Department of Molecular Biology

College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources

 

Research Facilities

The Department of Molecular Biology occupies teaching and research space in two buildings. One section of our department is housed in a 35,000-square-foot wing of the Animal Science/Molecular Biology Building. This facility provides state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratories as well as lecture auditoriums and offices. The other section is housed on two floors of the College of Agriculture addition and consists of 20,000 square feet of modern research and teaching space. Both facilities are equipped for modern microbiological and biochemical research.

All laboratories have instrumentation for performing routine processes such as centrifugation, spectroscopy, electrophoresis, cell culture, chromatography, microscopy, macromolecular isolations, and computation. Access to specialized equipment – fluorescence, CD, mas and NMR spectrometers; confocal and electron microscopes; digital imaging systems; molecular modeling/graphics workstations; fermentors; small, large and transgenic animal handling facilities; plant growth chambers; and a greenhouse – is readily available via shared use within Molecular Biology or in cooperation with other departments on campus. We also have collaborative agreements with Colorado State University and the University of Colorado for access to other specialized research instrumentation.

The Arthropod Borne Animal Disease Laboratory (ABADRL) of the USDA is located adjacent to our area in the Agriculture Building. The ABADRL, a vertically integrated research group, studies RNA-based viruses that are transmitted by insects. There is extensive scientific interaction among members of the ABADRL and our faculty, staff, and students. This collaboration includes sharing of both equipment and expertise.

The Department of Animal Science is adjacent to our other facilities. This department has an extensive research program in mammalian reproductive physiology and endocrinology. Again, extensive sharing of equipment and expertise significantly expands our scientific capabilities.