BMB General Facilities

The BMB department has modern biochemical and molecular biological research equipment, including visible-ultraviolet recording spectrophotometers, spectrofluorometers, DNA synthesizer, circular dichroism spectrophotometer, FPLC, Silicon Graphics molecular modeling system, DNA array, real-time PCR system, stopped-flow reaction analyzer, liquid scintillation counters, gamma counters, ultracentrifuges, various kinds of electrophoresis equipment, phosphorimager, gas-liquid chromatographs, high pressure liquid chromatographs, and tissue culture facilities. NMR, mass spectrometry, and biocontainment facilities are available for departmental use. A modern, well-equipped laboratory animal facility is also available. The Fordham Health Sciences Library of the Boonshoft School of Medicine contains current biochemical and medical journals as well as numerous books and monographs. Holdings of the Dunbar University Library provide supplementary material.

Center for Genomics Research
Director: Dr. Michael Markey

The Center for Genomics Research (CGR) is a research center of excellence at Boonshoft School of Medicine. CGR's primary mission is to provide support and core facilities for Wright State research faculty engaged in basic and clinical research in the areas of gene expression, flow cytometry, and genotyping. CGR works to facilitate research collaboration through its affiliation with the Genome Research Infrastructure Partnership (GRIP), a regional consortium of academic and commercial research centers in southwestern Ohio. In both missions, the goal is to expedite understanding of the genetic basis of human diseases. The center strives to cultivate collaborations between basic and clinical researchers at Wright State through training of personnel, collaborative projects undertaken at CGR, and joint grant submissions involving researchers and CGR members.

CGR grew out of the Gene Expression Laboratory (GEL), which was started in 2000 when Wright State and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base invested in an Affymetrix GeneChip System. The GeneChip system employs DNA microarrays capable of monitoring global changes of gene expression, sequencing large regions of DNA or genotyping polymorphic DNA loci.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Laboratory
Director: Dr. Nicholas Reo

The Wright State University Magnetic Resonance Laboratory (MRL) houses two nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) research instruments: a Bruker AM 360 NMR Spectrometer (8.5 T) and a Bruker BioSpec Spectrometer/Imager (2.35 T). The AM 360 spectrometer is equipped with a wide-bore magnet (89 mm clear bore) and home built probes for studies in small laboratory animals in vivo. Additionally, there are several Macintosh PowerPC computers for data processing and a machine/electronic shop for constructing specialty NMR probes for biological studies.

Present plans to upgrade the facility include disposal of the BioSpec instrument, purchase of a new console for the AM 360 instrument, and purchase of a new high-field NMR instrument. A grant application is currently pending with the Department of Defense (DURIP Program) to purchase a new 600 MHz NMR spectrometer (14.1 T) with micro-imaging capabilities. Together with the AM 360 instrument, this equipment will provide capabilities for high-resolution spectroscopic analyses, imaging, and NMR studies in vivo.

Center for Cellular Dynamics and Engineering
Director: Dr. Oleg Paliy

The center was formed in the fall of 2004 as a joint initiative between Wright State University and Wright-Patterson Air Force Research Laboratory. The Center is focused on studying cellular control mechanisms and evaluating their potential biotechnological uses. Current areas of concentration include systems biology and synthetic biology of microorganisms. One major focus, called the Cell-Like Entity project, involves understanding and building biologically-based micro-systems that will in turn help develop novel capabilities for the Air Force.

Initiative for Biological Computation
Director: Dr. Gerald Alter

The purpose of this Initiative is to advance biological computation in the College of Science and Mathematics, the Boonshoft School of Medicine and Wright State University by: a) facilitating and enriching research involving biological/biomedical computation, b) recruiting and training students in the evolving areas of biological/biomedical computation, and c) serving the College, the School, the University and the community by facilitating collaborations among researchers within Wright State University and the larger community.

The Initiative undertakes several activities to accomplish its purpose. It encourages formation of a critical mass of collaborating researchers by enhancing computational resources available to support seed projects and collaborations in biological computation. The Initiative has established venues for regular communication among its members including seminars. Members of the Initiative recruit graduate students in conjunction with the Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. Program and mentor them in the Program’s Structural and Quantitative Biology Area of Concentration.