Biology Facilities and Equipment
Located in the Lyet Wing of the Masters Center for Science, Mathematics and Engineering, the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences offers state-of-the-art learning and laboratory spaces. These undergraduate labs are equivalent – if not surpass – the caliber of graduate-level research facilities.
Anatomy & Physiology
The anatomy and physiology (A & P) teaching laboratory is equipped with state of the art equipment and software (e.g. iWorx™) that affords students the opportunity to design experiments that involve recording biopotentials (e.g. electrocardiogram, electromyography). Also, students have the opportunity to compare the anatomical features (skeleton, musculature, nervous system, etc.) of preserved mammalian species including, but not limited to, rodents, cats and human cadavers. Wireless access, laptops for data collection and analysis, and a projector for audio visual presentations are also available. The faculty A&P laboratory is equipped with an EyeLink 1000 (SR Research, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) eye tracker whose primary use is to record human eye movements in response to audio and/or visual stimuli.
Behavioral Endocrinology
Dr. Goldina’s lab uses crayfish to study the endocrine mechanisms through which social experience modifies animal behavior. The lab has multiple nets and traps to collect crayfish from nearby streams and an aquarium room to house a large animal colony. In addition, the lab has a special isolation room, a recording facility equipped with video cameras, and software for video and statistical analyses for behavioral studies. Equipment for pharmacological manipulations is also available for examining the role of hormones in behavior modulation.
Ecology
The ecology laboratory is outfitted to support biological and physical studies of the environment. Our wildlife equipment includes hoop traps and basking traps for studying turtles, radiotelemetry equipment for tracking animals, an automated audio recorder and computer analysis software for recording and analyzing animal calls, and assorted nets for sampling aquatic invertebrates and salamanders. For physical studies, we, in conjunction with Science in Motion, have a Li-8100 Soil carbon dioxide flux system as well as equipment to study soil and water properties. The laboratory also features a geographic information system (GIS) and spatial analysis center.
Environmental Science
The Environmental Science lab is home to a large variety of field equipment including oxygen, conductivity, temperature meters, samplers for surface water, groundwater and soils and nets of various sizes. The lab is home to an atomic absorption spectrometer, two Trimble Global Positioning Satellite Receivers, a GIS workstation running ArcGIS and a large Hewlett Packard Plotter.
Microbiology
The microbiology lab is equipped for the study of microorganisms. The lab houses a laminar flow hood, thermo cycler for PCR analyses, 96-well spectrophotometer for ELISA and other colorimetric studies, pipettes, vortexers, microscopes, and computer. Adjacent to the microbiology lab suite is an autoclave for sterilization purposes, as well as incubators, shakers, and ultra cold freezers.
Molecular Biology and Immunology
This laboratory is equipped with two biosafety cabinets for sterile cell culture, and a 37° C/5% CO2 incubator for growth of cells. Additionally the laboratory is equipped with centrifuges, water baths, a PCR thermocycler and several microscopes.
Cell Biology
This biotechnology laboratory contains 5 Biosafety cabinets for culturing mammalian cells; a digital microscopy capturing station for UV and VIS light specimens; complete protein electrophorsis, immunoblotting and visualization equipment; numerous incubators, centrifuges water-baths and a fume hood for the undergraduate research experience
Genetics
The Genetics lab is equipped to carry out genetic studies in various organisms such as bacteria, fruit flies, plants and humans. The specialized equipment that is available includes a Field Inversion Gel Electrophoresis system, two electroporators and a Gel Documentation system. There is also a tissue culture room with a laminar flow hood, a CO2 incubator, a refrigerated tabletop centrifuge and an inverted microscope.
Developmental
The Developmental Biology teaching and research laboratories contain two temperature-controlled incubators, a 50-gallon salt-water aquarium, and a set of 12 stereoscopic microscopes. They include an area for invertebrate embryo microinjection, with a programmable microinjector, as well as an area reserved for work with RNA. The research lab contains equipment for molecular biology, including a PCR machine, microcentrifuges, water baths, and micropipettors.