Previous Core Instrumentation Recipients
2012 Core Instrumentation Fund Awardees
Awardee: Xiaojiang Chen, Director
Equipment: Multi-Mode Microplate Reader Synergy H4 (BioTek)
Facility: NanoBiophysics Core
Synergy H4 (BioTek) is a new class of multi-mode micro plate readers that uses the new Hybrid Technology™ to combine sensitive filter-based optics and flexible monochromator-based optics in one compact instrument for endless flexibility in current and future micro plate-based assay choices. The model’s functions will satisfy the growing needs of faculty. This instrument can perform a variety of assays such as cellular, GPCR, reporter gene, enzyme, genotyping, and quantification assays. Additionally, Synergy H4 is compatible with BioTek’s Take3™ Multi-Volume Plate for low volume measurements down to 2 μL. Synergy H4 offers the flexibility of six assay technologies, including fluorescence and absorbance, luminescence, time-resolved fluorescence, fluorescence polarization, and Alpha Screen.
Awardee: Victoria Fox, Director
Equipment: Nikon Biostation Live Cell Imager
Facility: USC Stem Cell Core
Unlike conventional live cell imaging equipment, The Biostation is unique in that it consist of a standard sized tissue culture incubator with an inverted microscope inside, and holds 30 vessels ranging from 96 well plates to 75cm2 flasks, which are moved between the microscope stage and the vessel rack via a robotic device. This Biostation would be pivotal to our ongoing efforts to develop new technologies for working with human pluripotent stem cells, which ultimately requires an understanding of their physiology and in vitro requirements. In addition to providing much needed research support the Biostation would provide an important teaching apparatus to support these activities, which include a microscope training course run by the Director of the Pasadena Bridges program, Dr. Pamela Eversole.
Awardee: Roberta Marinelli, Director
Equipment: Instrument Suite for Ocean Acidification Studies
Facility: USC Wrigley Institute
The Combined pCO2 and DIC analyzer, Honeywell Durafet pH sensor system, and Shimadzu UV-1800 Scanning Spectrophotometer will provide flexibility in measuring and monitoring approaches and analytical constraint for system measurements. The suite of instruments was chosen in part on the ease of use in a multi-user situation. The equipment will be housed in the laboratory of Dr. Karla Heidelberg, at the Wrigley Marine Science Center.
Awardee: David Van Den Berg, Director
Equipment: Biomek 3000 Laboratory Automated Workstation
Facility: Molecular Genomics Core
This instrument fits a key area of need for multiple departments and schools and will be fully supported by the Epigenome Center. This instrumentation will be available as an open access instrument for any research group. The proposed equipment would facilitate, or in some cases enable, the studies to be conducted locally and not outsourced to better equipped facilities. It can be utilized at all scales of library construction, from just a few libraries at a time to the dozens required for the described projects. The instrument will be housed in the Molecular Genomics Core, which currently has numerous pieces of complex analytical equipment operated and maintained by qualified personnel.
Previous Awardees
A list of previous awardees of the Core Instrumentation Fund is available to download.