The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine

Core Research Facilities

About the Core Facilities

The Carver College of Medicine Core Research Facilities are a collection of centralized laboratories dedicated to developing and providing state-of-the-art research resources to facilitate biomedical research. They are available on a fee-for-service basis to the entire College of Medicine community as well as outside entities.

Objectives

  • Provide access to equipment or services that would otherwise be too expensive or technically challenging to be practical for individual investigator laboratories.
  • Facilitate research by providing investigators with convenient and cost-effective on-site source of materials and services
  • Provide education and consultation to investigators and their assistants in specialized technology utilizing individualized training sessions and by hosting or sponsoring short-courses, workshops and symposia
  • Research and identify the latest advances in technology and methodology and secure funding by coordinating applications for instrumentation grants

College of Medicine and University-supported Facilities

  • Office of Animal Resources
    The husbandry and veterinary care of all research animals is the responsibility of the Office of Animal Resources. It is centrally managed by staff of trained animal caretakers, veterinary technicians and veterinarians. Animal facilities are located in multiple campus locations and can accomodate multiple species of animals.
  • Biochemistry Stores
    Biochemistry Stores stocks a broad range of research chemicals, labware, glassware, expendables, and other necessary research supplies and uses purchasing experience and high sales volume to negotiate the purchase of high quality inventory at the lowest possible prices. The store dispenses on a walk-in basis in a quick, efficient manner.
  • Bioengineering Facility
    Bioengineering Maintenance provides professional maintenance of the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics' patient-care equipment and the College of Medicine's research equipment. Bioengineering Design offers custom electronic design and fabrication services. Capabilities include (but are certainly not limited to) embedded micro-controllers, Digital Signal Processing, custom programmable logic devices, computer interface hardware and software, and high-performance analog amplification and signal conditioning.
  • Biosafety Level III Laboratory Facility
    The Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine's Animal Biological Safety Level III Laboratory Core Facility provides researchers with state-of-the-art laboratories in which to safely study biosafety level III pathogens, agents, toxins and select- and non-select agents regulated by both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
  • Biomedical Research Store
    The Biomedical Research Store provides University of Iowa research investigators easy procurement of common molecular and cell biology enzymes, reagents and kits. Large volume contracts enable the store to negotiate very low prices as well as eliminate all shipping and packaging fees.
  • Center for Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing
    The goal of the Center for Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing's goal is to reshape the agricultural, chemical, nutritional and pharmaceutical industries by combining the intellectual talents of top scientific faculty with the practical delivery of new technologies. Confidential collaborations with clients enable the laboratory to produce products and develop processes for industry, government and academia. The Facility is the state of Iowa's primary contract research facility for fermentation and bioprocessing.
  • Central Microscopy Research Facilities
    Widely regarded as one of the best university biomedical microscopy resources in the country, the Central Microscopy Research Facilities provide instrumentation and technical assistance to research programs involving the use of light and confocal microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, freeze fracture and elemental analysis.
  • Comparative Pathology Research Laboratory
    The Comparative Pathology Laboratory is the animal research support core for the Department of Pathology in the Carver College of Medicine. The mission of the CPL is to provide veterinary pathology services and support to scientists investigating animal models of disease.
  • Crystallography Facility
    The goal of the Crystallography Facility is to provide necessary support and infrastructe to enable individual investigators to initiate structural studies. This includes facilities for protein characterization, crystallization, data collection and structure determination and refinement.
  • DNA Facility
    The DNA facility provides a broad spectrum of services and resources designed to make the techniques of recombinant DNA technology readily available to the University of Iowa research community. The activities and services of this core focus around six major areas of support: DNA sequencing and genotyping, custom oligonucleotide synthesis, DNA microarray using both the Affymetrix GeneChip system and the custom spotted array using the microscope slide format, molecular biology computing, real-time PCR, and Biacore molecular interaction.
  • Electron Spin Resonance Facility
    The Electron Spin Resonance Facility is addressing research at the interface between free radical biology and medicine, a dynamic area that will blossom in this new century. The Facility provides expertise and instrumentation to pursue research questions dealing with oxygen free radicals, singlet oxygen, nitric oxide and the array of related oxidants and antioxidants that influence the overall redox environment of cells, tissues, and whole organisms.
  • Flow Cytometry Facility
    The Flow Cytometry Facility has one magnetic-based and six laser-based instruments whose major purpose is the identification and isolation of various cell populations. The laser-based instruments accomplish this by the use of antibodies to which various colors or dyes have been attached and are directed at molecules known to exist on the cell surface. By using several colors attached to different antibodies, one can identify and purify cells that express any given configuration of various molecules.
  • Gene Targeting Facility
    The Gene Targeting Facility provides technical and research services to investigators on the University of Iowa campus and elsewhere for the generation of gene knockout mouse models. These services include: consultations on developing strategies, generation of targeted ES cells, microinjections of targeted ES cells, embryo transfer and generation of chimeras, and breeding of chimeras for germline transmission to pass on the designed genomic changes to the next generation.
  • Gene Transfer Vector Core Facility
    The Gene Transfer Vector Core Facility's (GTVC) overall objective is to support investigators in the use of gene transfer technologies. The GTVC utilizes molecular biology techniques to engineer and develop viral vectors based on multiple vector systems necessary for gene transfer in research experiments or pre-clinical studies. Vector core staff and investigators allow for cross fertilization of ideas, technical advancements, and innovations in vector design.
  • High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Facility
    The High Resolution Field Mass Spectrometry Facility provides information pertaining to the molecular weight, elemental composition, and molecular structure of a compound. The Facility performs high resolution mass spectometry experiments or accurate mass measurements to determine the elemental formula of a new synthetic molecules and natural products. The HRMSF can also perform tandem mass spectometry experiments which are used to assist in the structure determination of unknown molecules.
  • Histology Research Laboratory
    The Histology Research Laboratory provides services for the processing, embedding, sectioning, and tinctorial and immunohistochemical staining of tissues. Expertise in the handling of fresh, frozen, and fixed cells and tissues is the building block of the laboratory.
  • Hybridoma Facility (Iowa State University)
    The Hybridoma Facility of the Iowa State University Office of Biotechnology provides valuable resources for scientists who need monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies but do not have appropriate equipment or who are not experienced in antibody production techniques. Available techniques include: animal immunization, cell fusion and hybridoma culture maintenance, cell culture and mammalian cell culture (bioreactor), blood sera collection, antibody purification and isotyping, cryopreservation and cryostorage of cell lines and ELISA tests.
  • Large Scale Digial Cell Analysis System Core Facility
    The Large Scale Digital Cell Analysis System Core provides for the development of new data analysis/visualization tools for use in biomedical research. The Facility can make phase-contrast or fluorescent cell digital movies from thousands of microscope fields acquired for up to one month. With further development it is expected that the Large Scale Digital Cell Analysis System (LSDCAS) will become an important tool for molecular imaging of living cells. LSDCAS is unique; no instrument with its capabilities is available anywhere else.
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility
    The Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility supports the biomedical research community with an 800MHz instrument, a wide variety of techniques and the expertise to solve research problems. A full spectroscopic and interpretation service is offered, as well as assistance and training for researchers who perform their own experiments. Techniques for working with biological molecules in challenging media, high resolution spectra, and multidimensional spectra are facility specialties.
  • Protein Facility (Iowa State University)
    The Protein Facility offers amino acid analysis, protein/peptide sequencing, large and small scale peptide synthesis (Fmoc), matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry, analytical ultracentrifugation, circular dichroism, SDS-PAGE/blotting, 2-D gell electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing (IEF), in-gel digestion/peptide mass fingerprinting, digital image acquisition and analysis using the Typhoon imaging system and the 2-D gel documentation/analysis system and preparative, analytical and micro-analytical high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
  • Proteomics Core Facility
    The Carver College of Medicine Proteomics Facility, located on the third floor of Eckstein Medical Research Building, feature a linear ion trap mass spectrometer with ETD capabilities and an incorporated Eksigent nanoHPLC. The College anticipates both "discovery" proteomics and in-depth analysis of peptides for post-translational modifications can be performed. Full proteomics software will be available as well as an automated tryptic digester.
  • Small Animal Imaging Core Facility
    The purpose of the Small Animal Imaging Core Facility is to provide a comprehensive service for non-invasive anatomical and physiological imaging of mice and rats. The ultimate product of the Facility involves spatial imaging (high resolution pictures) and temporal imaging (longitudinal studies) related to cancer biology, drug development, and assessment of therapeutic intervention.
  • Tissue Procurement Core
    The goal of the Tissue Procurement Core Facility is to make available human tumor tissue for current cancer research studies. The core provides research and infrastructure in the form of a well-characterized bank of frozen and, routinely processed, neoplastic and normal tissues suitable for molecular genetic, biochemical and pathological studies.
  • Transgenic Animal Facility
    The Facility provides centralized instrumentation and expertise in the generation, breeding and analysis of transgenic animals in support of research initiated by Collegiate investigators. The main goal of the Facility is to generate and susequently identify transgenic mice requested by investigators in the biomedical sciences at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University.