Tabletop ultracentrifuge

申请者在不同的研究领域参与了竞争激烈的研究。这些研究领域包括生命科学、生物技术、纳米技术和环境科学。NSERC的这项研究工具和仪器赠款建议是为了回应申请者目前表达的需要，即获得可靠的桌面超速离心机，允许处理小容量样本(即1-2毫升)。这件设备对申请者研究的几个方面都是必不可少的。例如，细胞提取物的制备是一些申请者带头进行的几个项目中的关键步骤，需要以非常高的速度进行离心(超过15万克！)这只有在超级离心机的帮助下才有可能。其他申请者需要超离心机来净化少量的环境样品，或者根据纳米颗粒的大小来分离它们。申请者要求的仪器是Beckman Optima Max超速离心机。这件设备足够小，可以放在桌子上，甚至可以放在手推车上。考虑到预期用户的数量很大(这项提议涉及11名研究人员！)，这种超速离心机可以相对容易地从一个实验室转移到另一个实验室，这是一个主要的优势。这种超速离心机还允许10个用户程序，这意味着10个研究团队将能够保存他们自己的超速离心机设置，这在多用户环境中是一个很大的优势。这台Beckman Optima Max超离心机将对劳伦斯大学10多个研究团队的研究项目产生重大影响，其中包括数十名研究生和本科生。

The applicants are involved in highly competitive research in diverse fields of study. These areas of investigation include life sciences, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and environmental science. This NSERC Research Tools and Instruments grant proposal is in response to the current need expressed by the applicants to have access to a reliable tabletop ultracentrifuge that allows the processing of small volume samples (i.e. 1-2ml). This piece of equipment is essential for several aspects of the applicants' research. For example, the preparation of extracts from cells, a key step in several projects spearheaded by some of the applicants, requires centrifugation at a very high speed (over 150 000 x g!) that is only possible with the help of an ultracentrifuge. Other applicants require an ultracentrifuge to purify small amounts of environmental samples, or to separate nanoparticles according to their size. The instrument that the applicants are requesting is the Beckman Optima Max ultracentrifuge. This piece of equipment is small enough to be placed on a table or even on a cart. Considering the large number of expected users (this proposal involves 11 researchers!), the fact that this ultracentrifuge can be relatively easily moved from one laboratory to another is a major advantage. This ultracentrifuge also allows for 10 user programs, meaning that 10 research teams will be able to save their own ultracentrifugation settings, a big advantage in a multiuser environment. This Beckman Optima Max ultracentrifuge will have a major impact on the research programs of over 10 Laurentian University research teams, including dozens of graduate and undergraduate students.