MALS-SEC stands for multiangle-light scattering - size exclusion chromatography. MALS-SEC yields accurate determination of molar mass. That is, it can determine the oligomerization state of your protein. DLS stands for dynamic light scattering. This measures the hydrodynamic radii of your monodispersed protein.

The Ohio Physiological Society (OPS) meeting is held this year at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Cleveland on Oct 14 and 15. A flyer is attached here. A three-hour workshop on the fundamentals of the Biacore will be taught by Dr. Eric Roush, a specialist from GE Healthcare.

The PEPCC hosts the first of three workshops in partnership with GE Healthcare. Download flyer here.

Stemming from the poster at the ACA meeting in Toronto, the paper discusses the principles and concerns of tryptophan fluorescence. Although still interested, we have not purchased a UV scope to date and are waiting for improvements.

The Biacore T-100 is a Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) based instrument that provides label-free protein-protein interaction anaylsis, with a sensitivity of 100 Da. This cutting-edge instrument is a first to CWRU-SOM and only the second instrument of its kind in the academic Cleveland area. The T-100 will be housed in the The PEPCC under the direction of Summer Watterson in collaboration with GE Healthcare specialist, Eric Roush. Two instructional workshops will be announced later this year for the community at large. The purchase is partially supported by the ONR and OBR funding agencies.

An ultimate goal of the PEPCC is to screen for protein crystals in situ with the high throuhgput crystallization robotics in-house. Just after reviewing tryptophan fluorecence and absorbance techniques, which are dependent on the presence of tryptophan residues and partially hampered by inner-filter effects among other factors, the PXScanner provides an alternative method to distinguish protein verses non-proteinaceous crystals in a trial drop. In principle, the bigger advantage here over spectrometric techniques is that the PXScanner should be able to select for X-ray diffracting crystals within a drop.

The Evo-150 platform from Tecan will be customized to optimize crystallization conditions via the CrysScreen software, automatically perform plasmid mini-preps, and perform assays via a fluorescent platreader. Implementation is currently underway through January 2010.

The Nanostar is a dynamic light scattering detector that calculates the hydrodynamic radius and the monodispersity of a protein in solution. The new model is implemented with one static detector that allows for molecular mass estimation. The Optiplex is a Refractive Index detector for online monitoring of protein concentration. The detectors will be available in mid-January 2010 and are supported by the Action Fund from the Ohio Board of Regents.

The PEPCC purchases the M205A, which is the latest technology of Leica stereo-microscopes that allows researchers to resolve structural detail down to 476 nm. The microscope is connected to a 30" monitor for class instructions of a variety of applications, including protein crystal mounting and tissue dissections. The M205A costs $52K, and is supported by the Action Fund from the Ohio Board of Regents.

Assist. Prof. Gill receives letter of award--from Chancellor Eric Fingerhut and Governor Ted Strickland--on behalf of the Ohio Board of Regents. This award of the amount $359K matches a Navy's award of $359K and a departmental allocation of $360K. In sum, over one million dollars is budgeted for scientific equipment.

This is in addition to the award last year, where Profs. Gill & Boron were awarded over 1 million dollars in a similar three way match.

Prof Gill says that "The award goes a long way toward developing the infrastructure for X-ray Crystallography and Biophysics here at CWRU. Our Robotic laboratory is a vital resource for Ohio research."