Biological Services Laboratory

Laboratory Automation System with Cytomat and DTX880 Plate Reader

The system is installed in a Class II Biosafety Enclosure.

The Biomek FX provides following applications:

• primary and secondary high-throughput screening of compound libraries
• hit picking
• molecular biology:
  • nucleic acid preparation 
  • plasmid purification
  • high-throughput DNA template preparation prior to automated sequencing from column separations
  • PCR reaction set-up
• cell-based assays
• ADME/Toxicology
• 96- and 384-well plate replication, incubation, plate washing, serial dilution

The DTX880 multimode detector is capable of performing absorbance, luminescence, and fluorescence intensity measurements on samples in 6-384 plates;
The Cytomat automated storage system for cell and tissue cultures is integrated in this robotic station and allows the automated, selective access to the plates with device-integral Plate Shuffle System .
Elx405 magnetic Bead Microplate Washer is also integrated in the Biomek FX automated system.

Sorvall Lynx 6000 superspeed refrigerated centrifuge with a library of biocontaintment rotors:

• 6 x 100 ml,  max speed 23,500 rpm  (62,976 x g)
• 4 x 1000 ml, max speed 10,500 rpm  (20584 x g)
• 8 x 50 ml, max speed  20,000rpm  (47,850 x g)
• 6 x 250 ml,  max speed 14,000 rpm  (30,240 x g)
• 14 x 50 ml, max speed 14,000 rpm (33,746 x g)
• 12 x 50 ml,  max speed  20,000 rpm   (51,428 x g)

There are 2 Sorvall RC-5B Plus  Superspeed refrigerated centrifuges.

Maximum speed ( with SA-300 rotor) is 25,000 rpm (~70,000 x g). Temperature range: from 0°C to 40°C in  1°C increments.

Library of Rotors:

• SLA-1500 SUPER-LITE Aluminum Rotor (6-Place, 250 ml, maximum speed 15,000 rpm)
• SLC-4000 SUPER-LITE Composite Rotor (4-Place, 1000ml), maximum speed 9,000 rpm
• SA-300 Aluminum Rotor (6-Place, 50 ml)

A wide range of adapters and reduction sleeves for all common tube types.

Beckman Preparative Ultracentrifuge (currently located in D240):
Provides high-velocity centrifugation with speed up to 80,000 rpm and run temperatures from 0°C to 45°C for separation of submicroscopic particles according to their densities, clarification of suspensions containing particles, isolation of cell organelles (ribosomes, mitochondria), proteins, and viruses.

AccuSpin TM Micro tabletop microcentrifuge for samples up to 2 ml. Maximum speed 16,000 rpm.
IEC HN-SII tabletop centrifuge for microplates.
DYNAC - everyone's favorite. We like to use it for cell suspensions and for flammable samples. Maximum speed 1790 rpm.
Eppendorf 5810R refrigerated centrifuge with the following  rotors:

• swing-bucket rotor S-4-104 with max. speed 3,214 x g (3900 rpm), capable of spinning a load of 4x750 mL bottles
• fixed-angle rotor with 48 steel sleeves for 15 mL tubes, max. speed 5,050 x g (5,500 rpm)
• Rotor for safe centrifugation of hazardous samples, 6x50 m:, max. speed 20,130 x g (12,100 rpm), made from anodized aluminum for high chemical resistance

The Thermo Espresso centrifuge compatible with 0.2 mL to 2 mL microtubes, max. speed 14,500 x g (14,600 rpm)
Fisher Mini Centrifuge, 1.5/2.0 mL microtubes, max. speed 2,000 x g (6,600 rpm)

Cary 100 UV/VIS spectrophotometer has a working range past 3.5 absorbance units that eliminates sample dilution; variable slit widths for optimum control over spectral resolution; phase-locked wavelength drive that prevents peak shifts and peak suppression at high scan speeds.

For micro-volume absorbance measurement of DNA, RNA, oligos, and proteins. The built-in sample port allows work with volumes as small as 0.5 µL, preserving precious samples, while the cuvette port allows expansion to include larger volume samples. The instrument is suitable for applications in life sciences, clinical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food and drink, agricultural, industrial, environmental, toxicology, water treatment.

The Countess® II FL Automated Cell Counter

is a cell counting instrument equipped with optics  and image analysis software for rapid assessment of cells in suspension. It has brightfield and two optional fluorescence channels to count cells, monitor fluorescent protein expression, and measure cell viability.

We use MVE 4000 cryogenic system for preservation of microorganisms and cell cultures in liquid nitrogen vapor.