Life Sciences Facilities
Core Facilities
Purdue University research cores provide access for faculty, students and collaborators to state-of-the-art equipment and expertise to support basic and translational research in a broad range of scientific fields. Instrumentation, facilities, software and professional assistance are available for the design and conduct of specialized measurements, analysis and interpretation of data, and research collaboration.
See below for an entire list of our cores and their descriptions. A searchable list is available at Research Cores
Animal Behavior Core
The Purdue Animal Behavior Core (PABC), part of the Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience (PIIN), is a newly created core facility that provides validated behavioral and physiological assays to aid in preclinical research using in vivo models. The core also offers a testing environment for developing novel devices and imaging tools to examine brain and behavior relationships. Using cutting-edge automated technologies, the facility efficiently models a wide range of neurodevelopmental disorders, psychiatric illnesses, neurodegenerative diseases and spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries.
Agronomy Center of Research and Education
field research on agronomic crops and soils
Agronomy Center of Research and Education
Animal Sciences Research and Education Center
The mission of the Animal Sciences Research and Education Center (ASREC) is to provide animals, facilities, technical assistance and labor to conduct research, provide instruction, and assist in extension educational activities. Research trials vary from basic to applied and involve many disciplines -- nutrition, physiology, behavior, genetics, reproduction, animal health, and product quality. Faculty utilize the Research and Education Center to facilitate teaching several Animal Sciences courses and to help provide hands-on experience for students. Some Extension education activities are held at the center.
Animal Sciences Research and Education Center
Arthur Fungarium and Kriebel Herbarium
An Herbarium is a collection of carefully preserved plant and/or fungal specimens; a Fungarium is a collection of carefully preserved fungal specimens. The Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Purdue University houses two herbaria of immense historical and scientific value. The Arthur Fungarium (herbarium acronym PUR) is the largest specialized Fungarium, containing the most important collection of plant rust fungi (order Pucciniales), in the world. The Kriebel Herbarium (acronym PUL) contains non-rust fungi, vascular plants, lichens, algae and bryophytes, and is the oldest herbarium in the state of Indiana. Together the collections contain close to 250,000 specimens dating as far back as 1769 and gathered from across the globe. The collections are an important global resource for scientists and researchers in the fields of botany, mycology, plant pathology, forestry and biology. PUR and PUL arrange for loans of material to other herbaria and researchers around the world, accept material for deposition to voucher scientific studies, and serve as a resource for identifying rust fungi and their host plants from around the world.
Arthur Fungarium and Kriebel Herbarium
Bioinformatics Core
Facilitate, amplify, and accelerate biological research and discovery through application of bioinformatics. Deliver high quality analysis and consultation in a timely and economical manner. Support workshops and learning activities. Support computational resources.
Biological Evaluation Core
The mission of the Biological Evaluation Shared Resource (BE-SR) is to provide expert guidance to investigators in grant preparation, model selection and experimental design, and to perform toxicity testing and proof-of-concept efficacy studies for the advancement of their projects using in vivo testing.
Biological Evaluation Shared Resource
Biomolecular Cleanroom
2,500 Sq. ft. Bio-Nanotechnology Integration Laboratory.
Biomolecular Cleanroom
Biophysical Analysis Laboratory
Biophysical analysis of Proteins, DNA, RNA, and other molecules.
Biophysical Analysis Laboratory
Bioscience Imaging Facility
We provide the instruments and expertise needed to visualize molecules in preparations ranging from single cells to entire animals. All facility users receive individualized instrument training as well as project specific advice for optimal data acquisition. Consultation on sample preparation, image rendering, and data analysis are also available as our knowledge base permits.
Bioscience Imaging Facility
Birck Nanotechnology Center BioNanotechnology Laboratories (BNC-BNL)
BNC-BNL is located at the Birck Nanotechnology center. It provides researchers a place where they can take their drug delivery (e.g. BioMEMS/NEMS or Biosensor) device or nanoparticle-driven from idea stage to a viable prototype to in-vitro testing and basic sterility testing. A CTSI core facility.
Birck Nanotechnology Center BioNanotechnology Laboratories (BNC-BNL)
Center for Analytical Instrumentation Development
Develop the next generation of analytical instrumentation for chemistry, life science and point-of-need applications in medicine, industry, and public safety. Expand participation to other regional institutions. Prominent among these instrumental methods is the application of mass spectrometry to problems of national and world interest and the miniaturization of mass spectrometry to further those aims.
Center for Analytical Instrumentation Development
Center for Comparative Translational Research
Purdue and CTSI core facilities for animal pre-clinical and clinical studies, for histology and image digitization, and for pharmacodynamics studies.
Center for Comparative Translational Research
Center for Environmental and Regulatory Information Systems
The Center for Environmental and Regulatory Information Systems (CERIS) is a recognized center at Purdue University providing agricultural information resource technologies and applications in the form of searchable databases with web interfaces, collaborative web sites with updating, and dynamic map resources of pest survey and plant diagnostic data. Since the 1980?s its content has focused on plant export regulations, pest survey data, plant diagnostic data, and pesticides and has collaborated with key federal and state agencies along with industry. A new project under development with Entomology and Plant Pathology is the creation of an iPhone application for ornamental diagnostics.
Center for Environmental and Regulatory Information Systems
Center for Materials Processing and Tribology - Metrology Laboratory
Surface and mechanical property characterization
Center for Materials Processing and Tribology - Metrology Laboratory
Center for Materials under eXtreme Environment (CMUXE)
Center for Materials under extreme environments (CMUXE) is a research unit at Purdue University aimed at promoting nuclear, material science, plasma research, and education. Members of CMUXE perform basic and applied research in wide variety of interdisciplinary fields. The major thrust area is the interactions of high-intensity, modulated energy beams: electromagnetic radiation, plasma, electrons, ions and other particle sources (i.e. clusters, molecules) with matter. The CMUXE combines both advanced integrated computational tools, i.e., HEIGHTS simulation package and state-of-the art experimental devices.
Center for Materials under eXtreme Environment (CMUXE)
Christopher and Susan Burke Hydraulics and Hydrology Laboratory
Mechanics of Water Transport Processes in Environmental and Engineering Flows; field and laboratory investigations of water quantity and quality.
Christopher and Susan Burke Hydraulics and Hydrology Laboratory
Computational Life Sciences and Informatics
Development and application of computational tools and techniques to solve complex life science problems, specializing in mass-spectrometry differential ‘omics, including custom data management, database analysis and design, and software development.
Computational Life Sciences and Informatics
Dynamic Mechanics Laboratory
We develop innovative dynamic experimental techniques to determine the mechanical response of challenging materials and structures under impact loading conditions. We have extensive experiences in characterizing materials from as soft as gel rubbers to as hard as armor ceramics, from as small as a single spider silk to as large as instrumented concrete targets. A recent book (Split Hopkinson (Kolsky) Bar by Springer) documents some of our previous work.
Dynamic Mechanics Laboratory
Electron Microscopy
Electron Microscopy facility in Birck has Hitachi S4800 cold field-emission scanning electron microscope, equipped with STEM capability; FEI Nova 200 Dual Beam system, equipped with a Klocke nanomanipulator for site specific sample preparation; and FEI Environmental S/TEM 80-300 Titan.
Electron Microscopy
Epitaxy
The Epitaxy recharge center consists of three deposition tools for thin film research as well as a high resolution x-ray diffractometer for thin film characterization. Equipment in recharge center: Nitride Sputter System (PVD Products), Oxide Pulsed Laser Deposition (PVD Products), High resolution x-ray diffractometer HRXRD (PANalytical), organometallic vapor phase epitaxy/Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition OMVPE/MOCVD (Aixtron), Laser annealing (Lambda Physik), Laser lift-off (Lambda Physik).
Epitaxy
Flow Cytometry and Cell Separation Facility
The Bindley Bioscience Flow Cytometry and Cell Separation Facility provides advanced cell and particle analysis and sorting using flow cytometry based technology. The facility also provides training in flow cytometry analysis and sorting techniques. The facility also provides expert consultation for assay and protocol development for flow cytometry analysis and cell separation.
Flow cytometry and cell separation facility
Food Science Pilot Laboratory
Wet chemistry, microbiology, and food product development
Food Science Pilot Laboratory
Genomics Core Facility
The Purdue Genomics Core facility has more than a decade of experience in DNA sequencing and provides "next generation", high and low-throughput sequencing services as well as first-pass informatics support.
Genomics Core Facility
Laboratory for Renewable Resources Engineering (LORRE)
Carries out research, training, and discovery in transforming renewable resources into biofuels and bioproducts. Couples fundamental research in renewable resources to the art and science of scale-up for purposes of design, prototyping, and operation of industrial systems that are economic, environmentally friendly, and sustainable. Provides research services in microbiology, fermentation, liquid chromatography and biomass analysis.
Laboratory for Renewable Resources Engineering (LORRE)
Life Sciences Electron Microscopy Facility
The LSMF is a full service electron microscopy core with both service and individual use options. Equipment includes two field-emission SEMs equipped with cryo, EDX, low vacuum, and tensile stage. Also available are 2 TEMs, routine and cryo sample preparation instrumentation, and other support equipment. Basic light microscopes are equipped with color digital cameras and optics for Bright-field, Nomarski DIC contrast, Fluorescence, and stereo imaging.
Life Sciences Electron Microscopy Facility
Metabolite profiling facility (MPF)
The laboratory utilizes gas chromatography and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry for the analyses of small, biological molecules. We collaborate with research investigators who are conducting metabolomic studies, by providing technical assistance with sample preparation, data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of experimental information. The lab performs both quantitative analysis and non-targeted d molecular screening.
Metabolite profiling facility (MPF)
Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition – MPCVD
This Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition system (SEKI-5200S) produces a variety of carbon-based nano- and micro-materials including carbon nanotubes, graphene, and diamond thin films. It operates at moderate pressure near 10 Torr with typical process gas mixtures consisting of hydrogen and methane. The system features an inductively heated stage, 1-2 inch active deposition area, temperature control through thermocouples supplemented by a dual-wavelength pyrometer, and recently added laser diagnostics of plasma species.
Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition – MPCVD
MRI Facility
The Purdue MRI Facility houses three research-dedicated MRI systems to facilitate the use of advanced magentic resonance imaging techniques for research at Purdue University. The Purdue MRI Facility is also an IndianaCTSI Core Facility.
MRI Facility
Optics and Spectroscopy
Spectrophotometer Lambda 950; Micro-Sample Spectrometer; Raman Spectrometer T64000 with the excitation lasers: tunable Ar/Kr, CW 10 mW per wavelength, 10 wavelength across the visible range, femtosecond/picosecond regenerative amplifier-OPA system; Nanonics NSOM/ Luminescence Mapping with the excitations lasers: HeNe 633 nm, solid state 532 nm, Diode 785 nm.
Optics and Spectroscopy
Physiological Probe Station
Self-referencing electroanalytical probe station for amperometric, optical and potentiometric physiological sensing.
Purdue Agriculture Air Quality Lab
monitoring equipment for air quality, odor evaluation lab, trace contaminant lab
Purdue Agriculture Air Quality Lab
Purdue Cryo-EM Facility
The Purdue Cryo-EM Facility is a member of the Purdue EM Consortium and a designated Indiana CTSI Core Facility. Our facility is available to Purdue, other academic institutes, and industry users. It provides state-of-the-art instruments and expertise for high resolution structure determination of viruses, larger macromolecular complexes, nano-particles, as well as tomographic visualization of virus-cell interactions by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and three-dimensional (3-D) image reconstruction.
Purdue Cryo-EM Facility
Purdue Proteomics Facility
Mass spectrometry analyses of peptides and proteins. Maldi and ESI analysis, comparative proteomics, peptides sequencing, proteins identification and analysis, database search analysis, quantitative analysis, biomarkers discovery, proteins digestion. Amino acid analysis
Purdue Proteomics Facility
Purdue Stable Isotope (PSI) lab
The Purdue Stable Isotope (PSI) facility is a state-of-the-art multi-user, stable isotope laboratory housed in the Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Department at Purdue University.
Purdue Stable Isotope (PSI) lab
Purdue Translational Pharmacology Facility
in vivo pharmacology with swine model and unique PigTurn monitoring and sampling system
Purdue Translational Pharmacology Facility
Scifres Nanofabrication Cleanroom
25,000 sq. ft. Class 1-10-100 Nanofabrication Laboratory
Scifres Nanofabrication Cleanroom
Sensory Evaluation Laboratories
Subjective testing of food acceptability
Sensory Evaluation Laboratories
Scanning Probe Microscopy
Scanning Probe Microscopy, Nanotec Air STM, Omicron UHV STM
Scanning Probe Microscopy
Surface Analysis
Kratos XPS; Omicron Surface Analysis Cluster
Surface Analysis
Transgenic and Genomic Editing Facility
The PCCR’s TGEF Shared Resource is a state-of-the-art facility that offers a large number of services, including the creation of transgenic, gene knock-in and knock-out mouse and rat models for gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments. Model systems based on transgenic and knock-in/knock-out strategies provide approaches that are developmentally, anatomically and physiologically relevant to human disease, and that can supplement traditional xenograft models for testing new anti-cancer therapies. Genome-edited animal models provide valuable reagents for studies ranging from the regulatory mechanisms governing gene expression patterns to cell-cell interactions, cell cycle control and regulation of signal transduction pathways.
We offer gene editing services in mice and rats by traditional methods such as pronuclear injection of plasmid DNA and gene targeting in ES cells, as well as newer technologies utilizing CRISPR/cas9 for making targeted gene insertions, deletions, modifications and replacements.
We also offer a wide array of supplemental Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) to support your mouse and rat research.
If you are new to this core or need to discuss a construct, please contact Judy Hallett, Shared Resources Manager at halletje@purdue.edu
Vistec Ebeam
Vistec VB6 Electron Beam Lithography Writing Tool
Vistec VB6 Electron Beam Lithography Writing Tool
Water Quality Field Station
Studies of the impact of agriculture and agricultural inputs on water and air quality; 54 tiled and instruments drainage plots
Water Quality Field Station
X-RAD 320
The X-RAD 320 is a shared equipment in the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, that can be used for X-ray irradiation of cells and mice.
Located on the 4th floor of the Hansen Life Sciences building, it is a campus wide resource and offered free of charge.
To request access, please contact Dr. Chang-Deng Hu at hu1@purdue.edu.