Overall Map to Lab Techniques We Practice
Broadly, there are three domains of lab techniques that define our scientific endeavors. Synthetic organic chemistry to make, purify, characterize and functionalize small molecules of relatively high complexity; Genomics and genetic cloning to create molecular constructs expressing biosynthetic enzymes that are assayed for their activity with the small molecules we create and enzymology that tests biocatalytic activity in a given pathway. Many facilities at Case Western Reserve University support the needs of our laboratory projects. This page gives you an overall map of where exciting science from our lab happens.
laboratory facilities - synthetic and analytical chemistry
LC-20 AT HPLC for analytical characterization
Millis 216-218 hosts chemical synthesis equipment. These include an mBaraun SPS system with 5-solvent drying capability charged with A2 alumina, a Shimadzu HPLC, a lyophilizer, several eco friendly Buchi rotovaps equipped with water free vacuum pumps, a microwave synthesizer among multiple other accessory equipment to perform state of the art chemical synthesis.
Synthesizer
CEM microwave synthesizer for easy eco-friendly organic synthesis.
Solvents - mBraun non-hazardous dessication assembly
Installed in 2008, A2 alumina recharged - 2012.
Analytical Instruments
Shimadzu UV spectrophotometer.
routine PCR analysis
MJ-research PTC-200.
molecular cloning and protein expression
recently created recombinant DNA shown on the left is a representative synthetic biology construct from our laboratory.
potential biosynthetic steps catalyzed by the protein encoded by this IPTG-inducible plasmid containing a T7-promoter is codon-optimized prior to construction into a pGEX-3X vector.
the biosynthetic enzymology of cyanobacterial isonitrile production encoded by this gene is currently under study in our laboratory.
similar approaches have guided our efforts to express high efficiency protein production for the synthesis of natural products. For example a series of proteins represented by structures shown below are currently expressed as biosynthetic machinery encoding for the production of alkaloid metabolites.
potential biosynthetic steps catalyzed by the protein encoded by this IPTG-inducible plasmid containing a T7-promoter is codon-optimized prior to construction into a pGEX-3X vector.
the biosynthetic enzymology of cyanobacterial isonitrile production encoded by this gene is currently under study in our laboratory.
similar approaches have guided our efforts to express high efficiency protein production for the synthesis of natural products. For example a series of proteins represented by structures shown below are currently expressed as biosynthetic machinery encoding for the production of alkaloid metabolites.