)
Application Deadlines:
- Type A proposal deadline remains December 6, 2012 (same as original deadline).
- Type B proposal deadline is open, and proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
- Type C proposal deadline: No solicitation in 2013.
Proposal Submission
To start the application process you will need to log in using your USC NetID and password: Begin Online Application.
Important: You may experience problems with the online application if using the browser Internet Explorer. If you experience problems, it is advisable to access the application system through a different browser, such as Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.
For questions regarding the proposal submission process, please contact Dr. Silvia Da Costa in the Office of Research (sdacosta@usc.edu or 213-740-6709).
2012 Core Instrumentation Fund Awardees
Awardee: Xiaojiang Chen, Director
Equipment: Multi-Mode Microplate Reader Synergy H4 (BioTek)
Facility: NanoBiophysics Core
Synergy H4 (BioTek) is a new class of multi-mode micro plate readers that uses the new Hybrid Technology™ to combine sensitive filter-based optics and flexible monochromator-based optics in one compact instrument for endless flexibility in current and future micro plate-based assay choices. The model’s functions will satisfy the growing needs of faculty. This instrument can perform a variety of assays such as cellular, GPCR, reporter gene, enzyme, genotyping, and quantification assays. Additionally, Synergy H4 is compatible with BioTek’s Take3™ Multi-Volume Plate for low volume measurements down to 2 μL. Synergy H4 offers the flexibility of six assay technologies, including fluorescence and absorbance, luminescence, time-resolved fluorescence, fluorescence polarization, and Alpha Screen.
Awardee: Victoria Fox, Director
Equipment: Nikon Biostation Live Cell Imager
Facility: USC Stem Cell Core
Unlike conventional live cell imaging equipment, The Biostation is unique in that it consist of a standard sized tissue culture incubator with an inverted microscope inside, and holds 30 vessels ranging from 96 well plates to 75cm2 flasks, which are moved between the microscope stage and the vessel rack via a robotic device. This Biostation would be pivotal to our ongoing efforts to develop new technologies for working with human pluripotent stem cells, which ultimately requires an understanding of their physiology and in vitro requirements. In addition to providing much needed research support the Biostation would provide an important teaching apparatus to support these activities, which include a microscope training course run by the Director of the Pasadena Bridges program, Dr. Pamela Eversole.
Awardee: Roberta Marinelli, Director
Equipment: Instrument Suite for Ocean Acidification Studies
Facility: USC Wrigley Institute
The Combined pCO2 and DIC analyzer, Honeywell Durafet pH sensor system, and Shimadzu UV-1800 Scanning Spectrophotometer will provide flexibility in measuring and monitoring approaches and analytical constraint for system measurements. The suite of instruments was chosen in part on the ease of use in a multi-user situation. The equipment will be housed in the laboratory of Dr. Karla Heidelberg, at the Wrigley Marine Science Center.
Awardee: David Van Den Berg, Director
Equipment: Biomek 3000 Laboratory Automated Workstation
Facility: Molecular Genomics Core
This instrument fits a key area of need for multiple departments and schools and will be fully supported by the Epigenome Center. This instrumentation will be available as an open access instrument for any research group. The proposed equipment would facilitate, or in some cases enable, the studies to be conducted locally and not outsourced to better equipped facilities. It can be utilized at all scales of library construction, from just a few libraries at a time to the dozens required for the described projects. The instrument will be housed in the Molecular Genomics Core, which currently has numerous pieces of complex analytical equipment operated and maintained by qualified personnel.
Previous Awardees
A list of previous awardees of the Core Instrumentation Fund is available to download.