|
|
Chemical Exposure and Assessment Core Facility
Purpose
Measuring and interpreting levels of environmental contaminants is a key component of MCTEH’s research. This Core Facility provides two essential functions: Exposure of study animals to contaminants and Assessment of contaminant levels in tissues and cell cultures. This Core Facility conducts animal exposures which: Ensures that all of the animals are exposed to contaminants by the same protocols, allows maximum integration of projects across laboratories, and minimizes the number of individuals handling the pregnant animals during the exposure period.
Tissue and intracellular levels of contaminants is also done in this Core Facility using state-of-the-art equipment to measure contaminant levels in biological samples. Through these measurements it can be determined where contaminants and their metabolites deposit and accumulate in tissues and how genetic differences affect this distribution.
Currently, this Core Facility has a primary focus on arsenic and is conducting studies to determine the disposition of arsenic and its metabolites in different genetic strains of mice and in fish after chronic developmental exposures. The inclusion of medaka provides an important parallel to the mouse model, fostering comparative, collaborative research projects within the Center.
Services
The Chemical and Exposure Assessment Core Facility assists investigators with experimental design, tissue collection, sample preparation and analysis of elemental levels. One service is the exposure of study animals. With this service Chemical and Exposure Assessment Core Facility personnel manage and conduct the treatment regimen of the animals. Treatment protocols are reviewed with the Principal Investigator and those involved in the project. At the completion of exposure the animals are be turned over to the Principal Investigator of the study for functional endpoints (e.g. behavioral testing, neurological and immune assessment, histology, etc.). This approach ensures consistency amongst the studies.
For contaminant burden and metabolite studies, the Core Facility has state-of-the-art instrumentation and experienced personnel who will train members of Center investigators' laboratories in performing assays for measuring the various elements. The first type is access to state-of-the-art equipment platforms for elemental analysis using instrumentation. For analyses employing atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), or inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). After training is completed, that individual then performs the assays for the project using the Core equipment at a nominal hourly rate. In some instances, full service is provided and the analysis will be conducted by the core facility manager at the nominal hourly rate plus an additional fee for technician time.
Management
The present Director of the Chemical Exposure and Assessment Core Facility is Dr. Vince Markowski.
Equipment
This Core facility currently has an atomic absorption spectrometer and a Perkin Elmer Optima 2000 inductively coupled plasma emission atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES) equipped with a gem cone, low flow nebulizer a Thermo Jarrell Ash (TJA) Smith-Heiftje 22 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS).
|
|
|
|
