Core Facilities
Biochemistry
The Biological Mass Spectrometry Facility characterizes peptides and proteins, with two mass spectrometers, a ThermoFinnigan LCQ Deca 3D ion trap and a ThermoFinnigan LTQ linear ion trap. These mass spectrometers utilize electrospray ionization and nanoscale reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography for sample preparation and analysis. Director: Charles R. Hauer III, Ph.D.
The Biochemistry Shared Instrumentation Core offers access to analytical spectrophotometry, chromatography, electrophoresis and calorimetry. Staff provide initial training, primarily through one-to-one tutorial instruction, with the objective that researchers will be able to perform their own experiments and run the instrumentation independently. Director: David LeMaster, Ph.D.
Genetics
The Applied Genomic Technologies Core provides a variety of services in the area of genomics and genetics research including DNA sequencing, microarray analysis, DNA extraction, and genotyping. Acting Director: Patrick Van Roey, Ph.D; Scientific Advisor: JosephWade, Ph.D.
The Transgenic and Gene Knockout Core Facility produces and analyzes transgenic and gene knockout mice that can be used as animal models of human disease. Animal rearing of resultant lines is the responsibility of the principal investigator. Director: Kerri Kluetzman
Imaging
The Electron Microscopy
Core conventional transmission and scanning electron microscopes, with additional high-voltage and field-emission transmission instruments associated with the 3D-EM Group (see below). Specialized accessories include ultra-microtomes, a high-pressure freezing device and a cryo-substitution apparatus.
Director: Michael Koonce, Ph.D.
The Advanced Light Microscopy and Image Analysis Core includes high resolution, time-lapse video enhanced microscopy, micromanipulation and microinjection, optical tweezers and laser microsurgery. Living cells can be analyzed in vivo by fluorescence microscopy, and accurate 3D reconstructions can be generated from optical sections. Director: Richard Cole
Immunology
The Immunology
Core including flow cytometry with cell sorting capabilities and BIAcore/Biosensor Analysis. Consultation for preparation of tissue and single cell suspension samples for flow cytometry and BIAcore is provided.
Core Director:
Patrick Van Roey, Ph.D.
Molecular Structure
The Computational Molecular Biology and Statistics Core provides access to and support of sequence analysis software, several DNA and protein sequence databases, and molecular graphics modeling software. Consulting on statistical analysis of data on a variety of public health problems or experimental design is also provided. Director: Michael Palumbo
The Macromolecular Crystallography Facility conducts X-ray crystallographic analysis of macromolecules in collaboration with Wadsworth Center investigators. The core consists of a state-of-the-art Xray generator equipped with two detectors and two cryo cooling devices. Furthermore, crystallization robots are available for screening sub-microliter crystallization experiments and and a laboratory imaging system to document crystal growth. The three-dimensional structures of macromolecules and their complexes with relevant ligands are determined at near atomic resolution. Director: Joachim Jaeger, D.Phil.
The Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Core provides structural analysis of proteins and DNA under physiological solution conditions. Three-dimensional structure data and molecular flexibility/rigidity information can be related to function. Director: David LeMaster, Ph.D.
3D Electron Microscopy Facility
The Wadsworth Center has been at the forefront of the field of three-dimensional electron microscopy (3D-EM) since the late 1970s, building on a tradition in biological electron microscopy that dates back to 1946. The 3D-EM group has pioneered and advanced such techniques as live-cell laser microsurgery, correlative light - electron microscopy, cellular tomography, cryo-milling of biological specimens with focused ion beams, and time-resolved 3D imaging of macromolecular assemblies. Instrumentation includes a 1.2 MeV high voltage electron microscope, an energy-filtered 400 kV cryo-electron microscope and a 200-kV field emission cryo-electron microscope, as well as numerous accessories for cryo-preparation of specimens and extensive computational facilities. Three-dimensional reconstructions are generated using single-particle or tomographic methods implemented within the SPIDER image processing software system, which was developed and is still maintained at Wadsworth.