Georgia Tech Research Cores
Georgia Tech Research Core Areas | Petit Institute Cores
Cores in the Engineered Biosystems Building
Biopolymer Characterization (Core Director-Andreas Bommarius, Technical Director-Bettina Bommarius).
The Biopolymer Characterization core facility serves as a one stop shop for all DNA, RNA, and protein/enzyme characterization needs. The facility features a wide range of state-of-the-art instruments for conducting structural, functional, kinetic, and high-throughput analysis of samples. Some of these instruments include multimode plate readers, spectrophotometers (stopped flow and CD), calorimeters (isothermal and differential scanning), refractometers, fluorimeters, chromatographs and drop shape analyzers.
Cellular Analysis & Cytometry Core (Core Director-Krish Roy, Technical Director-Sommer Durham).
The cell is the basic unit of the organism. Cellular Analysis involves the characterization of cell populations using fluid based transport systems. Flow Cytometry characterizes cell populations based on their light scatter and fluorescence properties. Using this information, cell subpopulations can be physically sorted into tubes, multi-well plates and on slides. The Cellular Analysis & Cytometry Core (CAC) provides enhanced cell analysis and sorting services. In addition, the Core offers far infrared imaging of gels & western blots, access to FlowJo Analysis Software, as well as Automated Cell Culture Technology.
Genome Analysis (Core Director, Greg Gibson, Technical Director-Dalia Arafat).
The genome analysis core offers the Biomark Genetic Analysis Platform for the analysis of gene expression, genotyping, mutant detection, and the absolute quantization of nucleic acid sequences utilizing dynamic array integrated fluidic Chip (IFC) technology.
Microscopy (Core Director-Phil Santangelo, Technical Director-Aaron Lifland).
The EBB Microscopy Core compliments the capabilities of the Petit Microscopy Core by offering spinning disk confocal microscopy and light sheet fluorescence microscopy. These capabilities cater to researchers that require high speed imaging as well as high resolution whole organism optical imaging.
Molecular Evolution (Core Director-M.G. Finn, Technical Director-Anton Bryksin).
Certain techniques of molecular evolution – the generation and selection of functional molecules using biological mechanisms “in the test tube” – are well established, but still only used by laboratories expert in the art. Principal examples include phage display, SELEX, and yeast hybrid selection methods. These techniques provide access to peptides, proteins, and polynucleotides with an enormous range of properties. The Molecular Evolution Core will provide services for any laboratory that needs new molecules to bind selectively to targets from ceramics to spleens. In addition, these methods will serve as the starting point for new ways of inventing catalysts, therapeutic agents, and functional materials. Scheduled to be fully operational by Fall 2016, the facility will house two professional staff members, equipment, and supplies to perform molecular evolution projects with trainees from bioscience and bioengineering laboratories on campus.
Systems Mass Spectrometry (Core Directors-Facundo Fernandez and Matt Torres, Technical Director-David Smalley).
The EBB Systems Mass Spectrometry has existing capabilities in the Proteomics and Metabolomics space as well as planned capabilities in the Bioinformatics space. The full proteomics capabilities include protein identification and/or quantitation, post translational modification analysis (either targeted or untargeted). The full metabolomics capabilities include metabolite quantitation and identification (either targeted or untargeted). The planned Bioinformatics capabilities include the integration of “omics” type of data.
