CEPCEB Members

David Carter Academic Coordinator, Imaging Center of Plant Cell Biology, Department of Botany and Plant Sciences University of California Riverside, CA 92521 Phone: (951) 827-2694 Fax: (951) 827-4437 Areas of Expertise Confocal Imaging Instrument Development Fluorescence Optics Sample Heading High Throughput Screening Training.
Background Selected Publications (Bibliography page) Research Interests

Background

I received my Ph.D. from the Department of Applied Biology at the University of Cambridge, England in 1990. For my doctoral research, I studied the egg-glue of head lice, under the direction of Professor Sir James Beament F.R.S. The intended application was to develop an improved method of pest control by defeating the adhesive process and making nits fall off. My work was to provide the basic science for this endeavor, with a combination of serial histology, histochemistry, electron microscopy, behavioral studies, dissection, and chemical analysis. I found that they were too well adapted to their hosts, using the process of slip-forming to deposit a close fitting pipe of cement around the hair onto which the egg is attached without the need for an adhesive bond. Being mostly protein, attacking the pipe would prove difficult without damaging hair or scalp, and since lice are permanent residents on their hosts, the prospect of finding a repellant seemed equally unlikely.

After submitting my thesis, getting married and applying for residence, I moved to Canada for postdoctoral work, and joined the laboratory of Professor Michael Locke at the University of Western Ontario. There, we used a transparent tent caterpillar Calpodes ethlius as a model for studying cell biology. I was fortunate to have extensive access to the first commercial confocal microscopes to be sold in Canada, a BioRad 600, and I found I could glue my caterpillars to a cover slip and study their epidermis in vivo. We looked at the transport of fluorescently tagged hemolymph proteins, and discovered a system of axial folds in the cuticle, which allow caterpillars to retain their shape as they grow, without becoming short and fat.

Calpodes cuticle	"Confocal Histology"	3D of thoracic ganglion

My interest in laser scanning technology took me next door to the Advanced Imaging Laboratory of the John P. Robarts Research Institute, where I developed biological applications for a prototype transmission confocal laser scanning microscope, invented by Ted Dixon's Physics group in Waterloo. After making many minor modifications to make it useful on wet specimens, I studied the reproductive membranes of guinea pigs. I then hit upon the combination of a confocal scanner and a microtome, for collecting 3D data sets of relatively large specimens, and tested "confocal histology" on rat eye lenses, pig heart valve leaflets, whole insects and mouse thoracic ganglia.
In 1994, I was tempted south of the border by an applications scientist position at Meridian Instruments in Okemos, Michigan. They made a suite of very high performance laser systems, specializing in interactive applications and quantitative analysis. The applications team trained new owners, demonstrated to prospects, and proved our technology on a myriad of unusual specimens and applications. Meridian was the first to commercialize adherent cell cytometry, UV-confocal microscopy, and laser based FRAP, Gap-FRAP, and photoactivation. I generated a wide selection of publicity material, prepared training literature, and worked with the engineers on inventing new instruments, optimizing the human interface, and developing new applications.

Meridian Ultima	Schematic	Photoactivation

When Meridian ceased trading, I helped to rescue its core competence for InSight Biomedical. There, I developed a miniature version of the Meridian cytometry application, and invented a vapor deposited plastic film substrate for laser ablation applications. The InSight group joined Genomic Solutions to become their Lansing Division, specializing in engineering development, production, and field service. As Director of Applications, I determined the weak points of their genomics suite of products, improving the fluidics of microarray printing, developing a batching method for printing tips, and improving the process of automatic image capture and analysis. I worked as part of the engineering team on developing three high throughput microarray imaging systems, modeling their optical performance, sourcing optical filters, developing QC standards, and optimizing components, assemblies and procedures. I then became Global Product Manager for the imaging systems, and took responsibility for all aspects of these products, from concept to production.

Meridian InSight video rate confocal	GeneTAC UC-4 microarray imager	Mouse section

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Research Interests

Beyond maintaining and supporting the growing suite of microscopy instruments, my main focus is developing high throughput imaging capability for Arabidopsis. I have developed a multi-well plate system for germinating seedlings on a flat surface so that all tissues are available for imaging at subcellular resolution. I am now working towards fully automating the imaging process.

I always look for opportunities to push the limits of our imaging capability by: developing new applications; using old methods in new ways; reducing the tedium of sample manipulation; and making the systems as efficient and user-friendly as possible.

Selected Publications (Bibliography page)

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