Office of the Vice Provost for
Research and Sponsored Programs
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Scientific/Technical
University-Wide Facilities East Tennessee State University Computational Research Facility ETSU has developed a high performance Computational Research Facility built around a group of 60 computers configured to act as one single large system, or computer cluster. Each computer has four processor cores giving the cluster the power of 240 typical desktop computers. The ETSU computer cluster allows applications such as sophisticated modeling, data mining, and large statistical analyses, we do in research that take several weeks or even months to complete. Dr. Scott Kirkby, Department of Chemistry is the director of the Computational Research Facility.
Division of Laboratory Animal Resources The Division of Laboratory Animal Resources (DLAR) maintains an AAALAC accredited laboratory animal facility and program. Two laboratory animal facilities are supervised by the DLAR staff and currently provide adequate space for housing and maintaining large (dogs and pigs) and small animals (guinea pigs, hamsters, mice and rats). All full-time DLAR technicians are certified by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences. DLAR staff provide training in handling of animals, administration of anesthetics, post-surgical maintenance of animals, bleeding techniques, euthanasia and other standard procedures. DLAR staff also will assist in restraint of animals, induction and maintenance of anesthesia, experimental surgery, pre- and postoperative care, blood and tissue collection and injections. A sterile surgery is available in the Department of Surgery and must be scheduled through that department. An x-ray facility is maintained within the DLAR space and DLAR staff assist in using this instrument.
Expertise, Department of Biological Sciences The Department of Biological Sciences has expertise in cell and molecular biology (physiology, biochemistry), ecology, genetics, and quantitative biology and modeling. Many faculty from the Quillen College of Medicine have adjunct appointments in the department and collaborate on research and development projects, thus expanding the departments intellectual and equipment infrastructure. Further, research in quantitative biology and modeling is strengthened by collaborations with the Department of Mathematics through the Institute for Quantitative Biology. Representative specific areas of expertise include the following.
Cell and Molecular Biology
· Plant biochemistry and plant physiology Ø Pathogen defense signaling in plants Ø Biosynthesis of flavonoids · Enzymology Ø Molecular modulation of ATP Synthase
· Transcriptional
control of gene expression · Antibiotic Reistance and Population Trends in a Bacterial Pathogen Ecology · Community ecology · Neuroethology · Control of circadian rhythms · Functional significance of pollen characters · Ethnobotany · Plant ecology · Lichenology Genetics · Organelle Population Genetics · Amino acid substitutions and hereditary disease Quantitative Biology and Modeling · Application of graph theory to complex data sets · Combinatorics and complex analysis · Theoretical biology and modeling
Expertise, Department of Chemistry The Department of Chemistry faculty have the expertise and the department has the instrumentation to provide analytical services to industry in our community. It can manage short and long term projects. Both inorganic and organic compounds can be analyzed and characterized by experienced personnel in consultation with the highly recognized faculty members in the chemistry department at ETSU. Specific expertise in research of the faculty in the department includes the following. · Synthetic organic chemistry Ø Medicinal chemistry
Ø Enzymology Ø drug discovery Ø chemical biology Ø biochemistry Ø molecular biology Ø nucleic acids research Ø protein chemistry and engineering Ø signal transduction and regulation.
·
Inorganic chemistry of the
transition metals
Ø Binuclear
mixed-valence complexes of the transition metals
Ø The
role of metal ions in biological systems, the mechanism of iron uptake
and storage by ferritin, and the synthesis and characterization of
copper complexes as models for copper-containing proteins.
· Focus
on luminescence phenomena and their applications in analysis.
· Interestin
monitoring local environmental heavy metals pollution via vegetative
probes and atomic spectroscopy
·
Molecular eecognition
·
Nucleic acids structure
and reactions
· Nuclease
enzyme models metal complexes
·
Catalysis
· Ab
initio quantum chemistry calculations of small molecules
particularly inorganic clusters
·
Raman and infrared
spectroscopy. · Reactions of small molecules on microporous surfaces
The following core facilities are available to the faculty in the Department of Chemistry, as well as other faculty at ETSU and for fee-for-service and collaborative research. The Department of Chemistry at ETSU offers expertise in all major areas of chemistry including computational chemistry. It also provides analytical services to other departments at ETSU as well as to the industry in our community. The analytical instruments in the department enable us to analyze a wide range of chemical compounds in different matrices such as water, gasoline, agricultural crops, etc. The instruments in the department include Atomic Absorption spectrometer, FTIR, HPLC, GPC, GC/MS, GC/FID, UV-VIS, and a 400 MHz NMR spectrometer with multinuclear capabilities. We are able to handle short and long term projects. The cost of analysis varies with the request. For long term projects there will be a flat charge depending on the analysis type. Inorganic Compounds: chloride, fluoride, nitrite/nitrate, antimony, calcium, potassium, sodium, tin, lead, magnesium, copper, nickel, manganese, iron, zinc. Organic Compounds: ascorbic acid, phenol, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), pesticides residue analysis.
Expertise, Department of Computer and Information Sciences The 21 faculty members of the Department of Computer and Information Sciences have a broad range of expertise. Many of the faculty members also have significant experience in industry. The areas of research expertise that can be drawn upon include the following categories. Software Development and Web Management
Ø Team-based Web planning, design, and construction
Hardware/Software Systems
Business Applications Including E-business
Ø Usability and design of commerce and non-commerce business sites Ø Applicability of historic physical retail merchandising and design techniques in the online environment Ø Effective e-business models and supporting practices Ø Usability and Human Computer Interaction research and statistical analysis Ø Application of Software Engineering principles to Web development
Ø Developing a technology plan for creating competitive advantage in business Human Computer Interaction
Ethical and Professional Issues in Computing
Expertise, Department of Environmental Health Research in the Department of Environmental Health includes factors affecting water quality, remediation of contaminated soil and ground water, factors affecting the quality of indoor and outdoor air, factors affecting food safety, human health risk assessment in the workplace and effects of ergonomics on health in the work environment. In addition, faculty members in the Department of Geosciences have over-lapping interests and expertise. These are listed under that department, but collaborations are easily accomplished between the departments to better support research efforts. Specific faculty expertise in the Department of Environmental Health includes the following.
Evaluation and remediation of contamination of soil and water
Air Quality
Impact of Ergonomics
Human health risk assessment.
This work is supported by the Environmental Health Sciences Laboratory (EHSL) housed in the Department of Environmental Health. The EHSL provides routine biological and chemical water, soil and air analyses for individuals, industries and local governments. The EHSL is available to other faculty at ETSU and for fee-for-service and collaborative research with industry.
Typical projects conducted by the EHSL include effluent toxicity tests, chemical and biological surveys of aquatic ecosystems, and indoor biological air surveys. Equipment available includes; atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Varian Spectra AA-20) with graphite furnace (GTA-96), two gas chromatographs with flame ionization and electron capture detectors (Varian 3700 series attached to the Waters SIM and 820 data capture system and Perkin-Elmer Autosystem GC), high performance liquid chromatograph (Waters equipped with a WISP 712 autosampler, model 486 Tunable Absorbance Detector, two model 501 HPLC pumps, a Waters SIM interfaced to the model 820 Baseline data capture system), SRI Model 8610 gas chromatograph with purge and trap and photoionozation and electron capture detectors, liquid scintillation counter with computerized data capture (Packard Tri-carb model 1500), two UV-vis Spectrophotometers (Milton Roy, Spectronic Genesys 5), fluorometer (Turner), one fluorescent microscope (Olympus), two phase contrast microscopes (Olympus) dissecting scopes, pH meters, centrifuges of all needed types, oxygen meters, conductivity meters, and many other instruments necessary for environmental analyses.
Expertise, Department of Geosciences Geographic Information Systems ETSU has a well-equipped GIS facility. The faculty expertise in GIS is concentrated in the Department of Geosciences, but also includes faculty in the Geomatics component of the Department of Technology and Geomatics. Faculty members in this area have sophisticated knowledge of specific applications of capturing, storing, analyzing and managing data and associated attributes which are spatially referenced to the Earth that result in creation of interactive queries (user created searches), analysis of spatial information, editing of spatial data such as maps, and presentation of the results of all these operations. Generally this expertise can be used for scientific investigations, resource management, asset management, environmental impact assessment, urban planning, cartography, marketing, and logistics. Specific areas of current expertise and research include the following.
General
Urban planning and economic development
Business applications
Environment
Geology Faculty in the division of geology study the Earth, the materials of which it is made, the structure of those materials, the processes acting upon them and the organisms which inhabit it. One area of faculty expertise in the division is in the study of the processes acting upon the Earth cause hazards such as tsunamis, landslides, and earthquakes, what land areas are most likely to be affected and how humans can best prepare to minimize the damage caused by natural disasters. Additionally, the faculty members have expertise in areas such as prediction of mineral deposits, stratification of rocks, oil and natural gas deposits, ground water flow and cave formation. The specific areas of expertise include the following.
Ø Hazard warning systems: Public understanding of, and response to, hazard warnings Ø Modeling preparedness for natural hazards
The research capabilities of faculty in the Department of Geosciences is supported by the following equipment resources. GIS software, including ArcGIS (a complete software system for authoring, serving, and using geographic information) and ARCView (desktop for mapping and GIS), global positioning (GPS) software, ground water modeling software (GMS), are available for use. Hardware including a Dell® Precision 380, x64-Bit, Intel Pentium 4 CPU, 3.00GHz, 2.99 Ghz, 2 GBRAM, a Dell® Optiplex GL520, x32-Bit, Intel Pentium 4 CPU, 3.00GHz, 2.99 Ghz, 1GB RAM and a Dell® Latitude D610, x32-Bit, Intel Pentium M CPU, 2.00GHz, 242 MHz, 1GBRAM support the software. In addition faculty in the department use the ETSU high performance Computational Research Facility for solving complex problems. Equipment supporting GIS and geological research includes an ASD Spectroradiometer (ASD FieldSpec Pro JR), and AccuPAR Ceptometer (AccuPAR LP-80). a Nikon Optiphot 2 Petrographic microscope, field surveying equipment (Brunton and Sylva compasses, levels, penetrometers); soil sampling equipment, E285 shear-vane tester, a Shimadzu RF5300 spectrofluorophotometer which can run water samples with 6 different dyes simultaneously, and an ISCO automatic water sampler, data loggers, and water testing kits. There is a fully equipped sedimentology lab with sieves, sieve shaker, scales, drying ovens, differential velocity settling tubes, magnetic separator and sediment splitters. Equipment for mineral and rock identification include Nikon research level Petrographic and Binocular Microscopes with digital imaging capability, rock and mineral reference collections, 24” and 10” rock slab saws a petrographic thin-section trim saw and grinder, a rock crusher and a rock polisher. There is a fully equipped soil properties lab to support soil engineering studies. This facility allows measurement of soil density (specific gravity), consolidation (compaction and soil loading), failure property analysis, slake durability, direct Shear, the Atterberg limit test (soil water-content and plasticity) and grain size analysis (sieves and sieve shaker). The facilities are available to other faculty at ETSU and for fee-for-service and collaborative research with industry. The research capabilities of the faculty within the department are expanded through a partnership with Radford University which allows use of geophysical equipment such as ground penetrating radar (GPR), microgravity, and resistivity survey to investigate bedrock topography and locate subsurface voids and cavities as well as partnerships with the University of Minnesota and SUNY at Stony Brook’s isotope labs on age dating (U-Th and U-Pb) and University of Tennessee and University of Kentucky’s isotope lab on stable isotope analysis. Additionally, the ETSU Environmental Health Laboratory provides water quality analysis.
Expertise, Department of Technology and Geomatics Digital Media Center The 11 faculty members of the Digital Media Center bring art to science and technology and science and technology to art. Most have significant experience in the private sector before joining ETSU. They are housed in the Scott M. Niswonger Digital Media Center. The areas of research expertise that can be drawn upon include the following categories. Digital Imaging
Ø Graphic design and advertising
Direct Business Applications
Engineering Technology
The division of Engineering Technology consists of Biomedical Engineering Technology, Construction Engineering Technology, Electrical Engineering Technology, Industrial Technology, Manufacturing Engineering Technology and Product Development. In addition to the technical/engineering knowledge in their specific fields, many of the faculty members have advanced expertise in manufacturing processes including 6-sigma and lean manufacturing that take products from concept to market. The program also has the equipment necessary to support these activities. Specific areas of expertise include:
·
Product concept
development
· Computer
aided design and drafting (CADD)
·
Product prototyping
·
Material testing
(including construction)
·
Applied materials science
·
Robotics and mechanical
engineering
·
Electrical engineering
· Metrology,
including inspection, performance testing and calibration of equipment
·
Industrial systems design · Application of acceptable Industry Standards and ethical judgments to identify, evaluate and economically solve complex problems.
This work is supported by the Department of Technology’s communication and instrumentation laboratory. This lab is set up to support class experiments and local industry. Some of the equipment used in the lab consist of the following: Fluke 199C(x2) 2.5 Giga-samples/sec color DSO, Avcom 0-6GHz spectrum analyzer, Ramsey RSG-1000B RF Generator 0-10GHz (variable modulation, 0.1 PPM time base), Fluke PM6304 RCL meter, Berkley Nucleonics arbitrary waveform generator (0.1 PPM ref.), Keithly 2701 (x3) high precision (10 µV) data acquisition system (Ethernet/Webactive) 750 channel capacity, Fluke 744 documenting process calibrator, several Fluke 700 series laboratory pressure sensor reference standards, RN Electronics comb generator 0-1GHz. Recent equipment added to the lab includes three Fluke 8846A Precision DMM with a resolution of 1 µV, two Fluke DSP-FOM, Fiber Optic test sets for use at 1350 and 850 nM, a Stanford Research System SR785 Dynamic Signal Analyzer and an SRS SR650 precision amplifier / filter have been added as well. The Lab has also added five Benchmark model OFT Optical Fiber Training Centers. A Marconi Instruments model MI-701 AM/FM Modulation tester has also been added. The lab also contains instrumentation for combustion analysis, thermal IR signatures and various other small instrumentation sets for force, vibration, and other physical parameters. Much of this equipment is portable and can be used off site to support program activities.
The Department also has a Dimension printing rapid prototyper capable of taking 3D computer generated models and turning them into ABS plastic prototypes. The maximum model size is 8” by 8” by 12” with a resolution of 0.010 inches. A recent addition along with the Dimension is a Minolta 3D, model Vivid 9I scanner capable of scanning resolutions to 5 mm. This scanner will help extend the rapid prototyping and 3D design / development programs. Several CNC machines are also available to support product development. As an example the department has an AXYZ automation CNC table with a working area of 4’ by 10’ by 10” with an overall accuracy of 0.008 inches. An Instron 50 kNewton tension and compression tester model 5569 and a Denso six axis robot capable of 2mm resolution have been added to the department. Siemens has also donated a robotic work cell with a three axis Analam robot and vision systems. The Denso robot and the donated work cell are now part of robotics lab being developed by department faculty. The facilities are available to other faculty at ETSU and for fee-for-service and collaborative research with industry.
Expertise, College of Pharmacy
The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences At the outset, it is important to note that we are a new College and are still very much in a developmental stage. Our faculty have been on-site less than 9 months, with additional faculty positions to be filled in the next two years. The final composition of the departments has not yet been determined and as such, the ultimate range of our abilities remains to be defined. The eight current faculty members of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences have research expertise in three major areas: neuroscience, cancer, and medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutics. Interactions have been formed with researchers in the Quillen College of Medicine, the ETSU Cancer Center, the Department of Physical Therapy, the Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of Psychology. Strong interdepartmental bridges are also being developed with the clinical faculty within the College of Pharmacy based on activities centered in the area of drug and chemical analysis. Departmental faculty members have expertise in the area of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics, and in Analytic Medicinal Chemistry. These areas address the physical properties of drugs, drug formulations for optimal effect, drug distribution in biological systems, bioavailability and bioequivalence, drug stability and host of issues related to isolation and characterization of known and novel compounds. College of Pharmacy faculty members possess expertise in pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic modeling and analysis as well as detailed knowledge of drug solubility and dissolution characteristics. Much of the research is “product oriented” because so much of the field of pharmacy focuses on the application and distribution of drug products. Specific ongoing research projects include the study of cancer ontogenesis due to malfunctioning signaling, selective transcriptional control of pituitary growth hormone expression, alteration of neurotransmitter levels due to environmental, behavioral and dietary cues, formulation of selective pharmacologic targets, and novel location-specific delivery methods. Expertise in the Department includes:
· Drug
analysis and solubility assurance, including HPLC-UV/EC/Diode array,
GC/LC-MS with microsampling · Physical pharmacy, drug stability, compatibility and dissolution properties
· Drug
formulation for bioavailability and bioequivalence · Drug distribution and metabolism kinetics
· Pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic
modeling
· RNA
localization methods including real-time quantitative PCR, in situ
hybridization, RNAase protection and Northern analysis
· Signal
transduction evaluation including cellular distribution of activated and
non-activated transmembrane receptors;
· Neurotransmitter
localization by immunofluorescence and immunocytochemistry;
· Neurotransmitter
detection and quantification by HPLC with electrodectection · Neurotransmitter release via suprafusion
· Use
of Fluoresence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technology for protein
interaction.
·
Site-directed mutagenesis
·
Protein/glycoprotein
expression analysis and quantification
·
Confocal microscopy
· Intracellular
protein localization and translocation
· Medicine
chemistry analysis for dissolution and pharmacokinetics of related
pharmaceuticals, including compounding alternatives;
· Drug
delivery methods employing morphological and locational targeting
employing iontophoresis and phonophoresis. · Small animal handling, surgery and drug dosing and kinetics
Quillen College of Medicine The following departments comprise the Quillen College of Medicine (QCOM): Anatomy and Cell Biology; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Microbiology; Pathology; Pharmacology; Physiology; Family Medicine; Internal Medicine; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Pediatrics; Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Surgery. Research expertise ranges from population studies of disease to molecular biology. Based on experience with past and current industry partners who have contract with ETSU to work with faculty in the QCOM, the material presented here will concentrate on areas and techniques used in physiology, pharmacology, biochemistry and cell and molecular biology. In modern biomedical research use of these techniques is not restricted to the traditional departmental lines. In many ways all biomedical researchers ultimately become cell and molecular biologists to answer the questions which confront them. Thus, rather than list expertise by department as has been done with other units at ETSU, major research focus areas are identified and expertise within these is listed. The following is not necessarily an exhaustive list. It is intended to give both areas of interest and some indication of the techniques and methods available for collaboration, even if the problem is not precisely within the faculty member’s exact area of interest. The reader is also referred to the extensive list of core facilities provided at the end of this section, as the nature of these facilities may more clearly define the capabilities of the faculty. Mechanisms of Athrogenesis
Ø Investigation of the HspA12A, a distant member of Hsp70 family, a candidate gene on one of these loci. · The signal transduction pathway of oxysterol induced apoptosis · Mechanisms by which fatty acids (particularly C18 fatty acids) regulate the transcription of the genes involved in cholesterol homeostasis and fatty acid synthesis · Elucidation the molecular pathways and mechanisms of the cytotoxic (cell death, apoptotic) effects of oxLDL contribute to the early events of atherogenesis. · Mechanistic studies of how fatty acids (particularly C18 fatty acids) regulate the transcription of the genes involved in cholesterol homeostasis and fatty acid synthesis · Investigation into the abilities of the proteases Chymase and Cathepsin G, both of which have chymotrypsin-like specificity, to activate matrix metalloproteinases found in macrophage and atherosclerotic foam cells Ø Proteolytic enzymes and their inhibitors; purification, characterization, sequencing, structure function relationships, kinetics, and regulation.
Mechanism and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease
Ø Role of Toll-like receptor (TLR) mediated signaling pathways in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. Ø Elucidation of the immunoregulatory and pro-inflammatory signaling mechanisms associated with myocardial I/R injury.
Regulation of Cardiac Function
Ø Effects of different inputs to the heart on cardiac rate, conduction velocity, and contractility are studied Ø Focus in on determining the role of neuropeptides and other novel neurotransmitters within the heart
Diabetes
Ø Focus on aberrations of insulin action on glucose uptake into skeletal muscle. Ø Follow on demonstration that two glucose transporter genes are abnormal in the muscle of subjects with insulin resistance by investigating the mechanism of these abnormalities by evaluating the structure and function of the human GLUT3 promoter, developing a GLUT3 knockout mouse line, and seeking out quantification of gene expression in muscle of the several novel glucose transporters
Infectious Diseases, Immunology and Microbiology Antibiotic Resistance
Immune System
Ø the interaction of glucan ligands with pattern recognition receptors Ø the activation of intracellular signaling pathways following glucan ligand receptor interaction Ø activation of transcription factors by glucan Ø the transcriptional activation and/or suppression of pro-inflammatory responses.
Ø Role of cell-cell interactions in asthma Ø Fibroblast-Macrophage and Fibroblast-Mast Cell interactions leading to signaling of mediator and cytokine release · Role of Mast Cells in Innate Immunity Ø Host defense: Moraxella-induced activation of nuclear factor kappaB and chemokines induction Ø Expression of TOLL-like Receptors in mast cells and IL-1ß signaling of mast cell cytokine synthesis Ø Biomolecular interaction analysis of carbohydrate receptors scavenger receptors and innate immunity
Infectious Diseases · HIV Immunoatherogenesis and molecular basis of vascular injury Ø Endothelial / Mast Cell activation by HIV proteins, tat and gp120 Ø HIV Co-receptor expression on Mast Cells and potential role of human mast cells as virus reservoirs Ø Effects of HIV infection and protease inhibitors on endothelial dysfunction by noninvasive studies (carotid intimal thickness and brachial artery responsiveness) · Hepatitis C / HIV Co-infection on Inflammatory responses in HIV : cytokines and chemokines expression · Structural and functional relationships of the different macromolecules in the bacterial ribosome · The role of hepatitis C core protein in altering TNFR family receptor signaling pathways Ø Fas receptor interactions with core protein and effects on apoptotic signaling Ø Molecular requirements for Fas/HCV core interactions Ø HCV core protein sequence variations during HCV infection · Soluble Fas levels in patients co-infected with hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus Ø Correlation of sFas levels during mono- and co-infection with these two chronic viruses · Inflammatory responses in patients co-infected with hepatitis C and HIV Ø Role of co-infection in inducing inflammatory cytokine and chemokine expression
Ø In vitro model system of polarized human endometrial epithelial cells used to study chlamydial infection. Ø Investigation of the role of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone in genital infections caused by the intracellular bacterial pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis.
· Mechanisms
of immunity to herpes simplex virus. Investigations have covered several
aspects of immunity and immunopathology to HSV and are directed to
produce more effective vaccines and other control measures for
infection.
Ø Determine
the factors involved in immune induction by HSV and how these impinge on
the magnitude and efficacy of subsequent immunity Ø Define the factors that affect the efficacy of B and T cell memory to HSV.
Cancer/Oncology
Ø Voluntary and involuntary exposure to a variety of ubiquitous genotoxic agents (typically UV irradiation and environmental carcinogens) which potentially cause DNA damage, mutations, genome instability and thus cancers. · Mast cell infiltration in esophagitis and esophageal adenocarcinoma: Role of PPAR and angiogenic cytokines of mast cell origin in carcinogenesis · Mechanistic basis for the chemopreventive effects of Tocopherols and Tocotrienols Green Tea and HMG CO A reductase inhibitors Ø Investigation of the mechanisms that allow tocopherols and tocotrienols to selectively target cancer cells for cell death and apoptosis. Ø Investigation of new targets of vitamin E action, potencies of new synthetic forms of vitamin E, and effects of vitamin E forms on preinvasive lesions in rodent models of prostate and colon cancer.
Neuroscience · Developmental control of retinal growth; regulation of epithelial cell proliferation and cell size; cell biology of retinal adhesion. Ø Use mice genetically engineered to contain mutations in specific genes that control the cell division cycle and various molecular techniques. · Functional anatomy of brainstem taste nuclei and their input into the hypothalamus using immunohistochemistry for immediate early genes and neurotransmitter receptor subtypes along with anterograde and retrograde tract tracing methods. · Study of the biological basis of clinical depression and the molecular mechanisms of antidepressant drugs. · Exploration of cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the modulation of the key enzymes and transporters in central catecholamine neurons and protection from neuronal toxicity provided by specific bioactive compounds. Investigation of the effects of stress hormones, transcription factors, antidepressants and other psychopharmaco-logical compounds on gene expression in central catecholamine systems and on neurogenesis. · Behavioral and neurochemical consequences of dopamine D2 supersensitization (D2 receptor priming) [Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences/Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, QCOM] Ø Assays for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NDF), dopamine (DA), dopac, and receptor numbers. Ø Behavior test battery including water maze, activity, elevated plus maze.
Toxicology The ETSU Toxicology Laboratory is housed in the Section of Toxicology in the Department of Pharmacolgy. The ETSU Toxicology Laboratory maintains the following Licenses and Certifications: Federal License (HHS-CLIA) # 44D0659142; Tennessee License #2048; Medicare and Medicaid Provider #44-8087. It also maintains the following Proficiency Testing Programs: American Association of Bioanalysts; College of American Pathologists ; Federal Aviation Administration. The Toxicology Laboratory is equipped to do quantitative and qualitative analyses for a variety of compounds in blood and other tissues, as well as urine using gas/liquid chromatography, immunoassay, thin layer chromatography, as well as fluorescence, color and ultraviolet analysis. It is affiliated with the Upper East Tennessee Forensic Center and performs toxicology assays for over 250 autopsy cases each year. The following core facilities support the work done by the QCOM faculty and are available for fee-for-service and collaborative research work. An ESA Coulochem III HPLC system is housed in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences College of Pharmacy. The Coulochem III detector relies upon the electroactive nature of molecules: a molecule's ability to be oxidized or reduced. Both fluorescence and UV detection can readily measure many of these compounds, but liquid chromatography combined with electrochemical detection provide a more-sensitive and selective alternative. ESA's Coulochem III is the detector of choice. The Coulocomb system quantifies picogram to femtogram levels of oxidizable or reducible compounds in a sample and is considered the industry standard for the analysis of multiple species of neurotransmitters. The Electron Microscopy Core Facility provides services related to electron microscopy including in ultrastructural techniques when needed. The primary premise behind the facility is that state-of-the-art morphological data are an essential component of modern research efforts. The facility is located in the Department of Pathology. Equipment includes: (1) Philips Tecnai 10 transmission electron microscope (TEM) with computer driven digital image recording capability and microscope operation; (2) Phil lips 201 TEM; (3) several current and older models of ultramicrotomes (Ultracut, LKB, etc.); (4) routine embedding, darkroom, and metal shadowing facilities; (5) Zeiss DSM 940 scanning electron microscope with X-ray analysis capabilities (Building 178); (6) several critical point dryers and sputter coaters. The facility director and a part-time technician provide support in using the facility.
The Molecular Biology Core Facility provides services that include DNA sequencing, high through-put processing of RNA, Plasmid DNA and PCR clean-up, phophorimaging, and quantitative PCR. Equipment includes an ABI 377 automated DNA sequencer, a Beckman Biomek 2000 robotic liquid handler, a BioRad FX phosphorimaging machine, a BioRad iCycler quantitative PCR machine, a MacConnell Mini-24 automated plasmid prep machine, an Eppendorf gradient PCR machine, a MJ research in situ PCR machine, an Eppendorf Spin vac, an Eppendorf desktop centrifuge (plate spinner), two Eppendorf microfuges and an Eppenddorf BioPhotometer. Software includes a site license for Vector NTI and two copies of Quantitation One. Training and technical assistance is provided by the director and staff. The Biomolecular Interaction Analysis (BIA) Facility is house |
