By Vinny Reda
The proverbial �quantum leap� forward in research capability is what the acquisition of more than 50 pieces of the absolute standard in biotechnological equipment means to the Center for Comparative Functional Genomics� (CCFG�s) efforts.
Purchased through a $2.8 million portion of the $5 million dedicated by the State Legislature in 1999 for the creation of CCFG, the instrumentation has uses that will benefit not only University faculty researchers in biology, but UAlbany students and the biotech firms located on the East Campus as well.
�Many university biology departments are still utilizing instrumentation designed more than 50 years ago, but through these acquisitions the University at Albany is unquestionably in the 21st century,� said Eugene Schuler, director of technology development. �We can now conduct research at the University that we simply could not have done before.�
The equipment titles are daunting to the non-geneticists, admits John A. Tine, CCFG project administrative officer, but the efficiency and accuracy they command will be welcomed by all for health benefits that result from the unraveling of the human genome. Some examples of the representative equipment include:
- ABI 3700 and 310 Nucleotide Sequencers — they will allow high throughput DNA sequencing;
- ABI 3948 Nucleic Acid Synthesizer — allows researchers to synthesize as many as 48 oligo-neucleotides at once;
- Microarrayer and 3-laser scanner — enables study of global gene expressions at the rate of several thousand at one time;
- Taqman PCR — allows the quantitative comparison of the expressions of several genes at a time;
- AKTA Explorer HPLC system — separates and purifies both proteins and nucleic acids;
- Microcal calorimeter — measures the increase or decrease in heat as proteins are changed by response to chemicals, DNA or other proteins;
- Pulse Field Electrophoresis — separates very large fragments of DNA for gene mapping; and
- EPICS ALTRA Fluorescence activated cell sorter — expressions proteins both within and on the surface of cells in order to sort their populations and to purify them based on specific characteristics.
All of the new instrumentation is available for student researchers to develop and accelerate their own experiments in genetics and other areas of biology, noted Paulette McCormick of the Department of Biological Sciences and co-director of CCFG.
�For the University, this instrumentation will mean that, one, we will now be able to recruit even more outstanding graduate students; two, we will be able to accelerate their experiments with gene sequencing by having them sent over to our labs — with some 300 sequences per day now being able to be performed with our capillary technology.
�And three, there will now be tutorials here, where grad students come to the center and train off the facilities. Part of the problem in the past has been that students did not know what was out there to expedite their research. Here, they�ll learn about the resources available. And they�ll know those resources are right here at CCFG.�
