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Tour the Lab
The home x-ray lab has a Mar 345 DTB image plate detector, a Rigaku microfocus x-ray generator with confocal optics, and an X-stream 2000 cryo system. We have regularly scheduled access to beam time at APS. The MAR is controlled by a linux box. For data analysis we use multicore Mac Xeon and G5s running SBGrid for HKL2000, SOLVE, CNS, Phenix and CCP4. We have 4 stereo capable Macs for model bulding with Coot.
Protein purification is performed in our cold room which has two ATKA systems. It’s a nice refuge from the hot weather, but most people wear a jacket even in the summer! We also have a room temperature FPLC with Wyatt multi angle and refractive index detectors for MW analysis and an HPLC with autosampler and online fluoresence detector for characterizing GFP fusion proteins. We share a cell culture room for growing HEK cells for physiology and insect cells for eukaryotic protein expression.
In the wet lab we have standard equipment for large scale protein purification and analysis including high capacity refrigerated shakers, an Avestin cell disruptor, a Phastgel system, PAGE and Western mini gel apparatus, UV/vis spectrophotometer, multiple centrifuges, and a dynamic light scattering apparatus. There is a separate hot room. A core facility is available for Mass Spec, Edman sequencing and DNA sequencing. We have access to a SPEX fluorimeter in the Mindell lab and to analytical ultracentrifuges with interference optics.
To analyse ion channel function 'in vivo' we have a patch clamp rig with fluoresence optics and high speed piezo perfusion systems and a TEVC oocyte rig with a computer controlled micro perfusion system.
Crystal trays are setup in a small room equipped with 20 and 4 °C incubators, a digital photomicroscope, multiple electronic pipettes, and a CD player to play music for crystal growth (from Neil Young, The Clash to Baroque Opera). We also have a Mosquito nl pipetting robot for setting up 96 well trays. We have regular beam time at APS SERCAT ID22 which is just a short drive from O'hare airport in Chicago.