Self Study, Program Review 2009 - School of Veterinary Medicine ...

JEM-1011) and environmental scanning electron (FEI Quanta 200) microscopes, as well ascryofixation, freeze-fracture (Balzers 400K), and metal shadowing facilities. A Leica TCS SP2 AOBSlaser confocal microscope also is housed in the center. Bright field, phase contrast, differentialinterference contrast, and fluorescence light microscopes in both upright and inverted configurationsare available. The center also possesses capabilities in the areas of morphometric analysis, imageenhancement, image analysis, video microscopy, and both digital and photographic image recordingand printing. For laser capture microdissection, a Zeiss PALM Laser dissecting microscope isavailable. The other central Service Facility in the department is the Analytical Laboratory that housesbeta and gamma counters, HPLC, mass spectrometers, and liquid and gas chromatography.Central Service Facilities housed in other departments in the SVM include the Division ofBiotechnology and Molecular Medicine (BIOMED) that contains an ABI Prism 7700 SequenceDetection System for real-time PCR. For microarray studies, the lab has an Alpha Array 7000. Fordirect chemiluminescence capture with a CCD camera, a FluorChem imaging system (Alpha Innotech)is available. Access to all equipment is provided for a modest fee. The PBS department also has aflow cytometry lab housing a Becton-Dickinson FACS-Calibur and a BD FACS Aria.Additional research laboratory space is needed to expand extramurally-funded research programs andto accommodate new faculty hires. Presently, departmental expansion is limited by finite availableresearch space. Optimal space usage has been achieved by extensive renovation, appropriate spaceallocation, and recruitment of highly productive research faculty.New equipment needed to enhance research in the department includes:1. Automatic Tissue Processor for Histology: the current processor cannot be repaired and severalresearch programs require slides for immunostaining, histochemistry, etc.2. FACS Aria with UV Laser: this expensive item is needed for the isolation of stem cells from aheterogeneous population, as well as for other cell-sorting projects.3. Sputter Coater: needed for preparation of specimens for scanning electron microscopy.4. Nanodrop Spectrophotometer: required for analysis of multiple samples of small amounts ofRNA.3. Instruction TechnologyCutting-edge instructional technology is available in classrooms and seminar rooms throughout theschool. Most faculties utilize PowerPoint presentations for instruction in appropriate settings and maketheir presentations available to the students. In addition, web-based resources are provided in somecourses, especially anatomy, where structure visualization is an important component of the mastery ofcourse material.Page 65