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Laboratory Instrumentation

Knowing how to use laboratory instrumentation allows you to know what instruments to use under what circumstances

The APS and the Association of Chairs of Departments of Physiology recommend that trainees understand the importance of and work to develop the following laboratory instrumentation skills:

b. Knowledge of operation and maintenance of basic lab instrumentation, including reliability and limitations

(from the APS/ACDP List of Professional Skills for Physiologists and Trainees)

Here are also a variety of web sites with guidelines and examples that you might find useful.*

Index:

Real-time PCR Systems

Spectrophotometry

Sterile Technique

Thermal Cyclers

General Sites

Advanced Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

Bart's Cookbook and Lab Protocols

(immunoprecipitation, Westerns, protein biochemistry, tissue culture techniques)

Sefton Lab, Salk Institute

Basic Techniques (fluid measurements, microcentrifuge, sterile techniques, solution calculations)

Department of Biological Sciences, Lehman College

Biocompare.com

Product reviews, feature articles, web seminars, interactive tutorials, videos, audio slide shows, buying tips

Cell Biology Laboratory Manual

William Heidcamp, Biology Department, Gustavus Adolphus College, MN

ChemLab - Instruments, Techniques
(pipets, balances, pH meters, spectrophotometers, calorimetry, centrifugation, etc.)

Dartmouth College

General Laboratory Methods

(solutions, pH meter, autoclave, spectrophotometer, DNA, sterile technique, E. coli)

Julie B. Wolf, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Haverford Chemistry Equipment and Facilities
(spectrophotometers, evaporators, vacuum pumps)

Department of Chemistry, Haverford College

Introduction to Basic Laboratory Instruments
(function generator, multimeter, oscilloscope)

Dept. of Electrical Engineering, University of Washington

Laboratory Equipment

Laboratory Techniques
General Chemistry, Purdue University

(analytical balance, buret, pH meter, pipet, Spectronic 20, voltmeter)

Online Resources for Biology
Gary Anderson, Biology Department

Bates College

Protocol Online

Variety of protocols for general lab techniques; research tools; animal studies; molecular, cell, and developmental biology; biochemistry; genetics and genomics; imaging; immunology; physiology; neuroscience and more

Sample Standard Operating Procedures
Biotechnology Program, Montgomery College, MD (balance, pipetman)

SelectScience

Independent product and application information resource

The Scientist
Regular review of laboratory instruments (“Lab Tools”) in each issue (free subscription available to regular APS members in the US)

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Autoclave

Autoclave Procedures

Office of Radiation, Chemical & Biological Safety, Michigan State University

Autoclave Safety

Health and Safety, University of Mississippi

Use of a Steam Autoclave

EXPERIMENT NO. 8A. ASEPTIC CULTURE TECHNIQUES

Nam Sun Wang, Dept. of Chemical Engineering,
University of Maryland, College Park

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Balances

Analytical Balance

General Chemistry, Purdue University

Balance Use
Biotechnology Program, Montgomery College, MD

Using an Analytical Balance

ChemLab, Dartmouth College

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Centrifuges

Centrifugation
Protocol Online

Centrifugation

William Heidcamp, Biology Department, Gustavus Adolphus College, MN

Centrifugation Basics

Gary Anderson, Biology Department

Bates College

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Electrophoresis

Agarose Gel Electrophoresis of DNA

Colorado State University

Electrophoresis

William Heidcamp, Biology Department, Gustavus Adolphus College, MN

Separation of Molecules Using Agarose Gel Electrophoresis

CityLab, Washington State University, Spokane

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Electroporators

Competent Cell Preparation
Lab Protocols

Scott Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia

Electroporation

Protocol Online

Protocol for Electroporation

Alam Lab, Dept. of Microbiology, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Transformation of E. coli by Electroporation

Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

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Laboratory Hoods

Fume Hoods

Chemical Fume Hood Handbook

ORS Laboratory Safety, Northwestern University

Laboratory Chemical Hood User's Guide

University of Louisville

Laminar Flow

Cell Culture Hoods

American Type Culture Collection

Clean Benches

Section 2: Types of Containment Units

Institutional Biosafety Committee, University of Arizona

Intro to Clean Benches

(laminar flow systems)

The Baker Company

Microplate Readers

Electron Transport and Reverse Electron Transport Protocols
Mitoscan, Inc.

Microplate Readers

Reedlink.com

What To Look For In A Plate Reader

Biocompare.com

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Microscope

Introduction to the Microscope
Nikon Corporation Instruments Company

(summary of different imaging modalities and what they are used for)

Principles: Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (pdf file)
Carl Zeiss, Inc.

The Microscope

William Heidcamp, Biology Department, Gustavus Adolphus College, MN

Use of Light Microscopes
Gary Anderson, Biology Department

Bates College

Using the Microscope

Micrographia

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Real-time PCR Systems

PCR Introduction, Methods, Additives, and Problems
Lab Protocols

Scott Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia

PCR and Real-time PCR

Biowww.net

Protocol for Real-Time RT-PCR

X. Wang, PrimerBank, Harvard University

Quantitative PCR Protocol

Don Liu, Cecilia Schmidt, Tim Billings, and Muriel T. Davisson

The Jackson Laboratory

Real-Time PCR

PCRLinks.com

Real-time PCR Primer

Protocol Online

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Spectrophotometry

Analog Spectrophotometer

Digital Spectrophotomer

Scanning Spectrophotomer

ChemLab, Dartmouth College

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometers

Mass Spectrometry

UV-vis (electronic) Spectroscopy

Vibrational Spectroscopy

Haverford Chemistry Equipment and Facilities
Department of Chemistry, Haverford College

Spectrophotometry

William Heidcamp, Biology Department, Gustavus Adolphus College, MN

Use of Spec 20

Gary Anderson, Biology Department

Bates College

UV Spectrophotometric Analysis of DNA and RNA

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

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Sterile Technique

Aseptic Technique

Nanci Donacki, Protocol Online

Basic Techniques

Department of Biological Sciences, Lehman College

Sterile Technique

Chazin Lab, Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University

Sterile Technique Basics

Gary Anderson, Biology Department

Bates College

Tissue Culture Trouble-Shooting

MIDSCI.com

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Thermal Cyclers

How to Do a Sequence Reaction

Greg Solomon and John Otstot, Laboratory of Molecular Carcinogenesis, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Thermal Cycling (Cycle Sequencing) & G-50 Prep Protocol

Lee H. Pratt, Laboratory for Genomics and Bioinformatics, University of Georgia

TAIL PCR Protocol

includes reaction programs for thermal cycler

Preuss Lab, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Chicago

Tips for Successful RNA Amplification
Melanie Palmer, Ambion, Inc

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*APS does not endorse or assume responsibility for the information posted on these web sites.

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