Enhanced 2D Imaging for Gels and Membranes

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The 2-dimensional imaging of biomolecules (i.e., DNA, RNA and protein) is a fundamental part of modern day molecular biology, biochemistry and chemistry, as a paper is seldom published in these fields that do not include data generated from the analysis of gels or membranes. Recent technological advances have markedly improved the resolution, sensitivity and multiplexing capabilities of these imagers, allowing for better quality and quantification of the data they acquire. Currently, the imaging resources available within the Faculty of Sciences at Simon Fraser University (SFU) are severely outdated and quickly reaching the end of their lifespan. Our gel documentation system has limited functionality (chemiluminescence detection only), and our only available biomolecular imager has recently suffered a permanent blue laser failure that has reduce our already limited (no near-infrared detection) spectral range. Together, this means that the research groups (>80 students from 25 labs) in our Faculty have insufficient multiplexing capabilities to satisfy increasingly rigorous scientific standards. This problem is exacerbated by a chronic oversubscription of users (>85 hours per month), making the acquisition of additional instrumentation a pressing concern for training HQP and future research planning.