Department of Biology

Expertise and infrastructure

Confocal microscopy

Nikon TiE-C2 confocal microscope with epifluorescence, DIC, motorized XYZ piezo stage, motorized objectives and DIC/fluorescence filters. Solid state lasers: 405nm, 488nm, 561nm with AOTF modulation. 3 PMTs + 1 transmission PMT. Objectives: 4x CFI Plan Achromat (NA 0.1, dry), 20x CFI Plan Apochromat VC (NA 0.75, dry), 40x CFI Plan Apochromat (NA 1.25, water immersion), 60x Plan Apochromat (NA 1.20, water immersion), Nikon DS-Ri2 color camera. Software: NIS elements.

Check availability for external users

DNA sequencing

Sanger sequencing: Applied Biosystems 3130XL Genetic Analyzer with 16 capillaries.
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Next Generation Sequencing: Ion Torrent PGM (Personal Genome Machine). Applications: De novo sequencing, Resequencing, Amplicon sequencing, Target sequencing, RNA sequencing, miRNA sequencing, Total polyA RNA sequencing, rRNA depleted total RNA sequencing, ChIP sequencing, Metagenomics,…
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Bioanalyzer: Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer. Applications: RNA quantification and separation, DNA quantification and separation, Protein quantification and separation.
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For more information, contact .

Microcalorimetry

Thermal Activity Monitor 2277, Thermometric.  Our group has expertise in non-disruptive real-time live quantification of metabolic rate of small cultures or organisms (C. elegans, Saccharomyces, Drosophila, human cell cultures, ants, …). 

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Respirometry

Clark electrode-based respirometry: 6-cell Strathkelvin Instruments and Oroboros Oxygraph for quantifying the oxygen consumption rates of small organisms or mitochondrial preparations.

Pulse-Chase Labeling

Fully equipped lab for radioactive pulse-chase labeling, including a liquid scintillation counter (Perkin Elmer TriCarb).

Automated Particle Morphometry

RapidVue (Beckman Coulter): an image analysis system for automated morphometry of small particles (20 um to 2 mm) in solution. In a cycling solution, groups of passing particles are analyzed with rates of up to 30 frames per second.  Several parameters can be selected, such as particle length, width, aspect ratio, etc.

Biolistic transformation and Microinjection

Transgenesis of small organisms.  

Bio-Rad Biolistic® PDS-1000/He Particle Delivery System: This system accelerates nucleic acid–coated gold or tungsten microparticles (0.6–1.6 µm) to velocities necessary to transfect cells, tissues, organelles or small organisms. The system uses a burst of high-pressure helium gas to accelerate a plastic macrocarrier disk carrying microparticles toward the target.

Microinjection system: Zeiss Axiovert + Eppendorf precision pump and micromanipulators + needle puller.  This setup can be used for microinjection of genetic material or compounds into cells or small organisms.