Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica

Our cell disruption system is capable of processing all types of samples (algae, bacteria, fungi, mammalian cells and yeasts). Disruption pressures ranging from 1K psi to 40K psi can be set and displayed digitally. It is capable of continuously processing large quantities of cultured cells. The disruption head is surrounded by a unique cooling jacket to prevent overheating even after several cycles of cell disruption.

This ultracentrifuge has a maximum rotational speed of 100,000 rpm and is equipped with different rotors (VTI 65, SW 28, 41Ti, 55Ti, Type 45Ti, 55.2Ti and 70Ti).

It is an integrated control station with a color touch-screen interface, built-in pumps, gas flow controllers, pH/DO, and foam/level controllers. Using this fermentor, large quantities of bacteria (3 litres) can be grown to very high concentrations. This fermentor automatically detects and controls all of the above parameters for the optimization of bacterial growth.

ÄKTA™ Protein Purification System is an instrument for fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). Our system is equipped with four pumps for running four different solutions simultaneously, a full wavelength UV detector, a pH detector, a conductivity detector and an automated fraction collector.

The intense 150 watt xenon source of the F-4500 fluorescence spectrophotometer provides maximum light energy over the entire range of 200-900 nm and allows acquisition of spectra in less than one second. Wavelength scan speeds of up to 30,000 nm/min provide rapid scans for both excitation and emission. Its pre-scan function ensures automatic and fast selection of the optimum excitation and emission wavelengths for your unknown samples.

Liquid scintillation analyzer Tri-Carb 2900TR (Perkin Elmer) is a computer-controlled benchtop liquid scintillation analyzer for detecting small amounts of α, β and γ radioactivity. Its TR-LSC (Time-Resolved Liquid Scintillation Counting) feature ensures high sensitivity and the low background counting of liquid scintillation samples.

Fusion FX7 is a CCD image acquisition system can be used to detect trans-illumination/epi-illumination white light, UV and fluorescent lights (red, green and blue). It is dedicated to the capture of chemiluminescence and fluorescence digital pictures from gels or membranes and digitally quantifies the intensity of your samples.

The Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer is a microfluidics-based platform for sizing, quantification and quality control of DNA, RNA, proteins and cells. Results are delivered within 30-40 minutes in automated, high quality digital data. The advantages offered by this system include improved data precision and reproducibility, short analysis times, minimal sample consumption and improved automation.

Real-time PCR is a laboratory technique based on the polymerase chain reaction, which is used to amplify and simultaneously quantify a targeted DNA molecule. In our core facility, there are two real-time PCR systems. The Applied Biosystems 7300 Real-time PCR features a tungsten halogen lamp that illuminates all sample wells in the 7300 system. Fluorescence emission can be passed through four filters and is collected by a CCD camera. The Qiagen Rotor-Gene Real-time PCR features an LED lamp and a single optical detection pathway. In this system, all samples are kept at the same temperature by spinning the samples in a chamber of moving air.

Real-time PCR is a laboratory technique based on the polymerase chain reaction, which is used to amplify and simultaneously quantify a targeted DNA molecule. In our core facility, there are two real time PCR systems. The Applied Biosystems 7300 Real-time PCR features a tungsten halogen lamp that illuminates all sample wells in the 7300 system. Fluorescence emission can be passed through four filters and is collected by a CCD camera. The Qiagen Rotor-Gene Real-time PCR features an LED lamp and a single optical detection pathway. In this system, all samples are kept at the same temperature by spinning the samples in a chamber of moving air.

Flow cytometry is a microscope and counter-based technology employed in cell counting, sorting and biomarker detection by suspending cells in a stream of fluid and passing them through an electronic detection apparatus. It allows simultaneous multiparametric analysis of both the physical and chemical characteristics of cells. Our instrument is equipped with two lasers for the excitation at 488 and 633nm. Combined with four fluorescence channels, both forward and side scatter data can be collected. It can be used for immunophenotyping, absolute cell counting, stem cell analysis and DNA analysis, etc.

These microscopes are used to capture imaging for cell research. It features a motorized z-focus and a motorized and coded 7x nosepiece. The motorized stage and focus drive offers the convenience of automatic adjustment, allowing the automated positioning of Z levels. These microscopes allow several kinds of detection modes, including bright field, phase contrast, differential interference contrast and fluorescence imaging.

These microscopes are used to capture imaging for cell research. It features a motorized z-focus and a motorized and coded 7x nosepiece. The motorized stage and focus drive offers the convenience of automatic adjustment, allowing the automated positioning of Z levels. These microscopes allow several kinds of detection modes, including bright field, phase contrast, differential interference contrast and fluorescence imaging.

Confocal microscopy is an optical imaging technique used to increase optical resolution and contrast of a micrograph by using a spatial pinhole to eliminate out-of-focus light in specimens. This Confocal Microscope is equipped with four laser lines, namely 405nm diode, Argon laser (458, 488, 514nm), 543nm laser and 633 nm laser. It provides many applications including cell imaging study, colocalization, FRAP, FRET, time scan, Lamda scan and Z-axis scan, etc. In our facility, the confocal system is equipped with an upright microscope and an inverted microscope.