Core Facilities of the Institute of Biomedicine
The purpose of the Core Facilities of the Institute of Biomedicine is to maintain institute´s equipment and to keep up with the state-of-the-art methodologies and technologies. Core Facilities offer equipment, data management, analysis and other expert services to institute´s personnel, universities and companies upon request and contract.
The Bioanalytical Laboratory has significant experience working with quantitative analysis of small molecules in a GLP-certified environment. Our assay list includes more than 300 methods (Eg. LC-MS/MS) and new test methods are being developed and validated on continual basis in response to our clients’ needs in preclinical and clinical pharmacokinetic, biomarker and environmental analysis.
The cell culture unit at the Institute of Biomedicine is maintaining a repository for cell lines. Some of these cells are available for all researchers working at the Institute of Biomedicine for non-commercial research, but some have restrictions for their use. Research groups can donate cell lines for mutual use at the institute.
We also do routine mycoplasma testing of cell lines.
Please contact us in case you need mycoplasma testing, cell lines or instuctions with ATCC orders.
Contact by Email: cellcore@utu.fi
Responsible person: Sisko Tauriainen
Laboratory of Electron Microscopy offers services needed for electron microscopic studies:
- Specimen preparation
- Imaging with electron microscopes
- Consultation in questions related to EM
Our services are open for everyone who needs electron microscopy in their work.
General laboratory methods unit aims to unify the laboratory practices and activities within the Institute of Biomedicine by generating and updating laboratory instructions and equipment registry, delivering information about equipment, their use and related techniques, supporting the use of electronic lab book and enabling the adoption of new techniques.
Contact person: Petri Susi
Histology core facility provides methods for study of cell and tissue specimen of experimental animal and human origin. The services include tissue processing, preparation of paraffin and frozen blocks and sections, and visualization of tissue and cellular structures using histochemical and immunohistochemical stainings and detection methods.
Turku Center for Disease Modeling (TCDM) provides expertise in studies in experimental animals to support academic preclinical research. TCDM generates tumor xenograft and genetically modified mouse models for human diseases.
Services include also animal models with pharmacological, dietary and surgical interventions as well as phenotyping analyses on our expertise areas: bone, cardiovascular, intestinal and thyroid diseases, obesity, oncology, neuroendocrinology and reproduction.
Contact person: Petra Sipilä
Medical Bioinformatics Centre (MBC) provides support for the analysis of high-throughput data produced by modern biotechnologies. The support covers experimental design consultation and high-throughput data analysis, empowered by robust computing facilities. Support is available for basic and advanced project needs in addition to which extensive bioinformatics collaboration is available for a limited number of scientifically outstanding projects.
Medisiina Imaging Centre in the Medisiina C2 provides selection of modern bioimaging devices. Instrument reservations are done via OpenIRIS online reservation system. User training is mandatory.
The unit maintains and develops instruments used at the Institute of Biomedicine to express, purify and analyse proteins. The unit collaborates with other protein chemistry players of the BioCity Turku research network. The focal point of the unit is to purify proteins and to analyze the protein quality with a number of different biochemical and biophysical methods. The unit distributes knowledge for research groups on protein chemistry.
Typical project assisted by the unit includes cloning of the expression vector, pilot expression tests, scale-up, protein extraction and purification as well as biochemical and biophysical analyses of protein quality (e.g. DSF and SEC-MALS).
The unit currently uses a number of different Escherichia coli- and Pichia pastoris-based systems to express proteins.
The main instruments of the unit
- Infors HT Multitron Standard Incubation Shaker (cooling, for big volumes e.g. 6 x 4 L Erlenmeyer-bottles)
- Avestin Emulsiflex C3 High Pressure Homogenizer (lysis of expression host cells, including Pichia)
- Bandelin Sonoplus HD4100 Ultrasonic Homogenizer (lysis of expression host cells)
- Äkta Pure 25 M1 kromatography-system
- Wyatt miniDAWN TREOS II + Wyatt Optilab T-rEX (SEC-MALS analytics).
The main chromatography columns
Typically for stages after the primary purifcation (e.g. with Ni-NTA-, amylose-, glutathione-resin)
- preparative (size exclusion): HiPrep 16/60 Sephacryl S-100 HR, HiPrep 16/60 Sephacryl S-200 HR, HiPrep 16/60 Sephacryl S-400 HR, HiPrep 26/60 Sephacryl S-300 HR, HiLoad 16/600 Superdex 200pg ja HiPrep 26/60 Sephacryl S-100 HR
- preparative (ion exchange): HiPrep Q HP 16/10 ja HiPrep SP HP16/10
- analytical (size exclusion): Superdex Peptide 10/300 GL, Superdex 200 Increase 10/300 GL ja Superdex 75 Increase 10/300 GL.
Contact person: Arto Pulliainen
The purpose of this core function is to coordinate, unify and develop the work done with infectious agents, both wild type microbes and gene modified organisms (GMOs). These include any infectious agent (viruses, bacteria, yeast and parasites).
We help to create uniform work and waste instructions, and we train personnel on biosafety and biosecurity related to infectious agents. We assist in planning the proper documentation, applications for GMO permission from the Board of Gene Technology and notifications to Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
In addition, we promote collaborative projects within safety laboratory and represent UTU at the board of Finnish Biosafety Network.
Contact:
Biosafety Officer Laura Kakkola
Professor Ilkka Julkunen