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Plant Synthetic Biology Laboratory

Two complementary programs are housed in the Plant Synthetic Biology Laboratory: 

The Engineeered Living Systems program focuses on creation of higher order complexity in biological materials and systems. The principles and tools of Synthetic Biology are used to engineer novel, useful functions in living and biomimetic systems.  In addition, the biotic-abiotic interface is explored by merging synthetic circuits with biological micro-electro-mechanical systems (bioMEMS) to impact fields including ecology, medicine, and agriculture.

Laboratory Equipment

  • Eclipse Ti-E microscope and live-cell imaging sSy
  • Harrick plasma cleaner PDC-32G
  • Bio-Rad PCR cycler, T100 chermal cycler, C1000 touch thermal cycler
  • DNA gel electrophoresis equipment
  • Labconco-CentriVap centrifugal concentrator
  • BioRad Gel Doc XR imager
  • Eppendorf electroporator 2510
  • Fisher Scientific AccuSpin Micro 17 microcentrifuge
  • Qiagen Qiacube pipetting robot
  • Biotec- Synergy HT
  • Becton Dickinson-FACSCalibur
  • Class II biological safety cabinets
  • Molecular biology plasmids, enzymes and kits
  • Millipore Elix water purification system
  • New Brunswick Scientific- controlled environment incubator shaker
  • TALBOYS professional incubating orbital shaker
  • Thermo Scientific Midi40 CO2 incubator bench-top
  • Vacuum oven
  • Thermo Attune NXT B/Y flow cytometer with CytKick plate sampler
  • Thermo iBright FL1000 fluorescent imaging station

The Synthetic Pathway Biotransformation (SyPaB) program focuses on developing in vitro biosystems comprised of numerous enzymes and cofactors to be used as next-generation manufacturing platforms. These in vitro biosystems can surpass natural whole cell systems. Examples include the high yield production of hydrogen from sugars, the transformation of cellulose to starch, the energy-dense sugar biobattery.

Laboratory Equipment

  • Shimadzu HPLC with a refractive detector
  • Two gradient temperature PCR thermocyclers
  • Two low-end PCR thermocyclers
  • Bio-Rad electrophoresis system with digital image station
  • Thermo refrigerated centrifuge
  • UV-Vis spectrophotometer
  • Bio-Tek multi-detection microplate reader
  • Two New Brunswick water bath shakers
  • NBS air temperature-controlled shaker
  • NBS Bioflo 300 6.6 L bioreactor
  • Furnace
  • Customized on-line hydrogen and CO2 detection system for the sugar-to-hydrogen reactor
  • Basic electrochemical laboratory for enzymatic fuel cell testing

Principal Investigator