Core Facilities

WSU Plant Phenomics

WSU has a new, open-access facility for the non-invasive optical screening of plants. The screening is completely computer-controlled and allows multiple daily measurements of the functional (photosynthetic) status of plants over a period of many days, utilizing fluorescence imaging. The facility is mainly designed for mutant screening but can also be used to monitor the stress response of plants. Many types of plants have been measured successfully, including wheat, tobacco, arabidopsis, and tomato.

Tissue Imaging, Metabolomics, and Proteomics Laboratory

The Tissue Imaging, Metabolomics, and Proteomics Laboratory (TIMPL) is a metabolomics- and proteomics-based facility that uses mass spectrometry-based technologies to provide high-quality analytical support. TIMPL’s mission is to develop, advance, and apply cutting-edge instrumentation techniques for profiling and identifying gene expression products, namely proteins and metabolites. TIMPL is a University service center that works with WSU researchers and with non-WSU clients from across the nation.

Franceschi Microscopy and Imaging Center

The Franceschi Microscopy and Imaging Center (FMIC) is a research and educational facility for the imaging and ultrastructural study of biological and non-biological materials. It is a centralized facility available to all WSU researchers and students. The FMIC provides electron microscopy and light microscopy equipment for the observation and analysis of a diverse array of specimens.

Laboratory of Biotechnology and Bioanalysis

The Laboratory for Biotechnology and Bioanalysis (LBB) is a campus-wide research service center that provides a number of important analyses, including DNA and protein sequencing. The LBB goal is to provide equipment and expertise for research that utilizes costly and state-of-the-art equipment in the disciplines of biology and chemistry. Equipment and trained personnel are available for DNA array construction and analysis in lab room 227 of the Life Sciences building. Lab room 131 of the Life Sciences building is set up for the analysis of small molecules as well as mass spectrometry for biological or synthetic agents.

Molecular Biology and Genomics Core

The WSU Molecular Biology and Genomics Core began in the early 1990s (originally named the Laboratory for Biotechnology and Bioanalysis). This core was established as a service center to provide access to instrumentation that was too expensive for individual labs to purchase. Over the past 20 years, with the assistance of the Center for Reproductive Biology, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, NIH, and others, the core lab has evolved into a state-of-the-art service facility.