Research Infrastructure Core Equipment

 ( Click here to download the full list of core equipment with images)

Bio-analysis

Waters HPLC and UPLC systems

Key Features

  • Three different Waters models coupled with a broad range of detectors – PDA, dual λ absorbance, UV/VIS, and fluorescence
  • Enhanced separation resolution
  • Increased sample through-put

Application

  • Drug discovery
  • Analyze drugs/metabolites in biological samples.
  • In-vitro diagnostic test to analyze compounds (diagnostic indicators/ therapeutically monitored compounds)

 

SCIEX X500B QTOF System 

Key Features

  • Robust, high-performance high-resolution MS/MS system
  • High mass resolution (>30,000 resolution)
  • High mass accuracy (<1ppm accuracy for m/z>50amu)
  • Removal of interference from complex sample matrices
  • Quantify linearly up to 4 orders of magnitude
  • Identify analytes based on MS/MS (IDA and SWATH™ MS/MSALL, ion ratios and MS/MS spectra)

  Application

  • Identify metabolites
  • Analyze larger molecule

 

AB SCIEX QTrap 4000 and 6500 UPLC-MS/MS coupled with Shimadzu Nexera X2 UHPLC System

Key Features

  • Scan rates of up to 20,000 Da/sec
  • 20ms polarity switch
  • Quantitative MRM 3workflows
  • Linear ion trap capabilities
  • Detection of analytes with rapid Data Dependent Acquisition (DDA)
  • Data Independent Acquisition (DIA) strategy, SWATH technology

Application

  • Include all capabilities of AB SCIEX 4000 qtrap UPLC/MS/MS system
  • Achieve lowest limits of quantitation in complex matrices
  • Obtain comprehensive peptide sequence confirmation and simplify MRM assay development of peptide quantification
  • Simultaneously quantitate mrms and perform full library scans to search for contaminants

 

Formulation

Darwin PH09 stability Chamber

Key Features

  • Performance specifications exceeding FDA and ICH requirements
  • Excellent humidity control and avoids hot spots during mapping

Application

  • Stability studies of compound/formulation in development
  • Standardize ph/stability/solubility profiles of active pharmaceutical ingredients (api)
  • Compatibility studies to identify the best ingredients to enhance api performance across dosage forms

 

LV1 Low Volume Microfluidizer Homogenizer

Key Features

  • Small sample size requirements (1-6 ml)
  • Produces tunable nanoscale vesicles with narrowest particle size distribution for high-throughput drug screening and drug delivery

Application

  • Nanoencapsulation
  • Nanoemulsions
  • Nanosuspensions
  • Deagglomeration
  • Liposomes
  • Cell disruption (yeasts and plant cells)

 

Zetasizer Nano ZS

Application
Measurements of:

  • Size/electrophoretic mobility of proteins
  • Zeta potential of colloids/nanoparticles
  • Protein mobility
  • Microrheology of protein/polymer solutions
  • Molecular weight and second virial coefficient, a2, of macromolecules kd
  • Dls interaction parameter
  • Size detector for sec or fff

SOTAX CE 7smart USP Apparatus 4 – Flow Through Cell Dissolution

Application

  • Flexibility and ability to characterize the release properties of a wide variety of formulations for in-vitro drug release testing

 

LAMBDA 465 UV/Vis Spectrophotometer

Application:

  • determination of drug content to support formulation screening and quality control
  • PK studies
  • Determination of pKa and LogD

 

 

CytoViva Enhanced Darkfield Hyperspectral Microscope Imaging System

Application

  • Analytical confirmation of nano-scale materials and their interactions in solution, live cells, tissue, and materials based matrices
  • Provides spectral analysis of materials and biologicals imaged
  • Supports research in nano-drug delivery and nano-toxicology. Detects non-fluorescent and fluorescently labeled components in live cells and nano-materials

 

PK-PD

Leica CM1950 Clinical Cryostat, Combining CM1950 with Cytoviva-enhanced dark-field illumination system

Key Features

  • Optimized cooling system
  • Rapid specimen freezing
  • Smooth specimen orientation for high-quality sectioning

Application

  • Preparation of tissue section samples
  • In vivo studies of drug efficacy and toxicology for drug development, pk/pd, target engagement, and toxicology studies
  • Combined with cytoviva-enhanced dark-field illumination system

Beckman Coulter DTX 880 Multimode Detector

Application:

  • Fluorescence detection, time-resolved fluorescence, and fluorescence polarization
  • Luminescence detection (glow luminescence)
  • Absorbance detection in the visible range (340 nm to 650 nm, DTX 800) or UV and visible range (230 nm to 750 nm, DTX 880)
  • Scan measurement types: endpoint, kinetic, multiple wavelength, linear scan and area scan

  Software:
WinNonLin / Phoenix from Certara
Phoenix NLME from Certara
GastroPlus from Simulation Plus
SigmaPlot
Graphpad Prism
SAS  

Application:
Consultation on Experimental Design for PK/PD Correlation and Modeling Analyses

PK Modeling Development and Simulation

  • Individual PK Modeling
  • Pop PK Modeling
  • Advanced Modelings
  • Parent/metabolite Co-modeling
  • Enterohepatic cycling modeling
  • PBPK modeling (with Biodistribution profiles)

PD Modeling and Determination of Parameters (Emax and EC50)

  • Emax model
  • Sigmoidal Emax model

PK/PD Modeling

  • Direct effect model
  • Indirect effect model
  • Define predictive pk parameter(s) for pd outcomes
  • Define exposure/efficacy and exposure/toxicity levels
  • Guide dosing strategy by recommending rational dose and dose regimen for further efficacy studies
  • Interspecies allometric scaling to project pk parameters in humans, and recommend first in human (fih) dose for ind application

 

Molecular and Cellular Biology

Biorad T100 thermal cycler

Key Features:

  • Intuitive touch screen: easy programming using a large color touch screen and intuitive interface
  • Consistent results: robust design ensures effective and consistent performance run to run
  • Easy optimization: this gradient thermal cycler allows fast PCR optimization using a unique thermal gradient.
  • Easy protocol management: protocols can be organized using personalized folders or a USB flash drive

  Application:

  • Nucleic acid amplification (PCR)
  • Gene cloning and analysis
  • Gene expression analysis
  • Mutational analysis
  • Cycle sequencing

 

  Biorad ChemiDoc Touch Imaging System

Key Features:

  • All-in-one flexible imaging: get precise, reproducible chemiluminescence and colorimetric blot detection, analysis, and gel documentation in a single system
  • Sample trays and Smart Tray Technology: different sample trays available to cover diverse imaging applications. Smart Tray Technology automatically recognizes the application-specific trays and adjusts imaging parameters and software options according
  • Stain-free protein normalization: stain-free imaging permits the normalization of bands to total protein in both in gels and blots; eliminate the need for housekeeping proteins

  Applications:

  • Protein, including stain-free, and nucleic acid gel imaging and documentation
  • Identify and quantify proteins, nucleic acids, protein-ligand interactions etc., with chemiluminescence, or colorimetric detection.

 

Tissue Culture System

  Key Features:

  • Tissue culture hood
  • CO2 incubator
  • Brightfield/fluorescence microscope

  Application

  • Tissue culture
  • Sterilized environment for performing cellular assays
  • Visualize cells under bright field or florescence.

 

Rotary Cell culture system

  •  3D cell culture
  • Sterilized environment for performing cellular assays
  • Simulate the microgravity conditions for cell growth

  Nikon ECLIPSE TS100

  • Phase contrast and NAMC observations
  • flat, sharp and clear images

DeNovix DS -11 Spectrophotometer

  • quantify nucleic acids and protein
  • Small sample volume (0.5-1.0 uL)
  • No dilutions necessary
  • Nucleic Acid Quantification: dsDNA, RNA, ssDNA
  • Protein and Peptide Quantification: BSA, IgG, custom proteins
  • Colorimetric Assays: Bradford, BCA, Lowry, Pierce 660
  • Kinetic Assays: Fully customizable, 37-45°C
  • OD600 Microbial Cell Cultures: Optical density and cell/mL calculations
  • Fluorescence Nucleic Acid Quantification: DeNovix dsDNA, DeNovix RNA, Qubit®, custom assays
  • Fluorescence Protein Quantification: Commonly used kits and custom assays
  • Basic Fluorometer: Pre-configured and user-defined fluorophores

Tecan Infinite 200 PRO

  •  Absorbance
  • Absorbance spectra
  • Fluorescence (top and bottom), Fluorescence spectra (top and bottom)
  • Time-resolved fluorescence (TRF)
  • ELISA
  • DNA/RNA quantification
  • Nucleic acid labeling efficiency
  • Protein quantification
  • ATP quantification
  • Ca2+ detection

  PCR (Eppendorf Mastercycler personal)

  •  Up to 100 programs
  • Compact thermalcyclers with Peltier heating and cooling

Biorad Western blot Analysis System

  •  Absorbance
  • Absorbance spectra
  • Fluorescence (top and bottom), Fluorescence spectra (top and bottom)
  • Time-resolved fluorescence (TRF)

  High Performance Computing Laboratory

  •  A Linux cluster
  • A 62 compute nodes with dual quad-core and 12-way cores Intel Xeon hyper-threaded processors
  • A total storage capacity is 30 TB
  • A 1Gb management network
  • A high- speed, low-latency cupper 10 Gb production network

   

Low Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Laboratory

  •  Earth field Terranova MRI system (Magritek)
  • Continuous Wave NMR spectrometer (Tel-Atomic)
  • National Instruments Data Acquisition system
  • High Resolution Raman Spectrometer (Avantes)
  • Electronics prototyping station