Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Departmental Services and Facilities

Page Contents

Include: Tearoom | Mail | Communal Facilities | BioBars | Gel documentation facility | Ice and deionised water facilities | Sorvall and Beckman superspeed centrifuges

Also see:

Tearoom

The departmental tearoom is located on the first floor. All staff and students are welcome to use the facilities.

There is free tea and coffee (BYO cup); a large fridge to store food; oven, microwave and sandwich press to prepare hot meals; a supply of assorted plastic cutlery; and a dishwasher.

The tearoom is used by a large number of people so please be sure to clean up any mess you make immediately.

Each week a laboratory is delegated the responsibilities of bringing in the milk, recharging the tea and coffee and loading and unloading the dishwasher. Check the roster posted above the urn for your turn!

 

Mail

Your mail is delivered to the pigeon holes located in the tearoom.

Please check your pigeon hole regularly to avoid cluttering (especially if you share an alphabetical pigeon hole).

Internal and external mail to be sent is collected from the baskets located in the tearoom.

 

Communal Facilities

There are many Communal Research facilities in the Department. Most of them are signposted with a Room Responsibility Notice and cared for by a nominated work group. See the complete listing of facilities and the work groups that maintain them.

top of page

BioBars

There are four BioBar facilities in the Department containing a range of commonly used enzymes and reagents.

  1. The Amersham biobar is located and managed by the Pittard lab in room 4.13. You must sign out items taken from the freezer.
  2. The Promega Biobars (ambient biobar and iPex freezer) are located in room 5.05 and are managed by the Strugnell lab. Individual labs should each have their own swipe card for the iPex freezer (items do not have to be signed for but will be charged automatically to the lab) and the key to the ambient cupboard is located in the Strugnell lab in room 4.12. You must sign out items taken from the ambient cupboard. New permanent items can be added to the Biobars by request to Kim Simpfendorfer in the Strugnell lab.
  3. The Genesearch e-freezer is located on the second floor in room 2.02.
  4. The QIAGEN biobar is located in room 3.18 and is managed by the Doherty lab. Anyone from the Department can purchase any of the QIAGEN products with a 7.5% discount. Please sign in the book after the purchase.

Gel Documentation

Kodak Electrophoresis Documentation and Analysis System 120

The transilluminator and camera for gel documentation are located on the fourth floor in room 4.03.

Please request the assistance of an experienced colleague when using the equipment for the first time.

The gel documentation room is contaminated with Ethidium Bromide - gloves and a lab coat (long sleeves) must be worn at all times, even when using the keyboard and mouse.

Syngene GBOX HR

This equipment is presently located in room 4.06.

Please decontaminate ethidium bromide contaminated equipment before using this camera. Only SYBR Safe stained gels should be visualized using the GBOX.

Gloves should only be worn when placing gels on the transilluminator. The external parts of the GBOX and the keyboard should be handled without gloves.

If in doubt, seek assistance from a member of the Robins-Browne laboratory.

 

top of page

Ice/Water

The departmental ice machine is located on the second floor in room 2.02

Glass double-distilled water

Available on the third floor in room 3.10.

Deionised and Milli-Q water

Deionised and Milli-Q water is available on the third floor in room 3.10.

 

top of page

Sorvall and Beckman Superspeed Centrifuges

Four super speed Centrifuges and various rotors are located on the second floor in room 2.02.

Rotor Information:

 

Specification GS3 SLA 3000 GSA SS34
Mass (kg) 21.2 14.4 14.9 6.8
Diameter (cm) 33 31.64 31 23
Tube Slots 6 6 6 8
Tube Angle 20º 20º 28º 34º
Max Speed (rpm) 9000 11,000 13,000 20,500
Max RCF (g) 13,689 20,449 27,485 50,228
 

Centrifuge Settings:

NOTE: Dials to set speed and temp may be inaccurate. Check conditions during the run.

Starting the Centrifuge:

Please request the assistance of an experienced colleague when using the centrifuges for the first time.

  1. Set speed, time, temp, brake (on/off)
  2. Place rotor onto spindle
  3. Insert balanced sample vessels
  4. Screw down rotor lid
  5. Screw rotor onto spindle
  6. Close door
  7. Press “on” button
  8. Wait until rotor has reached top speed before leaving

Ending a Run:

  1. The rotor must stop before the door will unlock
  2. Unscrew rotor lid and remove samples
  3. Inspect rotor and centrifuge for any spilt sample Decontaminate with 70% ethanol if required
  4. Remove rotor for cleaning
  5. Turn off centrifuge
  6. Wipe condensation out of centrifuge chamber
  7. Leave door ajar when not in use

Booking a Centrifuge:

The centrifuges can be booked by filling in their individual booking sheets.

You will also need to book a rotor using the booking sheet in the Billman-Jacobe Laboratory, room 4.04. The rotors are kept in lockers in room 2.02. The keys are located in the Billman-Jacobe Laboratory and must be signed out.

Fill in the appropriate Log Book before each run you do so that in case of an incident anyone can see who is running the centrifuge.

Caring for Rotors:

  1. Rotors are heavy. Get help to place them into the centrifuge if you cannot manage alone
  2. Transport rotors on a trolley
  3. Rotors may be prechilled in the cold room on a mat
  4. Avoid scratching the anodised coating
  5. Place rotors on mats and stands provided
  6. NEVER use a rotor without the lid!!!
  7. Clean the rotor thoroughly when you have finished your run.
  8. Be sure to return the rotor to its locker and the keys to the Billman-Jacobe Laboratory so that others do not have to wait unnecessarily to use the centrifuges.

 

top of page