Campus Facilities

All life sciences research laboratories occupy contiguous space with in university's science complex. The Department of Biology is well equipped with research facilities. Electron Microscope Facility Monoclonal Antibody Facility Histology Facility Genomics & Proteomics Facility Photo-Optical Facility DNA Sequencing Transgenic Mouse Facility Electron Microscope Facility The Electron Microscope Facility is well equipped for ultrastructural research. Used by a wide range of life sciences researchers at University of Oregon, it houses three TEMs, including a Philips CM-12/STEM equipped for cryo-microscopy; one SEM; ultramicrotomes; evaporators; freeze-fracture; and other equipment. For prospective students unfamiliar with the techniques used in the facility, two comprehensive courses in biological electron microscopy are offered each year. One-on-one instruction and assistance is also available when needed. Histology Facility The histology facility specializes in techniques that permit the visualization of tissue components at the resolution of the light microscope. A strong emphasis is placed on neuroanatomical and immunocytochemical methods. Microtomes are available to cut frozen,paraffin, vibratome, and plastic sections. Collaborative efforts, instruction, and technical support are included in the functions of the facility. Monoclonal Antibody Facility The Monoclonal Antibody Facility provides university researchers the opportunity to utilize current monoclonal antibody technology. As a result, the development and application of monoclonal antibodies has proven to be a popular, cost effective, and successful option for a variety of research groups. These collaborations have produced antibodies used to make advances in studies of molecular structure, subcellular activities, and cellular differentiation. Facility services encompass every aspect of monoclonal antibody development, including generation of novel antibodies, large-scale antibody production and purification, and analysis of antibody binding specificities. The Monoclonal Antibody Facility, a service facility, assesses fees solely to defray the direct costs of individual projects. The Harrison M. Howard Photo-Optical Facility The Institute of Neuroscience maintains a complete Photo-Optical lab. It occupies space in the basement of our building adjacent to the Histology Lab and Fish Facility.  Equipment available to users of the facility includes: a Bio-Rad Radiance 2100 confocal / two-photon microscope, Zeiss Axioplan fluorescence microscope, Zeiss universal microscope, and Leica stereo microscopes, equipped with digital cameras and video. Computer workstations are provided for processing digital images from the confocal and other lightmicroscopes. Software includes Improvision Volocity for 3D and 4D reconstruction, visualization, measurement, and analysis of confocal images. Complete training and technical support is provided for all instruments and software. Other lab resources include large format poster printing and laminating, high quality digital photoprinting, film flatbed scanners, and copy stand. Technical support is always available for poster preparation and printing, and help is available for special photographic setups and photomicrography.   Genomics & Proteomics The Genomics and Proteomics Lab has two capillary HPLCs, an LCQ Deca XP Plus ion trap tandem mass spectrometer equipped with both electrospray and AP Maldi sources, and an LTQ-FT hybrid linear ion trap-fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer, allowing identification of proteins in complex mixtures by shotgun peptide sequencing. The lab also has various software tools for analysis of complex proteomics datasets, and additional analytical HPLCs. Other instrumentation includes robotics for sample manipulation, a Gene Axon 4000B DNA microarray slide scanner, a custom microarray printer, two tetrad PCRs, a real-time PCR instrument, and an Applied Biosystems 7900HT Sequence Detection System. DNA Sequencing The DNA Sequence lab provides sequencing service using two capillary-based Beckman Coulter CEQ DNA Analysis Systems. We use Dye Terminator Cycle sequencing chemistry and routinely provide over 700 base pairs per reaction on high quality template. The facility also houses two LiCor DNA Sequencers used primarily for high throughput genotyping. Transgenic Mouse Facility The Transgenic Mouse Facility is able to provide all the services necessary to produce and maintain genetically modified mice. These services range from designing projects to maintaining colonies. In addition, the Department of Biology also maintains: • Two large greenhouses • A large, up-to-date science library, located within the Science Complex • Computerized biomedical literature searching facilities • Two VAX computers • A large animal care facility • Considerably advanced optical microscopy • A neurophysiological electronics shop • An assortment of centrifuges and scintillation counters A complete science shop where electronic, mechanical, and glass devices can be built by professional staff members. Students and staff can fabricate their own research equipment in a special student shop. The University of Oregon Library System is the second largest in the Pacific Northwest.