Three-Dimensional Image Analysis and Visualization Capabilities within Virtual Cell

NRCAM

The National Resource for Cell Analysis and Modeling (NRCAM) is a Biomedical Technology Resource supported by a grant from the NIH/NCRR. The primary technology they are developing is the Virtual Cell (VC), a software problem solving environment for computational modeling and simulation in cell biology. The NRCAM group has great needs for visualizing multi-variable, dynamic, three-dimensional simulations and plan to use the software components the Center is developing for this purpose. They also will use the Center's tools for three-dimensional image segmentation.

The Virtual Cell project has several elements of great interest to the Center that are both of outstanding quality and unique within the field of simulation and integrated software. These include their expertise in the simulation of membrane biophysics and ion transport and their extensive knowledge of web-based interfaces and distributed computing over the web. A successful collaboration would seek to make these capabilities available to users of BioPSE and thus greatly expand the impact within the community.

NRCAM resides at the Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, CCAM, at the University of Connecticut Health Center, UCHC. CCAM provides a vast array of laboratory equipment that can be used for obtaining experimental data needed to create and enhance Virtual Cell models. Microscopy instrumentation includes three confocal laser scanning microscopes including UV excitation, nonlinear optical microscopy utilizing a titanium sapphire pulsed laser, confocal-based fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, wide-field imaging workstation with cooled CCD and rapid excitation filter wheel, and dual-wavelength spectrofluorometer. Access to the facilities and technical staff is open to all researchers.