High-speed centrifuge for multi-user molecular core facility

我们建议为我们细胞和系统生物系的多用户分子核心设施购买一台大容量高速离心机(Sorvall RC-6 Plus SuperSPEED)。分子分析旨在了解基因和蛋白质在细胞和组织发育中的功能，是我们七个实验室的主要活动。分离生物大分子(DNA、RNA和蛋白质)是我们研究的重要部分。拟议的离心机是采集细菌、中到大规模分离DNA、RNA和蛋白质以及分离真核细胞所必需的。我们迫切需要拟议的仪器来取代我们分子核心设施中的两台离心机，这两台离心机都发生了故障(一台在2007年，另一台在2008年)。在过去的20年里，它们被15个以上的研究小组大量使用。两台离心机都不得不退役。这意味着，超过15个从事分子生物学研究的研究小组部门目前无法使用我们研究大楼(Ramsay Wright Building)的离心机，不得不将他们的样本带到校园内的另一座大楼进行离心机分离。这会造成很大的延误，并损害研究质量，这是不可接受的。拟议中的离心机需求将很大，因为这七个实验室加在一起培养了20名研究生、5名博士后、6名技术人员和19名本科生。离心机也将提供给我们部门的其他成员。这一仪器对维持高研究生产率和质量至关重要。该仪器支持的研究将有助于更好地了解细胞和组织发育的分子机制，以及导致疾病的相关异常，包括癌症、不孕不育、失明和耳聋。

We propose to purchase a high volume high-speed centrifuge (Sorvall RC-6 Plus Superspeed) for the multi-user molecular core facility in our Department of Cell and Systems Biology. Molecular analysis aimed towards an understanding of gene and protein function in cell and tissue development is a major activity in our seven laboratories. Isolation of biological macromolecules (DNA, RNA and proteins) is an essential part of our research. The proposed centrifuge is required to harvest bacteria, to isolate DNA, RNA, and proteins at medium to large scale, and for fractionation of eukaryotic cells. The proposed instrument is urgently needed to replace the two centrifuges in our molecular core facility that both broke down (one in 2007, the other one in 2008). They were heavily used over the past 20 years by more than 15 research groups. Both centrifuges had to be decommissioned. This means that more than 15 research groups department, which do molecular biology, have currently no access to a centrifuge in our research building (Ramsay Wright Building) and have to take their samples to another building on campus for centrifugation. This causes substantial delays and impairs research quality, which is unacceptable. The proposed centrifuge will be in high demand as the seven laboratories combined train 20 graduate students, 5 postdocs, 6 technicians, and 19 undergraduate students. The centrifuge will also be available to other members of our Department. This instrument is critical to sustain high research productivity and quality. Research supported by the instrument will contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of cell and tissue development, and associated abnormalities that result in diseases, including cancer, sterility, blindness, and deafness.