The University of New Hampshire's Collaborative Core Wet Lab aims to expand access to the latest scientific instruments and techniques for researchers at UNH and beyond for analysis of research samples, including biological, chemical, environment, and more.
The UNH Collaborative Core Wet Lab will offset prohibitive instrumentation costs, follow up with maintenance and develop expertise to ensure that all UNH researchers and external businesses have access to necessary equipment.
The Collaborative Core Wet Lab aims to solve:
- Duplicate equipment purchases: Equipment is often purchased for a project and then retired, or labs may purchase a similar machine without realizing we already have it on campus. We enable more efficient use of research funds.
- Efficient use of instruments: Instruments that are not used fall out of calibration leading to unreliable results, and service contracts are expensive and cumbersome to maintain. By keeping the machines under one umbrella, we can monitor necessary maintenance and dilute costs to across a broad user base.
- Expanded access to cutting-edge techniques: Many modern biological research techniques require the use of specialized equipment that is often cost-prohibitive and requires a great deal of expertise to use. We remove those barriers by providing access and training to UNH researchers.
- Better quality results, with more replication and trained staff: The lab provides dedicated technicians to process samples and conduct repetitive assays, saving your time and brain power for analysis and writing. Add another sample location and collect more replicates without concern for how long it takes to deal with everything.
Work with the UNH Wet Lab
If you are interested in contracting our services, please fill out this intake form and a representee will follow up with your needs. For all testing we will work with you to accommodate your needs. All necessary testing supplies and extraction tools for sample gathering will be labeled and supplied to you with explicit instructions.
About the Wet Lab
- Pricing per project/semester
- Machines have preventative maintenance at least annually
- Access to equipment, training and technical assistance
- Cleaning protocols developed under CLIA guidelines
- Perfect for method development and pilot experiments
- Turnkey service for your projects
Why work with us?
- More impactful use of research funds
- Efficient use of instruments and less redundancy
- Emerging access to cutting-edge techniques
- Better quality results, with more replication
The Collaborative Core Wet Lab is available for use - or let us do the work!
Deliver samples to us: We can process hundreds of samples per week and help develop test kits and protocols. We work to your specifications and the lab will provide reliable and consistent results so you can focus your attention elsewhere.
For inclusion in your grant or proposal:
We have space outfitted with three fume hoods and five laminar flow hoods. There is a separate space for PCR preparation equipped with several endpoint PCR and qPCR platforms. There are multiple extraction options and regular cleaning is performed.
Services Offered
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Sterile environment with routine deep cleaning
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Access to and training on lab equipment*
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CCW Lab Technician assistance
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Per project/semester pricing
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Ideal for method development
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Sample Labeling
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Shipping Concerns
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Meta-data management
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Storage
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Sample Kit customization
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Methodology Consultation
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Supplies and instructions for field specimen gathering based on the needs of your project
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Timeline provided with quick turnaround times
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Nucleic acid extraction and purification
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DNA fragment size selection
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NGS library prep
PCR Testing: Animals, plants, microbes, etc.
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Data sets provided in raw .sds and processed .csv formats
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Quotes start from $XX per sample for this service plus the cost of reagents relevant to your situation
Sequencing
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Including supplies and instructions for field specimen gathering based on the needs of your project
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Timeline provided with quick turnaround times
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Data sets provided in .fastq (Illumina) or .fast5 (Nanopore) format - hosted on Premise, the UNH research computing cluster
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Quotes start from $XX per sample for this service
Let us know what you need!
- Culturing
- Micro
- Chemistry
- Other
For more information about our full scope of service, please contact our team: unh.ccwl@unh.edu
* Some equipment (e.g., Nanopore sequencer and Bio-Rad ddPCR) requires additional training and supervision to use.
Equipment Available
Integra electronic pipettes allow us to increase throughput on a microscopic scale while limiting manual errors. Assist robots automate the use of those tools on a very versatile platform. Programs for the Assist can be loaded onto any Integra electronic pipette and then run on any compatible robot.
Biomek i5 automated liquid handler Span-8 with enclosure is ideal for medium- to high throughput workflows. The workspace has up to 25 deck positions, Span-8 pipetting with liquid-level sensing, and simple system operations. The Biomek can integrate other instruments and hardware directly onto its deck (i.e., thermal cyclers, heat sealers, centrifuges, etc.) enabling hands-off protocols from start to finish.
The BioRad QX200 system is high throughput and cost effective, capable of running 96 samples at once. This system takes hydrolysis (TaqMan) probes or intercalating dyes used for normal qPCR applications. Droplet Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (ddPCR) measures absolute quantities of DNA or RNA by counting nucleic acid molecules encapsulated in large numbers of discrete, water-in-oil droplets. After amplification, fluorescence is used to measure amplified targets in individual droplets (up to 20,000 droplets in each well). The Poisson distribution is then used to convert the fraction of positive droplets into the number of molecules in the sample without the need for standard curves.
We have three epMotion 5073’s in the lab. These automated pipetting systems are perfectly suited for PCR and qPCR setup, nucleic acid purification prep as well as low throughput NGS library preparation; Yet they retain the flexibility for use as open platforms for diverse automated liquid handling applications. The epMotion 5073 automates and simplifies traditionally complex, labor-intensive pipetting tasks, saving time and improving the reliability and reproducibility of results.
The Thermo Scientific KingFisher Flex is a versatile benchtop automated extraction instrument in the lab for 24 or 96 samples per run. We have three of these machines and they mediate consistent medium- to high-throughput extraction and purification of DNA, RNA, proteins, and cells. The KingFisher Flex can gently and efficiently isolate and purify nucleic acids, proteins, and cells from a range of sample types for a wide variety of downstream applications. Many existing protocols can be readily reproduced on these instruments to make method changes more consistent.
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Third generation single-molecule RNA/DNA sequencing
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Adaptive sampling to deplete or enrich specimens
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Compatible with MinION flowcells
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Optional flongle and mini flowcells available
QIAcube Connect includes a centrifuge, heated shaker, pipetting system and robotic gripper to automate spin column-based extractions. QIAcube Connect has a variety of pre-installed protocols for purification of RNA, genomic DNA, plasmid DNA, viral nucleic acids and proteins, plus DNA and RNA cleanup. All standard protocols in the expanding range can also be downloaded free of charge, customized protocols can also be requested. QIAcube Connect is designed to perform fully automated purification of nucleic acids and proteins in up to 12 samples at one time.
- Automates over 80 QIAGEN kits with over 140 standard protocols for DNA, RNA and protein sample processing
- Optional protocol customization expands the use to over 3000 protocols
- Reproducible results with less hands-on time
- Monitor runs remotely
Viafill is our Bulk Reagent Dispense, cost and time efficient to rapidly dispensing reagents into plates. It has a volume range of 0.5 μl to 9999 μl and is compatible with both deep and shallow well plates.
We have a workbench space with five BSL-2 lateral flow hoods. These safety cabinets deliver superior protection with proprietary airflow design, ergonomics for a safe and comfortable environment, and outstanding energy efficiency for operational cost savings. These can be outfitted with Integra Assist robots for additional liquid handling and automation options.
Our lab has two 7500 Fast Dx PCR instruments. They are equipped with Sequence Detection Software Security, Auditing, and E-Signature module offering the flexibility to develop assays and run pre-optimized protocols for users operating in a secure environment. Delivering the performance required for high-quality results in a 96-well format.
Need additional grant or research support? Work with our partners:
UNH CoRE (Collaborative Research Excellence) Initiative
UNH holds a deep commitment to interdisciplinary research and academic excellence to address issues facing UNH, our state, region, and beyond. CoRE supports this vision by providing five funding opportunities that collectively reinforce a broad culture of interdisciplinary exchange, collaboration, team development and success, planning, and support. Learn more about CORE.
UNH Research and Large Center Development
UNH Research and Large Center Development can assist with locating and identifying funding; developing, writing, and editing proposals; research career planning and education; and making connections to expand the impact of your work. Learn more about Research and Large Center Development.
UNH Instrumentation Center
In addition to the UNH Collaboartive Core Wet Lab, UNH supports researchers through the University Instrumentation Center, or UIC. The UIC is a university-wide core facility dedicated to the advancement of the research and academic missions of UNH and the surrounding research community. It is open and available to all faculty, staff, and students as well as non-UNH academic entities, government, and industrial customers. Learn more about the University Insturmentaiton Center.
UNH Core Collaborative Wet Lab Projects
Tick research with CESU
- A collaborative effort between Needle Research Lab and the Hubbard Center for Genome Studies to study tick ecology and tick-borne pathogens in wildlife across Northern New England
- Researching using a combination of PCR and amplicon sequencing, shotgun metagenomics, and adaptive sampling
- Projected to test 500+ samples in the upcoming year
- Review Grant Link
Fecal Microbiome testing
- UNH Graduate student led project with the Dao Research Lab starting 2023 focusing on human nutrient digestion.
- Projected two-year timeline
- Developing methodology using FTA cards, Nanopore, Kingfisher, and whole genome sequencing
Gene expression in a leaf and wood decomposing fungus
- PCR testing project led by UNH Graduate Student
- Collaborated on Assay Optimization
Investigating fish community composition using eDNA markers
- Helping to scale research from dozen to hundreds of samples
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UNH Collaborative Core Wet Lab Previous Accomplishments
Prior to the UNH Collaborative Core Wet Lab, our team was leading UNH's defense against the pandemic as the CLIA-certified COVID Lab. Our achievements include:
PCR testing for COVID at UNH since 2020
- Over 1.3 million PCR tests performed
- 24-hour turnaround times during peak COVID
COVID wastewater testing
- Testing performed for both UNH and the State since 2020
- Extractions completed at 20+ sites
To learn more about the UNH COVID Lab's work, visit the COVID Lab website or read about us in the press.
Questions or Suggestions? We want to hear them!
What are the latest techniques in your field? Is there new equipment you've had your eye on? What kind of prep work would you like to outsource? Are there any other needs not addressed here?
Email us at unh.ccwl@unh.edu
For questions, please contact
unh.ccwl@unh.edu
