Instrumentation Biotechnology Lab:
1. Gel Doc- (Bio rad)
Gel Doc, also known as Gel Documentation
System, Gel Image System or Gel Imager, is
widely used in molecular biology laboratories
for the imaging and documentation of nucleic
acid
and
polyacrylamide or agarose gels
protein
typically
stained with ethidium bromide or other fluorophores such as SYBR Green. Generally, a
Gel Doc is composed of an ultraviolet (UV) light transilluminator, a hood to shield
external light sources and a camera for image capturing.
2. Fluorescence Microscope:
A fluorescence microscope is an optical microscope that
uses fluorescence and phosphorescence instead of, or in
addition to, reflection and absorption to study properties
of organic or inorganic substances.
Principle:
The specimen is illuminated with light of a specific
wavelength (or wavelengths) which is absorbed by the
fluorophores, causing them to emit light of longer
wavelengths (i.e., of a different color than the absorbed light). The illumination light is
separated from the much weaker emitted fluorescence through the use of a spectral
emission filter. Typical components of a fluorescence microscope are a light source
(xenon arc lamp or mercury-vapor lamp), the excitation filter, the dichroic mirror (or
dichroic beamsplitter), and the emission filter (see figure below). The filters and the
dichroic are chosen to match the spectral excitation and emission characteristics of the
fluorophore used to label the specimen. In this manner, the distribution of a single
fluorophore (color) is imaged at a time. Multi-color images of several types of
fluorophores must be composed by combining several single-color images
3. Probe Sonicator-(Sonics Vibracell Model No- CV334)
Probe Sonicator is the popular name for an Ultrasonic
homogenizer. The Probe Sonicator consists of a Ultrasonic
Generator whose energy is channelized into media through
a metal horn or probe.
Probe Sonicator can be used to speed dissolution, by
breaking
intermolecular
interactions.
In
biological
applications,Probe Sonicator is used to disrupt or deactivate
a biological material. For example Probe Sonicator is often used to disrupt cell
membranes and release cellular contents. This process is called sonoporation. Probe
Sonicator is also used to fragment molecules of DNA, in which the DNA subjected to
brief periods of sonication is sheared into smaller fragments. Probe Sonicator is
commonly used in nanotechnology for evenly dispersing nanoparticles in liquids and for
breaking down particles to Nano size. Probe Sonicator comes in different capacities
of Frequency and Energy.
Major Instruments of Mtech I & II Lab:
1. Centrifuge- (Beckman Coulter)
A centrifuge is a piece of equipment, generally driven by an
electric motor (some older models were spun by hand), that
puts an object in rotation around a fixed axis, applying a force
perpendicular to the axis.A centrifuge is also used to separate
the components of blood in blood banks.The centrifuge works
using the sedimentation principle, where the centripetal
acceleration causes denser substances to separate out along the radial direction (the
bottom of the tube).
2. Autoclave- (Labtech)
An autoclave is a device used to sterilize equipment and
supplies by subjecting them to high pressure saturated steam
at 121 °C for around 15–20 minutes depending on the size of
the load and the contents.
3. Deep Freeze Refrigerator(-20 )- (Haier)
A refrigerator consists of a thermally insulated compartment and
a heat pump(mechanical, electronic, or chemical) that transfers
heat from the inside of the refrigerator to its external environment
so that the inside of the it is cooled to a temperature below the
ambient temperature of the room. Lower temperatures in a
confined volume lowers the reproduction rate of bacteria, so the
refrigerator reduces the rate of spoilage.
A refrigerator maintains a temperature below the freezing point of
water is called a freezer. The refrigerator replaced the icebox. For this reason, a
refrigerator is sometimes referred to as an icebox.
4. Laminar Flow Cabinet- (Vaiometra)
A laminar flow cabinet or laminar flow closet or tissue
culture hood is a carefully enclosed bench designed to
prevent contamination of semiconductor wafers, biological samples, or any particle
sensitive device. Air is drawn through a HEPA filter and blown in a very smooth, laminar
flow towards the user. The cabinet is usually made of stainless steel with no gaps or
joints where spores might collect.
Such hoods exist in both horizontal and vertical configurations, and there are many
different types of cabinets with a variety of airflow patterns and acceptable uses.
Laminar flow cabinets may have a UV-C germicidal lamp to sterilize the shell and
contents when not in use. (It is important to switch this light off during use, as it will
quickly give any exposed skin sunburn and may cause cataracts.)
5. UV- Visible Spectroscopy-(Hitachi)
Ultraviolet–visible
spectroscopy or ultraviolet-visible
spectrophotometry (UV-
Vis or UV/Vis) refers to absorption spectroscopy or reflectance spectroscopy in
the ultraviolet-visible spectral region. This means it uses light in the visible and adjacent
(near-UV and near-infrared (NIR)) ranges. The absorption or reflectance in the visible
range directly affects the perceived color of the chemicals involved. In this region of
the electromagnetic spectrum, molecules undergo electronic transitions.
Principle
Molecules containing π-electrons or non-bonding electrons (n-electrons) can absorb the
energy in the form of ultraviolet or visible light to excite these electrons to higher antibonding molecular orbitals. The more easily excited the electrons (i.e. lower energy gap
between the HOMO and the LUMO), the longer the wavelength of light it can absorb.
6. Electrospinning Unit – (ESPIN – NANOPECO)
Electrospinning allows many different synthetic and
natural polymers as well as polymer blends to be
processed to nanofibers, which are up to 10,000
times thinner than a human hair. By varying the
processing parameters the fiber thickness can be
varied between 10 nm and a few micrometers.
Principle
A polymer solution is injected at a constant feed rate though a nozzle or needle which is
charged to a high voltage, typically 10 to 30 kV. The applied voltage induces a charge on
the surface of the liquid droplet and when this is sufficiently high, the hemispherical
surface of the fluid elongates and a Taylor cone is established. On increasing the applied
voltage further, a charged liquid jet is ejected from the Taylor cone and attracted to the
earthed collector, which is positioned at a fixed distance from the needle. During this
process the solvent evaporates from the polymer solution, leaving dry polymer fibres on
the collector.
7. Ice maker-(BIOSYNC INSTRUMENT SERVICES):
This apparatus is employed for instant production of ice
flakes required for various experimental procedures. It
works on the simple principle of compressors mediated
cooling.
8. Rotary Evaporators Yamato (Model No:RE301)
The rotary evaporator is the most common method
adapted for an efficient, fast and gentle means of
separating liquids. The rotating flask generates an
effective heat transfer for fast evaporation
preventing a local overheating whilst leading to a
smooth mixing of the content.
9. Orbital Shaker:
It is a device designed to impart an orbital motion to
flasks, tubes, etc. with the purpose of mixing their
contents and facilitating the transfer of gases from the
gaseous to the liquid phase. It is useful especially for
growing cultures of cells.