The Wadsworth Center maintains extensive scientific core facilities in support of its investigators and their collaborators. These facilities provide expertise and access to specialized equipment and services, advise investigators and help them in using the equipment, and train junior researchers in the latest technologies. Each core is headed by a scientist expert in the core’s particular instrumentation and techniques. Some also provide hands-on training for students and postdocs. It is important to contact a particular core’s director before planning an experiment or project, as each core has a slightly different mechanism of providing access and support.
Biochemistry, Immunology, Protein Expression and Tissue Culture
- Biochemistry | Karen Chave, Director
The Biochemistry Core offers access to techniques for characterization of biological molecules, including chromatography and spectroscopy (UV/US Fluorescence, Circular Dichroism). Core staff provide initial training, primarily through one-on-one tutorial instruction, with the objective that researchers will be able to perform their own experiments and run the instrumentation independently.
- Immunology Core | Jennifer Yates, Director
The Immunology Core provides flow cytometry and cell sorting capabilities and analysis of intermolecular interactions by surface plasmon resonance. - Protein Expression | Karen Chave, Director
The Protein Expression Core provides support for Wadsworth Center investigators who need assistance in obtaining pure samples of proteins for functional and structural studies. Bacterial and insect cell expression systems are available. The core will work with investigators to optimize expression clones, vectors and purification schemes to yield required quantities of soluble, active and pure protein samples. - Tissue Culture and Media | Donna Kohlerschmidt, Director
The Tissue Culture and Media Core provides a wide range of services for Wadsworth Center investigators for microbiological growth, identification and research. The Tissue Culture Core maintains and supplies mammalian cells for the virology departments and for researchers. It also prepares and supplies routine and custom growth media. Mycoplasma testing, elimination, cell-line verification, and cell-banking services are also offered to investigators. The Media Core supplies all routine and custom liquid and agar growth media and reagents for the growth and identification of bacterial, fungal and protozoan pathogens as well as for research.
Genetics and Genomics
- Advanced Genomic Technologies | Matthew Schudt and Melissa Leisner, Co-Directors
The Advanced Genomic Technologies Cluster provides Sanger and/or next generation DNA and RNA sequencing to both research and public health laboratories.
Bioinformatics | Spencer Bruce, Director
The Bioinformatics Core supports biological research through collaboration, data analysis, and the development of computational workflows designed to meet the specific needs of each individual project. Our work spans the full breadth of modern biological inquiry—from experimental design through the interpretation and visualization of complex data—emphasizing reproducibility, coherence, and scientific rigor.
We regularly assist researchers working with next-generation sequencing (NGS) data, encouraging early consultation to ensure experiments are structured with downstream analysis in mind. Our focus is on supporting the practical use of computational tools to extract meaningful biological insight.
Imaging
- Advanced Light Microscopy and Image Analysis | Richard Cole, Director
The Advanced Light Microscopy and Image Analysis Core includes high resolution, time-lapse video enhanced microscopy, micromanipulation and microinjection, optical tweezers and laser microsurgery. Living cells can be analyzed in vivo by fluorescence microscopy, and accurate 3D reconstructions can be generated from optical sections.
- Histopathology | Helen Johnson, Director
The Histopathology Core provides high quality sectioning and staining of animal tissues to assist in the determination of structural defects and physiological abnormalities.
Molecular Structure
- 3D Electron Microscopy Group | Rajendra Agrawal, Director
The 3D Electron Microscopy group has pioneered and advanced such techniques as correlative light - electron microscopy, cellular tomography, cryo-milling of biological specimens with focused ion beams, and time-resolved 3D imaging of macromolecular assemblies. Instrumentation includes a 300 keV cryo-electron microscope with direct electron detection and automated data collection, and a 200 keV field emission cryo-electron microscope, as well as numerous accessories for cryo-preparation of specimens and extensive computational facilities. Three-dimensional reconstructions are generated using single-particle or tomographic methods, using various image processing software systems.