Facilities & Equipment
Laboratory Locations
Research in the Trimmer lab is carried out at two locations. The life
science work is mostly based in the Dana Laboratory of the Biology department
(1012 sq. ft). The robot and device construction is primarily at the Biomimetic
Device Laboratory (BDL: 1800 sq. ft). The BDL is part of the Bioengineering and
Science Collaborative within the Advanced Technologies laboratory, a short walk
across campus.
 Biology Laboratory
The Biology Department at Tufts
University is well equipped for basic research. We have direct access to core
equipment and general facilities including scintillation counters, HPLCs,
preparative and ultra centrifuges, thermal cyclers, plate readers,
spectrometers, low temperature freezers, darkrooms, a water purification system,
fume hoods, laminar flow hoods and tissue culture incubators, cold rooms, and a
central “hot lab” facility used for work with radioactive isotopes.
Trimmer Lab Specialized equipment
The biology
section of the lab has 5 electrophysiology/kinematics workstations equipped as
follows:
Fixed stage compound imaging and recording workstation #1.
(Primarily for intracellular current clamp and optical recording)
Fixed
stage epifluorescence microscope with x20, x40 and x63 water immersion lenses
(Zeiss Axioskop FS) fitted with a Ratio Fluorescence Imaging System and a xenon
light source (PTI), an intensified camera, microstepper filter changer,
controller, frame grabber, and acquisition/analysis software (all from IonOptix
Corporation). Gibraltar fixed microscope stage and two 3-axis piezo controlled
manipulators (Burleigh Instruments). Vibration isolation table (Newport), Dagan
8800 switching single and dual electrode voltage clamp, dual beam storage
oscilloscope (Tektronics 2225), 6 channel peristaltic pump (ISI), an ALA
perfusion system (AM-4), 4-channel instrumentation amplifier (Brownlee 210), 4
channel extracellular amplifier (AM Systems model 1700), two-channel pressure
microinjector (Picospritzer, General Valve Corp), dual beam digital oscilloscope
(Hitachi 2013), audio amplifier (F. Hauer Inc), stimulator (Grass S44). PC
computer with WinDaq DI720 32 channel data acquisition and an 8 channel digital
data recording system (PCM/VCR Vetter).
Electrophysiology workstation #2. (Primarily for intracellular and
extracellular experiments and cell injections)
Wild M3
stereomicroscope and fiber optic light supply. 2 x table mounted
micromanipulators (Leitz). Vibration isolation table (Newport). Intracellular
switching amplifier (Dagan 8100-1 switching clamp amplifier), intracellular
bridge amplifier (WPI, M-707A), 4- channel instrumentation amplifier (Brownlee
210), 4 channel extracellular amplifier (AM Systems model 1700), 2 dual beam
digital oscilloscopes (Hitachi 2013), audio amplifier (F. Hauer Inc), 6 channel
peristaltic pump (ISI), two-channel pressure microinjector (Picospritzer,
General Valve Corp). An 8 channel digital data recording system (PCM/VCR Vetter)
and a PC computer with WinDaq DI720 32 channel data acquisition.
 Electrophysiology workstation #3 (Primarily for patch clamp
experiments and cultured neurons)
Zeiss Axiovert inverted
compound microscope. Vibration isolation table (Newport). Huxley-style
micropositioner (Newport MX300). Axopatch 1D patch-clamp amplifier with a
Digidata 1200 data acquisition interface and Labview, Axoscope and pClamp
software (Axon Instruments, Inc.). Vetter 6 channel PCM data recorder. A low
light level black and white camera, digital (RGB) and analog monitors (Sony),
video recorder (Sony SVO-1410) and black and white thermal printer (Sony), PC
computer. 6 channel peristaltic pump (ISI), audio amplifier (F. Hauer Inc), dual
beam storage oscilloscope (Tektronix 5113), stimulator (Grass S48), two 4-
channel instrumentation amplifiers (Brownlee 210), 4 channel extracellular
amplifier (AM Systems model 1700), 8 pole Bessel Filter (Frequency Devices).
two-channel pressure microinjector (Picospritzer, General Valve Corp). Warner
SF-77B micro perfusion system.
Electrophysiology workstation #4 (Primarily for in situ
intracellular, extracellular and muscle force recordings)
Wild
M3 binocular microscope with fiber optic light supply. TMC vibration isolation
table. Huxley-style micropositioner (Newport MX300). Intracellular bridge
amplifier (WPI, M-707A), 2 Aurora Scientific dual mode ergometers (300B), 2
Grass S9 stimulators, Grass S44 stimulator, Grass DC pre-amplifier (Model 7P1D),
two Grass force transducers (FT10 and FT03), 6 isometric force transducers and 4
isotonic force transducers (Harvard Apparatus), 4-channel extracellular
amplifier (AM Systems model 1700), 4- channel instrumentation amplifier
(Brownlee 210), 2 x signal/waveform generators, dual beam digital oscilloscope
(Hitachi 2013), Gould TA240 thermal array chart recorder, 8 channel digital data
recording system (PCM/VCR Vetter), 2 Narashige micropositioners.
Kinematic EMG and pressure workstation #5
Millar
solid state pressure transducer (SP671), 2 x Omega catheter pressure sensors, 3
x Canon ZR10 digital camcorders Canon s-VHS camcorder, Panasonic shuttle VCR,
Black-out enclosure, 100W long wavelength UV spot lamp, UV-LED bar array, 2 x
4-channel extracellular amplifiers (AM Systems model 1700), dual beam digital
oscilloscope (Hitachi 2013), 2 PC computers with Firewire ports, flat panel
displays and KVM multiport switch and APAS motion analysis system.
Other general equipment and resources
Laminar
flow hood and tissue culture incubator, Fume hood, tool bench, micropipette
puller (Sutter P-87), micropipette polisher, dissecting microscopes (Wild M3, Zeiss Stemi 1000), 98 channel cell harvester (Brandel), semi-dry blotting
apparatus (Biorad), orbital and rocking shakers, electrophoresis equipment,
Waters dual-pump HPLC, hybridization oven (Hybaid Micro 4), PRC Minicycler (MJ
Research), dry block heat bath, two Sony SSC S20 color video cameras and a Sony
analog monitor, pipette microforge and mini pipette puller. HP Slide Scanner.
 Research Animals
The larval Manduca colony
is maintained in a walk-in light and temperature controlled room (7.5 x 6 x 6
ft). Adults are kept in a separate room (the “Moth Closet”, 25 sq.ft.) used
exclusively for these insects with a humidifier and air filter. Insect media
preparation is carried out in an adjacent 199 sq. ft laboratory space
Computers
The laboratory is equipped with 12 PC
computers for data acquisition and video analysis. Major software is listed
below. In addition to local storage all computers are networked to over 2
terabytes of dedicated server storage. There are 12 additional computers at the
BDL also networked to the server and the two labs are linked by peer-to-peer
videoconferencing.
Major Software
Matlab (with Digital Signal
Processing Toolbox and Simulink), MathCad Professional, LabView, AutoCad,
Dataview (W. Heitler, Univ. St. Andrews), Ariel Performance Analysis System.
Peak/Motus Motion capture and analysis, DLT3D motion capture an analysis,
Virtual Dub video tools. SigmaPlot 2000, Adobe Photoshop 5.0, Paintshop Pro 5.0,
VideoWave VII, VideoPoint 1.5, KAVideo. Mini analysis program by Synaptosoft v
5.2.1, Strathclyde whole cell analysis program v 3.0.8., PClamp v7.0, SoftImage
XSI Professional Animation software, Roland 3D prototyping tools, SolidWorks.
Biomimetic Devices Laboratory
Rapid prototyping
 The
Biomimetic Devices Laboratory (BDL) is equipped for rapid
prototyping with a LPX600 3D laser scanner, an MDX-40 4-axis CNC mill and a
CX3000 vinyl cutter (Roland DGA) and a Dimension SST 3-D Printer and a MCP-50
vacuum casting system for building functional components. There is a mechanics
work bench (including a mini drill press, benchtop lathe/milling machine,
cutters and grinders) and a separate “wet-bench” area for elastomer molding and
casting, and a work bench area for device assembly and electronic prototyping
with oscilloscopes, power supplies, filters and signal generators.
Motion capture
A fully featured Peak/Motus
Optical and Video Motion analysis system is available with both video (5 Basler
cameras) and real-time optical tracking (5 strobe/IR camera) capability.
The BDL is equipped with 12 PC computers with National Instruments
AD/DA interfaces and peer-to-peer real time video conferencing over the Tufts
Network linked to the main lab in the Biology Department. We have close ties
with the nearby Mechanics of Soft materials Laboratory which includes a state-of-the-art uniaxial and biaxial (orthogonal and torsional)
materials testing equipment (Instron, Zwick/Rohl). Our research collaborations
include:
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