 |
 |
| Points of Contact: |
Christopher Berndsen (540.568.2355) |
The JMU Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry research and teaching laboratories are well-equipped with modern instruments for the purification and characterization of biomolecules. We have several temperature-controlled shaker incubators for growth and expression of bacteria and yeast and centrifuges of several capacities to harvest cell cultures. For purification, we have two 4°C cabinets containing FPLC systems with inline UV detection and fraction collectors, along with columns for multiple modes of biomolecule separation including preparative size exclusion chromatography. Once purified, we can characterize the structure and behavior of biomolecules via several methods. Our holdings include two CD spectropolarimeters with temperature control, fluorescence detection, and a rapid quench flow attachment, an FTIR with ATR accessories, a dynamic light scattering detector (DLS), an HPLC set up for size-exclusion chromatography coupled to multi-angle light scattering (SEC-MALS), a capillary electrophoresis instrument (CE), an isothermal titration calorimeter (ITC), several UV-Vis spectrometers (multi-cell, variable temperature), a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) instrument, two plate readers (one with dual injectors, variable temperature, polarization, absorbance, FRET), a fluorimeter, and an NMR facility (300, 400, and 600 MHz equipped for protein detection). We also have high performance computational facilities to model and simulate biomolecule structure and dynamics. Through the Biology Department, we have access to several confocal microscopes and differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF). We also have collaborations which allow access to resources for the collection of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) or single crystal X-ray diffraction on biomolecules.
