This facility currently provides optical and electron microscopy services. The facility is equipped with Nikon TIRF/SIM superresolution microscope, a Nikon A1R resonant confocal, a Leica TCS SP2 confocal, and a Perkin Elmer Ultra VIEW ERS Spinning Disc confocal. In addition to confocal microscopy, the facility is also equipped for bright field, phase contrast, modulation contrast and epi fluorescence microscopy. The facility has two separate wide field image analysis stations. A Nikon Eclipse E 400 microscope equipped with a color video system and Nikon Elements imaging software, and a Nikon Eclipse TE200 inverted scope. This inverted scope in specially configured to perform calcium ratio imaging is equipped with Nikon Elements for processing Calcium Ratio data.The facility has recently expanded with the acquisition of a JEOL JEM-100C/CX Transmission Electron Microscope. The facility also is equipped with Typhoon 9410 scanner for the quantization and localization of sub cellular fluorescent and radioactive molecules. In addition a Densitometer allows for the analysis of 1 and 2 D gels, Southern, northern and western blots and RFPL gels. The facility also has an Odyssey Infrared Imager.

Fast internet access is essential for genomics, proteomics, image analysis and collaboration in modern genetics research. The Smart Internet2 Computer and Video-Collaboration Informatics Facility has been established by the RCMI-funded Center for Study of Gene Structure and Function (Gene Center) to enhance the analytic and communication capabilities of the Gene Center’s researchers by exploiting Internet2 in conjunction with a smart computer and video-conferencing laboratory. Real-time interactions can occur between individuals or among groups at disparate locations. The facility is equipped with up-to-date video conferencing equipment in situ and with portable video-conferencing equipment for live communication of experimental procedures from the lab. The facility also contains twenty computers networked to gigabit speed data lines for research informatics projects and instruction. Smart software routes requests to Internet2-enabled resources through the Internet2 / Abilene backbone. Two adjacent rooms house rack-mounted servers that support the Gene Center, and accommodate the manager/operator.