The University of Connecticut Biotechnology-Bioservices Center (BBC) was established by the State as a Center of Excellence in 1986, and in 2003 was reorganized as a multidisciplinary center with a mission to facilitate research productivity in the biological sciences and related disciplines. This is accomplished by providing specialized services and expertise through a number of core facilities that provide equipment and technology otherwise prohibitively expensive for individual research laboratories. The dedicated specialized core facilities are operated by facility scientists who provide consultation and access to state-of-the-art equipment, reagents, and technologies, with oversight provided by Facility Heads. I invite you to take a moment to acquaint yourself with the facilities listed to the left that you may be interested in and the services that they provide to assist you in your research. Individual contact information may be found by clicking on the “People” tab in the upper right-hand corner.
Core Service Facilities
Analytical Ultracentrifugation: Engages in collaborative research as well as training scientists, technicians, and students. Houses two Beckman XL-I ultracentrifuges: one is equipped with an AU-FDS (fluorescence detection system) providing 10,000-fold enhanced sensitivity over other detectors.
Animal Cell Culture: Facilitates the use of animal cell culture as a research tool and serves as a consulting resource and diagnostic unit for in vitro culture including mammalian, avian, fish and insect cells. Provides media, reagents, cell maintenance and production, cell storage in liquid N2, and tests for mycoplasma contamination.
Bioinformatics: Provides access to 180 processors in 2 bioinformatics computer clusters along with expertise in computational services in a number of biological disciplines: comparative genomics, molecular databases, Next-Gen sequence assembly and analyses, structure-functions predictions and phylogenetic analyses.
DNA Biotechnology: Provides expertise, a broad array of equipment, and in-house services for the molecular characterization of DNA primarily through DNA sequencing and isolation. The Facility offers a major Supply Center Program to facilitate user research.
Flow Cytometry and Confocal Microscopy: Provides expertise and training to facilitate use of sophisticated instruments which detect and measure fluorescent light emission. Applications include flow cytometry/cell sorting, wide field microscopy, TIRF microscopy, laser scanning, spinning disk, and multiphoton confocal microscopy.
High-Throughput Screening: This Facility houses an array of instruments essential for a dedicated small molecule screening system used by researchers for working towards translating their biomedical research into new drug compounds. This Facility offers both primary and ancillary services.
Mass Spectrometry: Provides instrumentation and consultation that allows qualitative, high-mass accuracy analysis of proteins and small molecules, metabolite identification, protein modification analysis, and structure elucidation of bioactive compounds. This Facility has recently been expanded to include a Gilson Preparative HPLC-SPE as well as a Shimadzu Nexera LCMS Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography. These instruments are used for isolating, purifying, and quantifying health promoting bioactive food components and measuring high-sensitivity biomarkers of disease.
Microcalorimetry: This Facility contains two nano-series calorimeters: isothermal titration and differential scanning. These new instruments represent the highest sensitivity available and unmatched flexibility for the investigation of biological samples.
Nanofabrication: This Facility houses the essential instruments for performing nanofabrication functions such as patterning of flat surfaces and selective etching of materials. Researchers are able to fabricate devices and structures to demonstrate novel device concepts and to characterize and test new materials.
NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance): Provides access to 500 and 600 MHz NMR spectrometers as well as training and expertise in their use for chemical and biological projects. The 600 MHz instrument is equipped with a cryogenic probe allowing studies of micromolar protein/RNA solutions.
Protein X-ray Crystallography: Provides access to a Rigaku HighFlux HomeLab System, a complete home X-ray diffraction system that enables data collection on a wide range of protein crystal samples. Facility scientists provide training and expertise in the determination of three-dimensional structure of proteins as well as other macromolecular complexes.
Technical Services: Offers creative scientific glass blowing, sophisticated mechanical design of metals, plastics, wood, and the fabrication of scientific equipment including special welding, the repair of computer and scientific electrical equipment, and common office equipment. Onsite repairs often possible.
