Laboratories
Our laboratories have been built and equipped to high standards throughout the department, and with the exception of special function laboratories are open-plan, with areas designated for radioactive work, centrifugation, electrophoresis and gel photography. Specialised laboratories house equipment such as FACS, specialised microscopy equipment and the Typhoon imager.
Major equipment items housed in the department include:
Cell culture
We have several suites of culture hoods, including a Class 2 lab, and a dedicated Class 3 laboratory.
Electrophysiology laboratory
Our electrophysiology laboratory is fully screened and houses several sets of screened apparatus.
Facilities
The department has centralised facilities for electron microscopy, light microscopy (including fluorescence and confocal) and histology. These facilities are accessible by all research staff.
Medium and high speed centrifuges (above)
Fluorescence-activated cell sorter with associated computer (above)
Research Seminar RoomThe department has a purpose-built seminar room for research seminars, research discussions, group meetings and journal clubs. The room is equipped with a multimedia projector connected to a PC with DVD/CD and video capability.
Research discussion room (above)
Seminar room featuring the multimedia projector and podium (above)
Experiments involving radiochemical work are accommodated in dedicated ‘controlled area’ laboratories, with ‘supervised areas’ in designated laboratories. We have scintillation and gamma counting capabilities.
There are low, medium and high-speed centrifuges in three laboratory areas, a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS), two floor-standing and one bench-top autoclave.
The recently refurbished biomedical laboratories were opened by Professor Colin Blakemore, the Chief Executive of the MRC, on 25 September 2006.
