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Shared Technical Services
Global Health Biotechnology Center
At SBRI, we use the latest technology to accelerate
much-needed new solutions for global infectious disease. Technology has become increasingly vital to scientific
research, making discovery possible at a rate never thought possible just a few
years ago. At SBRI, we are advancing global health by harnessing emerging
technologies and driving scientific innovation. The Global Health Biotechnology
Center (GHBC) has been developed to facilitate these efforts by providing
excellent and cost-effective services through centralized Biotechnology Cores.
The GHBC provides state-of-the-art research technology to
SBRI’s investigators by merging core equipment and technical expertise common to
multiple research programs. Our goal is to produce scientific data more rapidly,
more reliably and more cost-effectively by developing SBRI’s existing and future
resources and providing expert service and training to all users.
Many of our research programs use genome-wide approaches to
answer biological questions. Methodologies currently being employed at SBRI
include automated high-throughput capillary sequencing, microarray analysis for
gene expression, proteomics, and functional genomics. The immense amount of data
acquired by these technologies is crucial to the discovery of accurate
diagnostics, safe and effective vaccines, and promising drugs for infectious
diseases.
Current core technologies in the GHBC*:
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Bioinformatics:
Provides researchers with access to high-end computing infrastructure,
software and expert personnel needed collect, store, manipulate, analyze,
visualize, search and publish biological data. The Core staff provides
expert bioinformatics training, consulting and programming services to
support lab-specific projects and Institute-wide initiatives.
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Center for Mosquito Production
and Malaria Infection Research (CeMPMIR):
The
CeMPMIR grows and infects live mosquitoes accelerate our malaria vaccine
research.
A consistent, reliable source of this material is essential for successful
liver stage malaria vaccine research and development. This facility
specializes in the production of sporozoites from Anopheles moquitoes for
ongoing research with Plasmodium strains yoelii, beghei, falciparum.
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DNA Sequencing: Revealing the sequence of an
organism's DNA facilitates gene discovery, elucidates infectious mechanisms,
and allows us to make comparisons between hosts and pathogens. SBRI provides
automated DNA sequencing, genotyping, and Real Time PCR services to the
Institute in addition to outside academic and other not-for-profit
customers.
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Flow Cytometry: Analyzing and sorting individual cells
within populations is vital to a better understanding of the roles of
specific cell types in combating infection. High-throughput cell sorting
allows the isolation and characterization of infectious agents expressing
specific characteristics such as gene modifications. These tools are
critical for advancing vaccine candidates and for understanding both host
and parasite. SBRI provides flow cytometry and sorting services both to the
Institute as well as outside academic and not-for-profit customers.
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Imaging: The location of specific molecules within cells and tissues
is often key to understanding their function, as is molecule size and
distribution. The Imaging Core provides high resolution digital microscopy
equipment to view and analyze fluorescent labeled cells and tissues, as well
as instrumentation for analysis of chemiluminescent- and radiography-labeled
samples. Expert consultation services are also available.
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Protein Production:
Larger quantities of proteins are needed to investigate potential vaccine
candidates and drug targets. This facility supports researchers with
centralized services in protein expression and purification for mammalian,
bacterial and wheat germ expression systems. All aspects of the operation
follow good laboratory procedures to ensure highest quality. The Core also
provides related consultation services for research and development with
protein production and characterization, immune-based assays, diagnostics,
drug targets and vaccines.
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Proteomics: The
protein profile of infectious agents or disease states provides key
information for researchers targeting disease. This core provides two liquid
chromatography tandem mass spectrometers (LC-MS/MS) for high-throughput
analysis of biological samples and protein complexes, including protein
identification and determination of relative abundance of proteins. SBRI
provides mass spectrometer and sample preparation services both to the
Institute as well as outside academic and not-for-profit customers.
* Some of these technologies and services are available to
outside academic or other not-for-profit organizations. Click on the individual
Core links for contact details.
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