Molecular Biology Core Facility
Shirley M. Taylor, Ph.D.
Resource director
(804) 828-5773
Kimberly Stratton, M.S.
Resource manager
(804) 827-9725
Letta Collins
Research specialist
The construction and manipulation of plasmids and of cloned DNA sequences is a central activity of every laboratory involved in the molecular analysis of cancer. Some manipulations are more challenging and some plasmids refractory to common procedures. The Molecular Biology Shared Resource (MSBR or Resource) was initiated to assist Massey Cancer Center investigators with plasmid manipulations and cloning projects that prove problematic to individual laboratories or that prove refractory to manipulation by laboratory technicians, students and post-docs. In addition, the Resource provides a cost-effective alternative to a variety of basic services to Massey investigators.
These basic services include endotoxin-free plasmid purification, insert purification, plasmid management and maintaining an inventory of plasmid vectors and clones. Other projects are designed upon the specific needs of client laboratories including custom subcloning, library screening, generation and optimization of protein expression vectors, design, construction and analysis of gene targeting vectors, and protein production in bacterial, insect and mammalian cells. The Resource works in synch with the Transgenic and Knockout Shared Resource and facilitates access of Massey members to such animals through vector design and construction.
Facilities and equipment
The Resource’s equipment includes a Molecular Dynamics PhosphorImager and a BioRad Versadoc 4,000 chemi-imager. These are supplemented by the recent purchase of a Typhoon 9410 imaging system and two Alpha-Innotech Fluorochem SP gel documentation systems. The commonwealth of Virginia also recently approved the acquisition of a bacterial fermenter, the BioFlo 4,500, a high-pressure cell disruptor for adequate disruption of bacterial cells, and two large-scale culture apparati for insect and mammalian culture, the BioFlo 110, all with the intent of allowing investigators to produce large quantities of various proteins, which will be very important for those who need unique new antibodies.
Services provided
Basic services
The Resource continues to provide a variety of basic services to the investigators of the Massey Cancer Center. These include endotoxin-free plasmid purification, insert purification, plasmid management and maintenance of an inventory of plasmid vectors and clones. In addition, Resource personnel keep up with new products offered by a variety of vendors and set a small amount of time aside to directly test such new reagents/procedures/kits for purity and yield, ease and cost-effectiveness.
Special projects
Special projects include custom subcloning, library screening, generation of protein expression and gene targeting vectors, and protein production in bacterial, insect and mammalian cells.
Service costs and access
Summaries of all services offered, as well as relevant pricing, can be found on the Molecular Biology Shared Resource Web site.
