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RESEARCH CORE FACILITIES

The following laboratory facilities are available for potential collaborators both within and external to ETSU.  These facilities can support and seek contract work from business and industry.  Please contact the Vice Provost for Research if you are interested in doing contract work with any of the facilities listed below.

Quillen College of Medicine:

The Electron Microscopy Core Facility provides services related to electron microscopy including in ultrastructural techniques when needed. The primary premise behind the facility is that state-of-the-art morphological data are an essential component of modern research efforts.  The facility is located in the Pathology Department.  Equipment includes: (1) Philips Tecnai 10 transmission electron microscope (TEM) with computer driven digital image recording capability and microscope operation; (2) Phil lips 201 TEM; (3) several current and older models of ultramicrotomes (Ultracut, LKB, etc.); (4) routine embedding, darkroom, and metal shadowing facilities; (5) Zeiss DSM 940 scanning electron microscope with X-ray analysis capabilities (Building 178); (6) several critical point dryers and sputter coaters. The facility director and a part-time technician provide support in using the facility.  To partially offset service and operational expenses, modest fees are charged for facility use, but small grants for limited, short-term, free use of the facility are offered to familiarize researchers with TEM and SEM applications in their research and to encourage inclusion of ultrastructural costs in their grant applications.

The Molecular Biology Core Facility provides services that include DNA sequencing, high through-put processing of RNA, Plasmid DNA and PCR clean-up, phophorimaging, and quantitative PCR.  Equipment includes an ABI 377 automated DNA sequencer, a Beckman Biomek 2000 robotic liquid handler, a BioRad FX phosphorimaging machine, a BioRad iCycler quantitative PCR machine, a MacConnell Mini-24 automated plasmid prep machine, an Eppendorf gradient PCR machine, a MJ research in situ PCR machine, an Eppendorf Spin vac, an Eppendorf desktop centrifuge (plate spinner), two Eppendorf microfuges and an Eppenddorf BioPhotometer.  Software includes a site license for Vector NTI and two copies of Quantitation One.  Training and technical assistance is provided by the director and staff.

The Biomolecular Interaction Analysis (BIA) Facility is housed within the Department of Surgery and was established in 1998 with funds from an NIH S10 equipment grant. The heart of the BIA Facility is a BIAcore 2000 spectrometer that combines surface plasmon resonance with automated microfluidics to examine the interactions of biomolecules. Dr. Peter Rice a faculty member in the Department of Pharmacology is the Director.  The facility is supported entirely by extramural grant funds. At present, there are three primary users working on projects related to three NIH grants and one AHA grant.  Prior to this year the instrument was also used by a VA funded investigator. Approximately 80% of the instrument time is committed to funded projects.  The remaining time is used or available to be used for obtaining preliminary data for grant submissions.  Dr. Rice has been approached by two other funded investigators who also wish to begin using the facility.  If the present trend continues, the machine will be maximally utilized within six months to a year.

Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope Facility is located in the Department of Pharmacology and serves investigators from six basic science and clinical departments.  The main component of the facility is a state-of-the-art Leica TCS SP II confocal microscope system.  It was purchased from a grant provided by the NIH National Center of Research Resources.

The Luminex LabMAP 100 cytometer system is available through the Department of Pediatrics.  It is an automated immunoassay analyzer that can quantify the concentrations of various bioactive substances in precious, clinical and basic science biological specimens. The Luminex 100 system has the ability to quantify up to 100 different analytes, simultaneously in a single well from as little as 50 µl of sample.  This instrument will be useful for both clinical and basic research. There are several FDA-approved assays available and many more in the product pipeline that are nearing approval. Furthermore, there are numerous cytokine assays available that allow the measurement of up to 17 cytokines from a single 50 µl mouse, rat or human sample. Dr. Kevin Breuel oversees use and training on this machine.

The Psychiatry Core Research Facility houses a networked computer group with a wide variety of software for desktop publishing, scientific data analysis and psychological testing. Laboratory equipment includes: tissue culture incubator with clean bench, immunoanalysis (ELISA, Western blotting) equipment, tissue preparation equipment, Ultracold storage, chemistry benches/ supplies (with chemical hood), molecular biology equipment (personal PCR) & DNA/RNA isolation/manipulation equipment.  Users include members of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology.

A Flow Cytometer is available in the Department of Microbiology.  It is a Becton Dickinson FACSCalibur instrument that was purchased in 2002.  It is a dual laser, 4 color instrument. It is a fully integrated, multiparameter system specifically designed for a wide range of biomedical applications.  The FACSCalibur is located in Rm. 3-11 in Bldg. 119.  The flow cytometry facility is currently managed by Elizabeth Adams, Ph.D, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Surgery.  Dr. Adams maintains the instrument and provides training for new users. At present, the facility is primarily utilized by four investigators working on three NIH funded projects.

The Division of Laboratory Animal Resources (DLAR) maintains an AAALAC accredited laboratory animal facility and program.  Two laboratory animal facilities are supervised by the DLAR staff and currently provide adequate space for housing and maintaining large (dogs and pigs) and small animals (guinea pigs, hamsters, mice and rats).  All full-time DLAR technicians are certified by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences. DLAR staff provide training in handling of animals, administration of anesthetics, post-surgical maintenance of animals, bleeding techniques, euthanasia and other standard procedures.  DLAR staff also will assist in restraint of animals, induction and maintenance of anesthesia, experimental surgery, pre- and postoperative care, blood and tissue collection and injections.  A sterile surgery is available in the Department of Surgery and must be scheduled through that department.  An x-ray facility is maintained within the DLAR space and DLAR staff assist in using this instrument.                                 

The ETSU Toxicology Laboratory is housed in the Section of Toxicology in the Department of Pharmacolgy. The ETSU Toxicology Laboratory maintains the following Licenses and Certifications: Federal License (HHS-CLIA) # 44D0659142; Tennessee License #2048; Medicare and Medicaid Provider #44-8087. It also maintains the following Proficiency Testing Programs:  American Association of Bioanalysts; College of American Pathologists ; Federal Aviation Administration.  The Toxicology Laboratory is equipped to do quantitative and qualitative analyses for a variety of compounds in blood and other tissues, as well as urine using gas/liquid chromatography, immunoassay, thin layer chromatography, as well as fluorescence, color and ultraviolet analysis.  It is affiliated with the Upper East Tennessee Forensic Center and performs toxicology assays for over 250 autopsy cases each year.

College of Business & Technology:

The Department of Technology has a communication and instrumentation laboratory.  This lab is set up to support class experiments and local industry.  Some of the equipment used in the lab consist of the following: Fluke 199C(x2) 2.5 Giga-samples/sec color DSO, Avcom 0-6GHz spectrum analyzer, Ramsey RSG-1000B RF Generator 0-10GHz (variable modulation, 0.1 PPM time base), Fluke PM6304 RCL meter, Berkley Nucleonics arbitrary waveform generator (0.1 PPM ref.), Keithly 2701 (x2) data acquisition system (Ethernet/Webactive) 500 channel capacity, Fluke 744 documenting process calibrator, Fluke 700 series laboratory pressure sensor reference standards, RN Electronics comb generator 0-1GHz.  Much of this equipment is portable and can be used off site to support program activities.  

The Department also has a Dimension printing rapid prototyper capable of taking 3D computer generated models and turning them into ABS plastic prototypes.  The maximum model size is 8” by 8” by 12” with a resolution of 0.010 inches.  Several CNC machines are also available to support product development.  As an example the department has an AXYZ automation CNC table with a working area of 4’ by 10’ by 10” with an overall accuracy of 0.008 inches.

College of Arts & Sciences:

 The Department of Chemistry at ETSU offers expertise in all major areas of chemistry including computational chemistry.  It also provides analytical services to other departments at ETSU as well as to the industry in our community. The analytical instruments in the department enable us to analyze a wide range of chemical compounds in different matrices such as water, gasoline, agricultural crops, etc. The instruments in the department include Atomic Absorption spectrometer, FTIR, HPLC, GPC, GC/MS, GC/FID, UV-VIS, and a 400 MHz NMR spectrometer with multinuclear capabilities.  We are able to handle short and long term projects. The cost of analysis varies with the request. For long term projects there will be a flat charge depending on the analysis type. Both inorganic and organic compounds are analyzed and characterized by experienced personnel and faculty members in the chemistry department.

College of Public & Allied Health: