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Nanotechnology Core
Welcome to the Nanotechnology Core!
The Nanotechnology Core facility in the Department of Anatomy and Physiology in the KSU College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is a multiuser facility serving CVM, KSU campus, and research and commercial institutes outside campus. A well-equipped tissue culture facility can provide service for multiple investigators. A dedicated microscopic imaging room if available and includes bright field, dark field, and fluorescence microscopy. The core has two plate readers capable of absorbance, fluorescence, and luminescence based assays. The range of molecular biological instrumentation includes a QuantStudio 7 Flex, a Luminex 200, and a Chirascan CD spectrophotometer, allowing the core lab to be used for RT-PCR, ELISA, chemokine and cytokine assays, and thermodynamic and 3D structural characterization of proteins. State-of-the-art nanoparticle characterization equipment, such as Zetasizer, Nanosight, and a CPS high resolution disk centrifuge are available for measuring size and concentration of nanoparticles in suspension. A fully equipped surgical suite for small animals (up to 100 lb.) and an IVIS bio-imaging system facilitate in vivo experiments.
Analox GM9 glucose analyzer
The Analox GM9 glucose analyzer is an ultra-fast stand-alone benchtop unit for clinical research applications.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
BioMate 3S
The BioMate 3S is a single cell holder and automated 6-cell changer spectrophotometer. It has a xenon lamp and dual beams with internal reference detector. It is able to scan 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0 nm intervals from UV to near-IR wavelengths.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
BioRad gel doc XR
BioRad gel doc XR, imaging system is a fully featured gel documentation system for DNA/RNA and protein gels.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
BioTek Synergy™ H1
The BioTek Synergy™ H1 hybrid multi-mode microplate reader with quadruple monochromators is used for a wide range of applications in fluorescence, luminescence, UV-Vis and kinetic assays. It is equipped with temperature control and CO2/O2 control for live cell assays. It can also measure micro-volume nucleic acid and protein quantification with the Take3 Micro-Volume Plate.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
Chirascan
The Applied Photophysics Chirascan CD Spectrometer measures the difference between left- and right-circularly polarized light absorption of chiral samples. It has a xenon lamp and PMT detector and is able to record CD spectra from far-UV to near-IR regions. This instrument is suitable for studying all types and sizes of chiral molecules. It is frequently used to study bimolecular properties, such as secondary and tertiary structure of protein, interactions and thermodynamics of biomolecules.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
CPS Disk Centrifuge
The CPS DC24000UHR high resolution disk centrifuge with automatic sample injection system is used to measure particles in a liquid medium. This centrifuge separates particles by size using centrifugal sedimentation within an optically clear spinning disc in sucrose gradient. Particles sediment within the optically clear, rotating disc; when they approach the edge of the rotating disc, the particles block/scatter a portion of a light beam that passes through the disc. The change in light intensity is continuously recorded and is converted by the operating software into a particle size distribution. This instrument is suitable for analyzing the size of a wide range of particle types, such as metal, polymer, protein, lipid, virus, as well as cells and cellular fragments.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
CytoViva Enhanced Darkfield Hyperspectral Microscope
The CytoViva enhanced darkfield hyperspectral microscope with imaging system enables optical observation and spectral characterization of a wide range of nanomaterials up to 10 nm in solution. Since it is based on scattering of light by the nanomaterial against a very dark background, the interaction of nanoscale materials, live cells, pathogens, and tissue- and materials-based matrices can be imaged without fluorescent labeling or other special sample preparation.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
Instron 5944 Mechanical Testing System
The Instron 5944 mechanical testing system can perform tensile, compression, flexure, peel, tear, cyclic, and bend tests on a variety of materials, such as medical devices, biomaterials, textiles, elastomers, food, microelectronics, wire, paper, and plastic film. It features +/-0.5% load measurement accuracy with data acquisition rate option up to 2.5 kHz simultaneously on load, extension, and strain channels. It is ideal for low-force and low-capacity testing up to 2 kN. Tension and compression grips can be added to the mechanical testing device according to user need.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
Luminex 200 Flow-based Reader
The Luminex 200 is a flow-based reader. Using MILLIPLEX® MAP magnetic bead-based multianalyte panels and MILLIPLEX® Analyst 5.1 software, it can multiplex (analyze) up to 100 analytes rapidly and accurately, per well, of a 96-well plate containing 25 µL samples. It is useful to analyze biomarkers such as cellular metabolites, oxidative stress and stem cell markers, and biomarkers of cancer, cell signaling, endocrine and bone metabolism.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
Malvern NanoSight LM10
The Malvern NanoSight LM10 is based on light scattering and Brownian motion of particles in a solution. It uses nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) to analyze the size distribution and concentration of all types of nanoparticles from 10nm to 2000nm in diameter in liquid suspension. As a laser beam is passed through the chamber containing the particle suspension, the camera attached to the 20X magnifying microscope captures scattered light at 30 frames per second to track the Brownian motion of the particles. NTA software tracks several particles individually and uses the Stokes-Einstein equation to calculate the hydrodynamic diameter of the particles.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
Olympus BX43 dual view light microscope
The Olympus BX43 dual view light microscope is coupled with an SC100 camera and Olympus CellSens software. Its superior optics combine with true-color LED illumination for excellent color rendering for digital imaging. It is equipped with dual viewing and connected to a Dell Precision 9020 with two monitors, so it is ideal for teaching/multi-viewer use. Its ergonomic design maximizes efficiency.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
Olympus IX73 inverted fluorescent microscope system
The Olympus IX73 inverted fluorescent microscope system allows for live cell imaging in a temperature- and CO2-controlled environment. Labor-intense localization is aided by the ProScan™III motorized stage, three-dimensional stage joystick, and image tiling and z-stacking. The microscope can be autofocused using the CellSens Dimension software. It has DAPI, FITC, TXRED, CY3, CY5, and QD655 filter sets for fluorescent imaging. The images acquired are high resolution bright field images, enabling sensitive fluorescence detection, due to the DP80 12.7MP dual CCD camera, which combines both a color and a monochrome sensor. This microscope can be operated in differential interference contrast (DIC mode) and has a three position coded magnification changer (1X, 1.6X, 2X).
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
QuantStudio 6 Flex
The QuantStudio 6 Flex is a versatile real time PCR instrument that allows for 6 color detection in 96 and 384 well plates. The QuantStudio is coupled with predesigned PCR TaqMan array cards that allow analysis of in vivo or in vitro chemical and nanoparticle effects on gene expression from very selective pathways. This instrument can be used for multiple applications such as miRNA profiling, SNP genotyping, copy number variation, protein thermal shift, high resolution melt, and pathogen detection.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
SONICS VCX Vibra 130 Tissue Sonicator
The SONICS VCX Vibra 130 Tissue Sonicator is fully-programmable and has provisions for increased reproducibility. It has an Optotune™ amplitude control unit for stability in variable conditions of density, viscosity, volume, and temperature. The vibration of the probe tip remains consistent even as the resistance to the movement of the probe increases.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
SpectraMax i3x Multi-Mode Microplate Reader
The SpectraMax i3x Multi-Mode Microplate Reader measures absorbance, fluorescence and luminescence. Its dual light sources, a xenon lamp and LEDs, illuminates samples with incomparable signal strength and superior sensitivity. The cooled PMT detector allows high sensitivity in a wide dynamic range, even in extremely low light. Two fluorescence detection channels allow the instrument to analyze cell viability or cell toxicity assays, including ratiometric assays like live-dead and transfection efficiency.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
Surgical Suite
Suitable for small animals up to ~100 lbs. The suite is equipped with animal prep and surgical tables w/ lamps, anesthesia machine with vital signs monitor, circulating water bed, and recovery cage. Users are responsible for bringing their own supplies and must have current IACUC approval.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
Tissue Culture Suite - C323, C324-1 & C324-2
The tissue culture suite offers a widely used area for training graduate students and postdoctoralfellows in cell tissue techniques. Cryopreserved cells and in vitro propagation are used for evaluating chemicals and nanoparticle effects in various primary cells, and cell lines.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
Tri-Carb 2910 TR — Liquid Scintillation Analyzer
The Tri-Carb 2910 TR is a computer controlled benchtop liquid scintillation analyzer (LSA) capable of analyzing small amounts of alpha, beta, and gamma radioactivity. It has a robust sample changer mechanism with an electrostatic controller and a double light sealing shutter for maximum stability, keeping the photomultiplier tube detector on even during sample change. It is featured with TR-LSCfor high sensitivity, low background counting, increasing sample throughput and reducing cocktail consumption. Its multichannel analyzer provides 1/10 keV resolution, offers an extended dynamic quench range, and provides multi-parameter spectrum analysis to correct for luminescence, color quenching, and background radiation.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
Malvern Zetasizer Nano ZSP
The Malvern Zetasizer Nano ZSP with microrheology feature analyzes particle size ranging from 0.3 nm-10µm, zeta potential, and molecular weight and electrophoretic mobility of proteins. The microrheology option measures viscosity and viscoelasticity of protein and polymer solutions. The chromatography detector can be used as a size detector with GPC/SEC or FFF.
Access:
Projects are initiated by a meeting of the user, principal investigator, Core Director and Core Manager. Contact Mr. Tej Shrestha.
The Core provides individual training.
Trained users coordinate instrument use via the Scheduler.
Fees:
Nanotechnology core facility equipment is available for properly trained persons, with approval of the lab manager. There is a fee for using the core facility equipment. Please contact Tej Shrestha for the fee structure.
Additional Equipment
| Perfusion Chambers
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| Diffusion Flow-Through Cells
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Organ perfusion chambers were custom made and used for in vitro percutaneous absorption, penetration, cutaneous metabolism, transdermal delivery (active and passive) studies using the isolated perfused porcine skin flap (IPPSF). This is a perfused model that allows for skin pharmacology and toxicology studies as well as drug distribution experiments using compartmental and physiological-based pharmacokinetic models, to be conducted in a viable skin preparation having a normal anatomical structure and a functional microcirculation. The skin flap is first created in weanling Yorkshire/ Landrace pigs, harvested after two days and then placed in the computer-controlled and temperature-regulated perfusion chamber for up to 24 hrs. These chambers are housed under a fume hood so that volatile chemicals (e.g. jet fuels and other caustic agents) can be safely conducted. The correlation of IPPSF data to in vivo studies can be studied along with biochemical, physiological and histological responses to the skin when topically applied toxicants (e.g. vesicants, irritants) are exposed. Currently, the IPPSF is an ideal in vitro model to investigate the local biodistribution of nanoparticles after controlled arterial infusions. 
The flow-through diffusion cell system (Bronaugh type flow-through cells) allows for in vitro assessment of dermal absorption or transdermal flux of topically applied drugs or chemicals. This is a dermatomed skin preparation where over 28 pieces of skin can be maintained and viable and transdermal flux assessed, either by use of radioisotopes or classic analytical determinations (GC-MS/ LC-MS/MS, HPLC, etc). Because of the ability to conduct large number of replicates, formulations and vehicle mixture effects on an individual drug or chemical absorption
Generalized Equipment Used for Nanotechnology
- A/C Hyperthermia (Dr. Bossmann)
- Atomic force microscope (Dr. Law)
- Automated microwave peptide synthesizer (Dr. Hua)
- BioMate 3S spectrophotometer (NICKS)
- Circular Dichroism Spectropolarimeter J-1500 (NICKS)
- Computer image analysis microscope (Dr. Tamura)
- Ellipsometer (Dr. Law)
- Fluorescence microscope –Nikon (Dr. Hua)
- Fluorescent miscroscope with CO2 incubator (Dr. Tamura)
- Guava Easycyte PLUS benchtop flow cytometer with multicolor antigen detection (Dr. Troyer)
- Imaging ellipsometer (Dr. Law)
- Keithley source meter and manipulator (Dr. Hua)
- Magnetic hyperthemia systems (Dr. Troyer)
- MicroRaman (Dr. Li)
- Microscale crystallization instrumentation (Dr. Flanders)
- Nanoparticle and Peptide Synthesis (Dr. Bossmann)
- Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition –PECVD (Dr. Li)
- Raman optical microscope (Dr. Flanders)
- Reactive-ion etching –RIE (Dr. Li)
- Single-Photon Counting (Dr. Bossmann)
- Solar Simulator (Dr. Li)
- Static and dynamic light scattering apparatus (Dr. Sorensen)
- Surface plasmon resonance -Biosensing Instrument (Dr. Hua)
- ZetaPALS(Brookhaven) dynamic light scattering appartus (Dr. Troyer)