PI: Mary O'Connell

Co-PIs: Richard Richins, Laura Rodriguez-Uribe

Description : The lab is equipped for analysis of regulation of plant secondary metabolites; isolation and characterization of the genes for the biosynthesis of these metabolites, as well as the detailed analysis of the accumulation patterns of these metabolites and precursors themselves. This facility is located in three contiguous lab spaces in Gerald Thomas Hall, GT 155, 159 and 160/161.

Specific specialized equipment

In the analytical lab (GT 155), there are two gas chromatographs (GC) Varian GC 3800 with a Saturn 2200 iontrap MS-MS detector, Varian GC 3900 with FID, both GCs have auto-samplers, the GC-MS also has a SPME device; as well as an ISCO SFX supercritical fluid extractor with auto-sampler and a Dionex ASE 350 automated extractor. This lab is also equipped with ovens for tissue drying, blenders and grinders for processing, roto-vap, circulating chilled water baths, microfuges, multiple balances, distillation and reflux glassware with heating mantles, etc.

In the plant culture lab (GT 159) there are automated multichannel micropipettes, two 96 well plate readers, one with fluorescent capability; an autoclave; as well as one biosafety cabinet and several laminar flow cabinets. An incubation facility (600 sq. ft.) is adjacent, including a variety of growth chambers and cell shakers.

In the molecular biology lab (GT 160/161), there is a Kodak gel imaging system in the dark room and tanks for developing X-ray film, UV-VIS spectrophotometer, Qbit 3 Fluorimeter, two -80C freezers; 96 well thermal cyclers; Eppendorf Reaplex qRT-PCR thermal cycler, Genomic Solutions microarray scanner; many agarose gel electrophoresis systems, several SDS-PAGE systems, numerous microfuges, a high speed centrifuge, bacterial incubators, balances, ice machine, pH meter, and water purification system.

All of the staff members each have computers for their use and there are two computer labs, one within the molecular biology lab and a second within the analytical lab that support all of the graduate and undergraduate student needs. There are networked printers in these labs. Software packages include: Chem Office, NIST MS library, Photoshop, SAS, SPSS, SigmaPlot, PAUP, DNAStar, Sequencher.