Mission: By providing state-of-the-art biomedical instrumentation, the IRF seeks to facilitate the expansion of scientific knowledge and discovery in the USC School of Medicine Columbia and main campus research environments.

Purpose: As an integral component of the research and teaching mission of the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, the IRF houses several major pieces of state-of-the-art biotechnological equipment that provide investigation ranging from single cell and molecular level analysis to whole animal imaging. Additionally, the IRF maintains a full range of ancillary equipment available for sample preparation, image enhancement, and data analysis.

Services Provided: The USC Microarray Core Facility (formerly the SCCC DNA Microarray Facility) can conduct RNA quality control, amplification and labeling; conduct array hybridization, scanning and data analysis, and assist customers in all aspects of the design and performance of microarray experiments, using Agilent (pre-made and custom) and Affymetrix arrays. In addition, the facility provides support for quantitation and quality assessment of DNA, RNA and protein on an Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer.

Hybridization
We provide extensive on site training and support for Agilent and Affymetrix Hybridization Oven users.

Scanning and Data Analysis
Support is provided for microarray scanning and for data analysis with a variety of software packages for both Agilent and Affymetrix platforms.

Analysis of RNA, DNA, Proteins and Cells
Quantity and quality of your RNA, DNA, proteins and cells are determined with the help of an Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer.

The Instrumentation Resource Facility (IRF) is an integral component of the research and teaching mission of the University of South Carolina School of Medicine (USC SOM). Located within the facility are several major pieces of state-of-the-art biomedical research equipment that provide techniques ranging from whole animal through single cell imaging to analysis at the molecular level. The IRF also houses a full range of ancillary equipment that is available for sample preparation. In addition to serving as a resource for acquisition of primary data, the IRF also has the capacity for image enhancement and related data analysis.

The mission of the IRF is to provide state-of-the-art biomedical research instrumentation for use in the USC SOM and USC main campus research environments. As time and resources permit, outside use of the facility is also permitted and encouraged. Technical assistance and training are available in most areas of research sponsored in the IRF. The flowchart below presents broad categories of instrumentation that are available in the IRF and subsequent pages present specific information concerning instrument configurations, training and rules for the use of instruments, the appropriate IRF staff to contact for the use of various pieces of equipment, and pricing.