Acquisition of Modern Sampling and Molecular Analysis Equipment for an Integrated Geomicrobiology/Molecular Biology Laboratory

在Russell Vreeland博士的指导下，宾夕法尼亚州西切斯特大学获得了一笔赠款，用于支持最先进的地质分子微生物学实验室设施。 这是一种结合了地质和分子生物学研究设备的设施。 研究人员计划使用这种设备直接从古代岩石和晶体中提取DNA，RNA和活微生物，同时将样品保持在无菌条件下。 该项目代表了西切斯特大学科学家在发现和描述世界上最古老的活细菌时所使用的技术的改进和扩展。 实验室的核心是一个特殊的显微镜，它包含一个附加的微钻，能够产生直径仅为30微米（0.00011英寸）的岩石样品。 这种显微镜/钻头能够根据来自远程站的计算机命令对岩石进行绘图和拍照，钻孔并产生样品。 通过这种方式，样品在无菌区域生产，不与人体接触。 然后，这些微小的样本可以直接转移到放大和测序大小DNA片段的设备中，研究人员将使用这些DNA片段来研究恐龙存在之前居住在地球上的细菌的基因。 除了其研究功能，该设施将提供广泛的教育经验，从几个部门在西切斯特大学的宾夕法尼亚州高等教育系统的成员的学生。 位于生物大楼的DNA测序仪及其相关设备将由本科生与Vreeland博士和生物系的其他成员进行研究。 该设施将举办分子生物学，重组DNA技术，微生物生态学和微生物生理学等几个实验室课程。 在演示和讲座中，让人想起流行的CSI电视连续剧，刑事司法和法医课程的学生将获得DNA采样，样本护理以及DNA数据采集和分析的第一手经验。 由于整个设施的独特性，来自许多其他大学和研究机构的世界知名科学家已经在考虑使用无菌微钻系统进行他们自己的研究，以确定古代盐水的年代，获得岩石样本进行分析，甚至尝试从他们自己的岩石样本中提取DNA。 这是一个首屈一指的研究设施，可能会吸引来访的世界级研究人员的校园，并让学生接触到最先进的科学设备。

A grant has been awarded to West Chester University of Pennsylvania under the direction of Dr. Russell Vreeland for support of a state of the art geological molecular microbiology laboratory facility. This one of a kind facility combines geological and molecular biological research equipment. Researchers plan use this equipment to extract DNA, RNA and living microorganisms directly from ancient rocks and crystals while keeping the samples under sterile conditions. This project represents an improvement and expansion of the techniques previously used by the same West Chester University scientists while finding and describing the world's oldest living bacteria. The heart of the laboratory is a special microscope that contains an attached microdrill able to produce a sample of rock only 30 microns (0.00011 inches) in diameter. This microscope/drill is able to map and photograph a rock, drill the hole and produce the sample based on computer commands from a remote station. In this way the samples are produced in a sterile area without human contact. These tiny samples can then be moved directly into equipment that amplifies and sequences both large and small pieces of DNA which the researchers will use to study the genes of bacteria that populated Earth from time periods before the dinosaurs existed. In addition to its research functions, the facility will provide extensive educational experience for students from several departments at West Chester University a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Located in the Biology Building the DNA sequencer and its related equipment will be used by undergraduate students conducting research with Dr Vreeland and other members of the Biology Department. The facility will host several laboratory classes in Molecular Biology, Recombinant DNA technology, Microbial Ecology, and Microbial Physiology among others. In demonstrations and lectures reminiscent of the popular CSI TV series students from Criminal Justice and Forensics classes will get first hand experience with DNA sampling, sample care and acquisition and analysis of DNA data. Due to the uniqueness of this entire facility, world renowned scientists from numerous other universities and research facilities are already contemplating visits to use the sterile microdrill system conduct their own research in dating ancient salt brines, obtain rock samples for analysis and even attempt to extract DNA from their own rock samples. This be a premier research facility likely to attract visiting world class researchers the campus and exposing students to state of the art scientific equipment.