Sterilization of culture media/substrates by an autoclave at bamfield marine sciences centre

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A stand-alone autoclave sterilizer is requested for the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (BMSC), for multifaceted use by a broad range of principal investigators, post-doctoral fellows, graduate students, visiting researchers, undergraduates and research assistants.  BMSC is owned and operated by the Universities of Alberta, Calgary, British Columbia and Victoria and Simon Fraser University.  The autoclave is essential for basic NSERC Discovery research programs focused on evolutionary biology, invasive species, fish physiology, neuroscience, developmental and reproductive biology, molecular biology, marine ecology and conservation biology.  The autoclave is also needed for applied research programs on the development of marine algae for the health food market.  The autoclave will enable the sterilization of culture and seawater media, glassware, instruments and autoclavable plastic dispensers and containers.  The autoclave will also sterilize materials used on molecular biology courses periodically conducted by the University Programs department of BMSC.  Features of importance for the autoclave, is a stand-alone capability using distilled water as a steam source, adequate capacity to contain several two-litre volumetric flasks and ease of operation and maintenance.  The requested autoclave replaces a machine that has been important to the research programs conducted by large numbers of investigators since its acquisition in 1975, but is now non-serviceable.