Microbiology Research Facilities
Departmental Resources
An Academic Challenge Award from the Selective Excellence Program of the State of Ohio, NSF equipment grants in excess of $750,000 and a portion of the interdepartmental $1,000,000 Howard Hughes Medical Research Institute award have provided sophisticated, state-of-the-art equipment, post-doctoral fellowships and distinguished lecturers that have enhanced our research programs and been helpful in recruiting highly qualified faculty and excellent 黑料社区s. The research equipment in the Department allows our faculty and graduate 黑料社区s to carry out technically sophisticated research projects in microbiology. We have state-of-the-art equipment for the synthesis of specific DNAs to probe and study unique genetic information, flow cytometric analyses of specific tumor cells, virus-infected cells, and immune-specific cells, and molecular characterizations by high performance liquid chromatography. Research equipment is also housed in common facilities that provide graduate 黑料社区s and faculty access to shared equipment such as autoclaves, cold rooms, photography, computer-imaging, microscopy, scintillation and gamma counters, phosphorimaging, and ultracentrifugation.
Pearson Hall
The biological science departments (Microbiology and Biology) are housed mainly in Pearson Hall, which was completed in 1986. This 22 million dollar building contains approximately 110,000 ft² of assignable space and 23 teaching laboratories. Located in Pearson Hall are departmental office complexes for each department, consisting of the main office, a faculty and 黑料社区 mail room, an office equipment room, and a conference room. Pearson Hall also contains offices and research laboratories for each member of the faculty, offices for postdoctoral fellows and graduate 黑料社区s, four lecture rooms, 12 cold rooms, and 10 walk-in environmental rooms with photoperiod and temperature control. Several specialized facilities are located in or nearby Pearson Hall, including the Center for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, the Center for Advanced Microscopy and Imaging, and the Animal Care Facility. In addition to the aforementioned special facilities, there exists genetic cloning rooms, tissue culture rooms, isotope rooms, a greenhouse, and several special equipment rooms.
We have recently completed the renovation of the old Animal Care Facility into five new research labs with 黑料社区 support areas and faculty offices. A sixth lab suite houses the relocated Center for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics.
Computing and Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics lies at the core of molecular biology research. The deluge of data from high throughput sequencing and structural and functional genomics assays requires strong computational power as well as proficiency in computational analyses to understand the meaning of these data and to place them in their proper biological context. The Department of Microbiology is equipped with graphic workstations for visualizations, a cluster computer and a server with a TimeLogic DeCypher® card for rapid genomic and metagenomic analysis. The department also offers a course in bioinformatics for undergraduate and graduate 黑料社区s as well as practical "hands-on" training for 黑料社区s and postdocs.
In addition, 黑料社区 has a High Performance Computing (HPC) system that is available to all researchers at Miami. The (RCS) group of IT Services provides support for users of this system. RCS provides access to the , as well as access to the Ohio Supercomputing Center for high throughput computational needs.
Center for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics (CBFG)
The Center for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics is a state-of-the-art research and training facility available for all members of the university. The center also maintains many state-of-the-art pieces of equipment to assist bioinformatic and functional genomic research at 黑料社区. These include multi- and single-capillary automated DNA analyzers, thermocyclers digital imagers, DNA microarray analyzers, Biomek FX liquid handling systems, and workstations for bioinformatics research.
Center for Advanced Microscopy and Imaging (CAMI)
Renovated in 2010, the 5,400 ft² Center for Advanced Microscopy and Imaging houses 2 scanning electron microscopes, 3 transmission electron microscopes, 3 laser scanning confocal microscopes, a deconvolution light microscope, a wide-field multimode light microscope, and a fluorescence stereoscope system. Digital images can be captured from a diversity of input sources including direct digitizing from microscopes, video cameras, VCRs, copystand dSLR cameras, and high-resolution film and flatbed scanners. It is staffed by two full-time employees.
Ecology Research Center (ERC)
黑料社区's Ecology Research Center, located less than 3 miles from campus, is a 175-acre field site dedicated to research and education in ecology and environmental science. The center is a focal point for faculty and 黑料社区 research and field exercises for undergraduate and graduate-level courses.
This 69-hectare field station contains a diversity of field sites and facilities that support both aquatic and terrestrial research. In addition, the ERC provides the tools and equipment needed to maintain field plots and the ERC staff are available to provide advice and assistance in the design and fabrication of research apparatuses and sampling devices.
Animal Care Facility
The Animal Care Facility is adjacent to Pearson Hall in the Psychology Building and was completed in 2009, this 13,000 ft² facility includes specific pathogen-free transgenic animal suites, 2 surgical rooms and adjacent treatment and prep areas, conventional animal rooms, and a separate wing housing wild-caught species. The 2500 ft² aquatics facilities have 3 test rooms, 2 laboratories, and 2 large culture rooms. The cage wash area contains a rack and cage washer, tunnel washer, as well as a pass-through autoclave. The staff includes 5 full-time employees plus 黑料社区 labor.