The biochemical and radioisotope laboratory is equipped with the most modern research instruments. It is mainly used to purify and determine the expression/function of various proteins or to determine the levels of neurotransmitters and their metabolites with the main goal of testing changes in the CNS in neuropsychiatric or neurodegenerative diseases.
The biochemical and radioisotope laboratory falls under the Experimental Neurobiology department, but it is also used by other NIMH departments. It cooperates with other research organizations in the form of various research projects.
Instrumentation of the biochemical laboratory
- Two ultracentrifuges (Beckman) and two high-capacity centrifuges (Beckman) including a set of rotors for isolating proteins and various organelles, as well as a series of tabletop centrifuges (Hettich)
- Spectrofluorometer (Shimadzu) for quantitative biochemistry using various fluorescent probes
- ATR-FTIR spectrometer (Thermo) for vibrational spectral analysis to determine the levels of various drugs
- Homogenizer (Potter's Braun) using Teflon-glass attachments for gentle homogenization of brain tissue
- Two homogenizers (IKA) to homogenize different tissues (liver, heart, etc.)
- Two readers of microtitre plates - a spectrometer and a spectrofluorometer (in both cases Thermo) - and everything else needed for ELISA experiments to determine the expression of proteins and their complexes
- Equipment for Western blotting to determine protein expression
Instrumentation of the radioisotope laboratory
The radioisotope laboratory is a closed part of the biochemical laboratory to which only trained personnel have access. The laboratory is authorized to work with the following isotopes: 3H, 14C, 35S and 125J.
- Filter equipment (ordinary filter apparatus for filtering 12 samples, harvestor (Brandel) for filtering 24 samples)
- Equipment for measuring ß- and y radiation (Beckman coulter)