Pathogenesis Discovery

To measure host biomarkers, the RBL has several instruments listed below. A detailed description of these instruments can be found on our Immunology & Biomarker Discovery page.

• • MagPix and Luminex 100/200 Analyzer (for multiplex immunoassays)
  • Cytek Aurora Spectral cytometer (3 lasers and up to 24 color panels)
  • QuantStudio 6-plex qPCR system (96 and 384 well plates).
  • CTLImmunoSpot Analyzer (ELISpot Assays)
  • Miltenyi Tyto Sorter (Closed system sorter)

 

Whether your samples are patient or animal derived, the RBL has state-of-the-art equipment and approaches to define the identity of pathogens in these samples. The RBL houses one suite dedicated to next-generation sequencing using MiSeq or Minion Technologies. A BioAnalyzer is available for assessment of RNA or DNA quality.

 

 

The RBL features two high-throughput laboratories – one in the BSL-2 and one in the BSL-3 – each equipped with Janus robots capable of automated screening using 6 to 384 well plate formats. Each laboratory is equipped with high-end Envision readers completely equipped for all potential endpoints. The labs also contain equipment for growing and plating of cells for live assays. The RBL scientific staff are available for consulting, providing assistance or complete support for all your high throughput needs whether small molecule, siRNA or other!

 

 

Animal care management and staff are AALAS certified and trained in all aspects of biocontainment safety practices and procedures. The facility features Allentown BCU caging systems and Class II Type A2 biosafety cabinets in all animal holding rooms. We are able to house up to 4,000 mice, 300 rats, and 150 hamsters or guinea pigs under ABSL-2 or -3 containment. RBL staff can be contracted to perform animal work for infectious disease research ranging from weights and daily observations to infections, blood and tissue collection and full necropsy.

 

Validated models with mice:

• Influenza BSL-2 strains (intranasal)
• Old World hantaviruses
• Severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 1 (SARS CoV-1) 
• Severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) 
• Middle-East respiratory syndrome Coronavirus (MERS CoV) 
• Respiratory Syncytial virus (intranasal) 
• Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses (subcutaneous and intranasal) 
• Western equine encephalitis viruses (subcutaneous and intranasal) 
• Eastern equine encephalitis viruses (subcutaneous and intranasal) 
• Leptospira interrogans; Intraperitoneal, conjunctival, transdermal 
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis (intranasal) 
• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcal aureus 
• Staphylococcus aureus (laboratory and clinical strains) 
• Streptococcus pneumoniae (laboratory and clinical strains) 
• Co-infection model with influenza and Streptococcus pneumoniae or Staphylococcus aureus 
• Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula 
• Other - available on request 

Validated models with ferret:

• Influenza BSL-2 strains (intranasal) 
• Influenza HPAI BSL-3 strains (intranasal) 
• SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 BSL-3 strains (intranasal) 

**Other small animal models available upon request.

• Xenogen IVIS Spectrum In Vivo Imaging 
• CT 
• ECHO 
• Clinical Signs, Weight, Temperature Measurements 
• Clinical Chemistry 
• Hematology 

• RNA Isolation/RNA  
• RNA Isolation/qPCRSeq  
• Plaque Assay 
• PRNT  
• Cytospin 
• Magpix 
• LC-MS/MS  
• Pathology  
• Western Blot 
• BLAZE 
• Cell Sorting and Flow Cytometry 
• Immuglobulin Measurements and Subtyping 
• Fluorescent Microscopy 
• ELISpot 
• Protein Target Multiplexing