FACILITIES
\label{iii.-facilities}
The Wyss laboratory facilities are organized as Collaboratories,
where researchers share space, equipment and support technicians, and
staff from different laboratories who are co-located at these sites
based on common focus and research activities. This is a model that
supports frequent interactions among researchers from various
disciplines, more effectively addressing complex, interdisciplinary
challenges; it also speeds up innovation and discovery.
Some dedicated space and specialized equipment may still needed
depending on project or Platform needs. However, the institute is
organized into state-of-the art Enabling Technology Platforms. Below we
include a short description of select shared and platform-specific
capabilities, relevant to this research proposal.
The Biomimetic Microsystems Platform is contributing
state-of-the-art capabilities in microfabrication and microfluidics.
This platform has invested in capabilities and equipment that allow
researchers to fabricate flexible microfluidic systems for organ-on-chip
applications and print macromolecules for multiplexed material screening
microassays. Such capabilities include a machine shop, a
microengineering team composed of staff scientists and equipment such as
the plasma prep etcher used in photolithography or equipment for spin
coating. The microengineering team fabricates 100-200 chips of various
geometries per week. In addition, work at my mentor’s laboratory lead to
the startup, Emulate which is commercializing organs-on-chip for
academic and pharmaceutical use.
Machine Shop/ 3D prototyping: The Institute’s machine
shop and 3D prototyping capabilities are distributed among both
Institute sites and staffed by two dedicated and experienced machinists.
Beyond support equipment such as bandsaws, drill presses, and grinders,
the Institute is also providing the community with unique multi-scale
and multi-material rapid prototyping and Solid Free-Form Fabrication
capabilities.
Materials Characterization: The Wyss Institute has
organized state-of-the-art materials characterization capabilities for
analysis of nucleic acids, oligo-peptides, proteins and other inorganic
and organic compounds and surfaces. Equipment includes an Atomic Force
Microscope, peptide synthesizer and high pressure liquid
chromatography.The Institute supports licenses for a variety of software
packages used across disciplines to support prototype design and
analysis.
Tissue Culture: Six tissue culture rooms have been established
at both Institute sites. Each of these facilities provides access to
biosafety cabinets, -20 freezer storage space, refrigerators,
centrifuges, cell counters, waterbaths, microscopes, incubators and
supplies. In addition, the Institute has a 650 sq ft Primary Human
Culture Facility that supports projects, such as the organs-on-chips
programs of the Biomimetic Microsystems platform and the automated iPS
program of the Biomaterials Evolution platform by providing high quality
human cells isolated from primary human tissue biopsies under highly
sterile and controlled conditions.
Particularly relevant for this project is an established IRB to work
with leukopacks. The institute’s location and close connections with
area teaching hospitals are invaluable for obtaining samples and
clinical research. Currently, the apheresis packs used for this project
are obtained from the platelet donation center at the Brigham & Women’s
hospital.
Microscopy : The Wyss provides researchers access to a wide
range of imaging equipment and analysis software. The Institute provides
instrumentation for basic wide-field light microscopy, TIRF microscopy,
confocal microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, Transmitted Electron
Microscopy, Small Animal Imaging, and Flow Cytometry. In
addition, the Wyss has procured software for analyzing flow
cytometry data and process their images in 2D and 3D.
Immunological analyses : The institute provides updated
equipment for analysis of cellular phenotype and function with flow
cytometry, ELISPOT and traditional and multiplexed ELISAs. One staff
member is dedicated to each equipment as a core facilities manager to
provide training, experiment design and analysis support. We have a
LSR-Fortressa flow cytometry analyser, a MACSquant flow cytometry
analyser, several spectrophotometers for traditional ELISAs and 2
systems for multiplexed cytokine analysis (Bioplex and MSD).