Biomedical Engineering Core Labs

Overview of Services

 

The Biomedical Engineering (BME) Core Labs at the University of South Carolina is a teaching and research facility equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation to support our BME students and faculty members, and strengthen the educational component of the program as well as on-going research. This facility is located within the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) radar and managed by the CEC as a core user facility in 1200 Catawba St., Biomedical Engineering building.

 

The BME Core Labs is composed of four laboratories:

 

1.  BME Bioelectronics Lab. Room 214. This lab features biosensors and biomechanics models used in our BME core courses (Biomechanics, Biomaterials, Biomonitoring and Electrophysiology, Biomedical Instrumentation, and Senior Design Projects). It counts with a laboratory course system from CleveLabs that integrates innovative bioinstrumentation hardware and transducers with hands-on learning through interactive software that educates students on bioinstrumentation, electrophysiology and clinical applications. Lab sessions are designed for biomedical engineering and health sciences students which includes: Biopotential, ECG, EEG, EMG, EOG, respiration rate, oral/nasal thermocouple, blood pressure, polysomnography, pressure based airflow, spirometry, pulse oximetry, speech recognition, biomechanics, accelerometry, data acquisition, statistical analysis, digital signaling processing, image processing, wireless medical telemetry, breadboard circuit design, among others.  This lab also counts with different biosensors and models from PASCO to be used in biosignal analysis and biomechanics such as: human arm model with angle sensor, force sensors, goniometer, CO2 and dissolved O2 sensors, and conductivity meter.

 

         

 

2. BME Cell Culture Lab. Room 203. This lab is fully equipped with instrumentation needed for DNA/RNA amplification, protein characterization, cell growth, cell-based analysis, and tissue culture. It counts with an RT-PCR from Bio-Rad that delivers sensitive, reliable detection for real-time PCR and regular PCR applications, including amplification, absolute quantification, genetic variation analysis, and gene expression, UV/Vis spectrophotomer with Nanovette capabilities and 50 µL cells from Beckman Coulter for DNA/RNA and proteins analysis, laminar flow hoods, CO2 incubators, inverted microscopes with digital cameras, automated and manual cell counters and hemacytometers, refrigerated microcentrifuges with a diverse selection of rotors, fridge/freezer, water baths, orbital shakers and rocking platforms, hot plates, mixers, micropipets and multichannels micropipets, and an impedance analyzer system with CO2 incubator from Applied Biophysics for monitoring cell behavior in real-time.

 

         

 

3. BME Bioinstrumentation Lab. Room 205. This shared facility features a comprehensive suite of thermal analysis units and instrumentation that complement our teaching and research labs.  This lab counts with: a nano DSC from TA instruments for determination of the thermal stability and the heat capacity of proteins and other macromolecules in dilute solution, a nano ITC from TA instruments for binding and kinetics studies on purified dilute biological samples, a RSA III Immersion Fixture from TA instruments used to obtain high-performance DMA measurements for running samples immersed in a liquid, PureLab Flex3 water purification system with RO unit for biological purposes (18.2 MΩ.cm) from ELGA, benchtop autoclaves, -86 °C freezer (upright), microplate reader, ice maker, cryobiological storage system, and liquid nitrogen.

 

                  

 


4. BME Bioimaging Lab. Room 204. This lab counts with a ChemiDoc XRS+ biomolecular imager with large portfolio of detection methods from Bio-Rad used for Western blotting, nucleic acid detection, 2-D gel electrophoresis, dot blotting, densitometry and colony counting, a broad variety of chambers and power supplies from Bio-Rad for gel electrophoresis, semi-dry and wet blotting techniques, electrophoresis chamber and 7-minutes dry blotting system from Invitrogen, a rocking platform, a balance, a pHmeter, and a conductivity meter.

 

         

 

Leadership

 

Melissa Moss

BME Programs Director

Email: mossme@cec.sc.edu

Phone: 803.777.5604

 

Silke Henrich

BME Core Labs Manager

Email: henrich@cec.sc.edu

Phone: 803.777.8468

Fax: 803.777.8688

Location: 1200 Catawba St., Room 202

 

Location and hours of operation

Hours Location

9:00 am – 5:00 pm  

1200 Catawba St., First floor, Level 2,

Rooms: 203, 204, 205, 214

Columbia, SC 29208

Links and Resources

 

  1. Biomedical Engineering Website