Neuroscience Program Facilities
BRAIN Center Labs:
BRAIN Center Core Facilities
These facilities are shared among Brain Center faculty. We share two freezing microtome/cryostat units both of which cut frozen sections at -20°C (Vibratome Ultra-Pro 5000 and Microm HM505E). Our cell-molecular room contains two Coulochem III High Performance Liquid Chromatography units with electrochemical detectors and connected refrigerated autosamplers (ESA Corporation, Chelmsford MA). >>more information
Dunbar Lab
The Field Neurosciences Institute (FNI) Laboratory is part of the Brain Research and Integrative Neuroscience (BRAIN) Center, located on the second floor of the research wing in the Health Professions Building. The research mission of the FNI laboratory is to better understand the mechanisms involved in recovery of function following damage to the central nervous system and to devise strategies to promote these mechanisms in clinically relevant ways. Current research focuses on devising potential treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Huntington’s disease (HD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). >> more information
Oh-Lee Lab
The lab is located in the Health Professions Building. Studies are conducted in behavioral and neuronal plasticity and programmed cell death, particularly those that are related to neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and other related neurodegenerative disorders. The laboratory is equipped with two large chemical safety hoods, stirrer hot plates, a Cryostat brain sectioning station, and numerous other scientific and behavioral instruments. The laboratory is also well equipped to carry out a variety of biochemical, molecular and histological tissue analyses central to the research carried out in this laboratory.
Sandstrom Lab
The Sandstrom Lab is fully equipped for neurochemistry and neurophysiology wet research preparation. Facilities are available for standard chemical preparation. Electrodes for freely-moving animal electrophysiology and iontophoresis are created with a glass electrode puller (PE-21, Narishige Japan). Tissue is preparation from animal samples is performed here. Microdialysis probes are also prepared on site for in-vivo freely-moving microdialysis from rats and mice. >> more information
Backs Lab
The Cognitive and Affective Neurosciences laboratory conducts research on the central and autonomic nervous system concomitants of normal and impaired psychological functioning in young adults and the elderly. Research on the cognitive and affective processing capabilities of healthy young and older adults and of adults who have neurodegenerative diseases is conducted using a battery of computerized tasks. A variety of measures are used in this laboratory, including electroencephalography (dense-array EEG and event-related brain potentials), cardiovascular (electro- and impedance cardiography, blood pressure), pulmonary, and electrodermal responses. >> more information
Engineering Psychophysiology lab
The Engineering Psychophysiology laboratory conducts research on the psychophysiology of attention in human performance. The current focus of the laboratory is on attention, distraction, and the use of advanced telematic devices during driving. A variety of central and autonomic nervous system measures are used in this laboratory, including electroencephalography (dense-array EEG and event-related brain potentials), cardiovascular (electro- and impedance cardiography, blood pressure), pulmonary, and electrodermal responses.
Reilly Lab
The Behavior Analysis Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory is located in rooms 201-204 of Rowe Hall. The facilities include both rodent and aviary colonies and state-of-the-art environmental control equipment and behavioral testing apparatuses. Experimental chambers are fully equipped with multiple response manipulanda and reinforcer delivery systems, including syringe pumps for drug delivery. There is a surgery room and a conference area with computer workstations for data analysis. There is also a student laboratory equipped with 10 operant conditioning stations.
Neurobiology Labs:
Microscopy Core Facilities
The Scanning Electron Microscope at CMU is a JEOL JSM-840A with a WinDISS add-on active scan digital image collection package. The system is fully networked and integrated with WinDISS EDS software and hardware. Image acquisition is under full user control with a maximum pixel dimension of 4000x3200. >> more information
DNA Sequencing and Analysis Core Facility
The DNA Sequencing and Analysis Core facility has an ABI Prism 310 Genetic Analyzer, a fully automated instrument used for DNA sequencing. Our data collection software manages the instrument set-up and controls instrument operations which minimizes human induced error. The facility also has a Molecular Devices GenePix 4000B microarray scanner, which is a highly sensitive laser-based system designed for rapid imaging of microarrays. This instrument is useful in determining differences in gene expression or gene copy number and can be used for single organism studies, including yeast, Drosophila, C. elegans, E. coli, and mixed environmental samples. >> more information
Kelty Lab
The laboratory contains all of the equipment needed to support electrophysiological recording including a Sutter P97 pipette puller, a Vibratome vibrating tissue slicer and a Nikon dissection microscope to guide slicing, a pH meter, magnetic stir plates, 2 refrigerators/freezers, analytical balance, and fume hood. Recording Setups: The Principle Investigator’s laboratory houses three setups for electrophysiology experiments. One of these setups is for visually guided patch clamp & extracellular recording from brainstem slices. >> more information
Steinhilb Lab
Dr. Steinhilb’s research lab is equipped with resources to conduct neuroscience research including several stereo microscopes, environmental chambers designed for insect growth, molecular biology tools (PCR thermocycler, agarose/acrylamide gel electrophoresis) and tissue culture equipment. In addition, there is immediate access to the DNA Sequencing and Analysis Facility and the Microscopy Facility, both in Brooks Hall. >> more information