Biology focus labs

The suite is used for mammalian cell culture. The laboratory houses three biosafety cabinets, four CO2 incubators, dedicated fridges and freezers, centrifuges and microscopes for cell culture work.

The molecular biology laboratory specialises in the extraction, purification, and analysis of nucleic acids (RNA and DNA). It features a PCR flow cabinet to maintain sterile, contamination-free conditions and houses a Bio-Rad CFX96 qPCR system for precise real-time quantitative PCR analysis.

Ecology

The laboratories are equipped with a range of advanced environmental control incubators, microscopes fitted with imaging software, and dissolved oxygen instruments to assess organism metabolism. Additionally, a variety of field equipment is available for aquatic monitoring, including plankton and invertebrate sampling nets, as well as probes for measuring algal biomass, dissolved oxygen, pH etc.

Ecotoxicology

Equipment is available for conducting short-term toxicity tests using a variety of organisms including bacteria and algae, such as the Microtox Test and the Algal Toxicity Test. The labs also have equipment for biological techniques such as histology and ELISAs, for assessing the effects of chemicals on biomarker responses.

Equipment is available for flow-through and semi-static experiments exposing fish and molluscs to chemicals. The facility also has temperature-controlled incubators for embryo exposures, as well as microscopes for monitoring/imaging development.