Technologies & Facilities | School of Biotechnology

Technologies and Facilities

The School of Biotechnology is fully equipped with modern equipment to fulfil the vision of our various research disciplines. Principal Investigators of the School are interested in collaborating with potential academic or enterprise collaborators through access to the following unique resources:

Cell Biology and Immunology

Vascular stem cell and vascular smooth muscle cell isolation and culture
Vascular and stem cell cytomechanics using vascular phantoms and bio-artificial vessels in vitro and in vivo modelling
In-stent restenosis models following stent deployment in vitro and carotid ligation in vivo
Murine models of vascular injury
Novel therapeutic approaches to combat changes in vascular fate and function associated with arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis and diabetes
Development of novel systems for tissue engineering
Magnetic nanoparticle drug-delivery platforms
Measurement of lipid accumulation in cells
Quantitation of minor phospholipids in membranes
Suite of biological assays (Autophagy, Apoptosis, Signalling cascades) for investigating interactions of lipid droplets and components with cells
In vitro lipotoxicity model for examining pancreatic beta cell function
E-Screen assays for endocrine disruptor chemicals.
In vitro blood-brain barrier model for pre-clinical assessment of food/drug compounds.
In vitro immune cell models for screening drug candidates for anti-inflammatory activity
In vivo models of systemic inflammation, colitis and allergy
ABI 7900HT Fast qRT-PCR System with TaqMan Low-Density Array
Flexercell Tension-Plus FX4000T System (for mechanical stretch/strain studies)
Haake-Mars Cone-Plate Viscometer (for mechanical shearing studies)
CellMax Duo Artificial Capillary System (for perfused cell co-cultures under flow)
xCELLigence Impedence System (cell adhesion, migration, proliferation studies)
Major equipment available includes BD FACSaria.

Bioanalysis, Biochemistry, Proteomics, Genetics

Significant facilities for the generation of poly, mono and recombinant antibodies.
Centre for Biacore technologies with Biacore 1000, 3000 and 4000 and major expertise in the application of these platforms.
Library of novel protein bioligands that have the ability to bind to important biopharmacological glycoproteins and all of their closely related glycoforms.
Expertise and capability in functional genomics and DNA based assay design can be applied to numerous disciplines, research interests and diagnostic test development in the food or animal testing areas.

Bioprocessing

3x10 L instrumented Braun bioreactors with full SIP capability;
A suite of 15 cell culture clean-rooms each equipped with Laminar Flow Cabinets, carbon dioxide incubators, inverted microscopes, etc.
A dedicated molecular biology laboratory with Affymetrix Microarray Suite,
Real-Time PCR (Applied Biosystem 7500 and 7900HT), Agilent Bioanalyser and Nanodrop equipment as well as standard electrophoresis apparatus and documentation systems.
Proteomics laboratories for sample preparation and 2-D electrophoresis.
Protein Mass spectrometry laboratory, including AB1 MALDI TOF-TOF; Dionex nano-LC; Thermo Orbitrap; Triple Quad and LTQ mass spectrometers.
BD FACSAria Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter and Guava benchtop flow cytometer;
Leica confocal microscope; Time-Lapse video-microscopy.
High and Ultra-high speed centrifuges
Kuhner orbital humidified CO2 incubators for spin-tube/flask culture
4 x 2-liter Sartorius laboratory-scale cell culture fermenters
Wave bioreactor system 20/50
A FiberCell Systems™ Hollow Fiber bioreactor

Microbiology, Energy and Environmental Science

Class 2 Microbiology facilities
Microbiological testing
Antimicrobial evaluation of novel compounds and materials
Culture development for bioaugmentation of waste treatment systems
Facilities for studies in photobiology
Nikon Eclipse Ti-E Research Microscope
Pilot scale ultrafiltration-diafiltration rig (Millipore).

Membrane Science and Technology

Expertise, equipment and facilities for the preparation and characterization of many types of membranes for tailored applications, including:
micro-, ultra- and nanofiltration membranes
charged membranes (positive, negative, zwitterionic)
membrane adsorbers, polymer brush grafted membranes
electrospun membranes, and other functionalized membranes according to application
A pilot scale (25L) membrane separation (MF/UF/NF) facility is available

You can find further information about DCU's vast array of research infrastructure HERE