Pharmacology & Toxicology Core Facilities | Flow Cytometry Core | Assay Development & Drug Repurposing Core

Overview of Services

The Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology Core Facilities are multiuser, communal research laboratories that total an approximate 4470 sq. ft. of research space maintained by the department. These facilities are designed to aid and advance the research, in an efficient manner, of individual investigators. The underlying goals of the Core Facilities are to maximize research space, reduce instrumental redundancy, while providing centralized oversight for instrumental maintenance, validity and optimization. The Core Facilities provide these services at cost to the investigator. 

Core Equipment is found in one of the designated Core Facility rooms (listed below with PHM/TOX as the desigantion). Core Equipment may be used by departmental and external researchers, once appropriately trained and authorized. The Core Equipment Definition attributes responsibilities on behalf of the Core Facilities to calibrate and maintain the working status of the equipment. All users, after training and being provided training materials, are responsible for their use of the equipment.  User error resulting in damage exceeding $500.00 wil be responsible for repairs. 

List of Available Cores

• Assay Development and Drug Repurposing Core (see below, B338 Life Science)
• MSU Flow Cytometry Core (see below)
• PHM/TOX Autoclave Core (B409 Life Science)
• PHM/TOX Cold Room Cores (B302, 402 and 415 Life Science)
• PHM/TOX Large Equipment (B303 Life Science)
• PHM/TOX Freezer Core (B400 Life Science)
• PHM/TOX Microscopy Core (B42 Life Science)
• PHM/TOX Molecular & Biochemistry Core (B446 Life Science)
• PHM/TOX Survival Surgery Core
• PHM/TOX Tissue Culture Cores (B300 and 407 Life Science)
• PHM/TOX Large-Format Print Core (B142 Life Science)

ADDRC Services

The MSU Assay Development and Drug Repurposing Core (ADDRC) facility located in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology was created to assist MSU researchers with bridging the drug discovery gap that often exists between their basic research and preclinical drug development. The primary focus of the ADDRC is to aid investigators in developing HTS-compatible assays, to generate preliminary data for grants and funding opportunities, and to screen biological targets with the goal of providing chemical probes to further interrogate a particular biological process or potential leads for drug development.

ADDRC Equipment and Resources

The ADDRC will be equipped with compound screening libraries on the order of 35,000 compounds, including about 1000 FDA-approved drugs with the aim of identifying new indications for existing clinical compounds or drug repurposing. The facility possess a variety of 96/384-tip liquid handlers, bulk liquid dispensers, and multi-format plate readers with the capacity to address multiple assay methodologies. Faculty also have access to a microscopy-based high-throughput instrument for automated high content imaging and analysis of fixed or live cells. And most recently, the ADDRC facility has acquired a functional drug screening system (FDSS) , a state-of-the-art imaging plate reader for kinetic cell-based assay development and HTS. While the ADDRC is located in the Life Sciences Building (B411), it is a shared resource established to serve faculty across the MSU campus. In addition, the involvement of undergraduate/graduate students and postdoctoral scientists from investigators’ laboratories, who are interested in learning more about drug discovery and the principles of high-throughput screening, is strongly encouraged.

*The ADDRC facility was established through the generous support of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, the Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, CNS, COM, CHM, CVM, and AgBioResearch.

MSU Flow Cytometry Core Services

The mission of the MSU Flow Cytometry Core Facility is to provide investigators with cell sorting services and access to cutting-edge analytical flow cytometry instrumentation, as well as training and experimental consultation. We are graciously supported by the MSU Office of the Senior Vice President for Research & Innovation (VPRI), the College of Human Medicine (CHM), and the College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM).

MSU Flow Cytometry Core Equipment and Resources

The MSU South Campus Flow Cytometry Core hub is located on the second floor of the IQ Bioengineering Building (Rm 2521 and 2522). Instrumentation available in IQ include a BD FACSAria IIu cell sorter, a Cytek Aurora spectral cytometer (5 laser), a BD Accuri C6, and a Luminex 200. The MSU North Campus Flow Cytometry Core hub is located on the fifth floor of the Biophysical Science Building (BPS, Rm 5115 and 4120). Instrumentation available in BPS include a BD Influx cell sorter, a ThermoFisher Scientific Attune CytPix, and a BD LSR II benchtop analyzer. Laboratory space for the South Campus hub is approximately 300 sq. ft. and approximately 263 sq. ft. for the North Campus hub. The MSU Flow Cytometry Core is directed by Dr. Matthew Bernard who both provides professional oversight of the Core Facility and assay development expertise, as well as technical support and guidance for general education in flow cytometry principles. The Core is managed by Dr. Daniel Vocelle, who oversees instrument and data analysis training, assay/application development, as well as technical support and guidance for general education in flow cytometry principles. 

Leadership

Anne Dorrance, Ph.D.
Chair & Professor
B440 & B340 Life Science
Email: dorranc3@msu.edu
Phone: 517-432-7403
Fax: 517-353-8915

Erika Lisabeth, Ph.D.
Director, Assay Development and Drug Repurposing Core
B426 & B427 Life Science
Email: matheser@msu.edu
Phone: 517-432-4507
Fax: 517-884-4998

Joseph Nichols, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Manager, Assay Development and Drug Repurposing Core
B426 & B427 Life Science
Email: nicho621@msu.edu
Phone: 734-582-3077
Fax: 517-353-8915  

Heather L. deFeijter-Rupp B.S.
Manager, PHM/TOX Comprehensive Research Cores
Email: rupph@msu.edu
Phone: 517-884-8023

Matthew Bernard B.S., Ph.D.
Director, MSU Flow Cytometry Core Facility
Email: mbernard@msu.edu
Phone: 517-355-4076
Fax: 517-353-8915

Daniel Vocelle B.S., Ph.D.
Assistant Director, MSU Flow Cytometry Core Facility
Email: vocelled@msu.edu
Phone: 517-355-1536
Fax: 517-353-8915

Location and hours of operation

Pharmacology & Toxicology Core Facilities

ADDRC

MSU Flow Cytometry Core

IQ/Bioengineering Facility

BPS

Links and Resources

1. Pharmacology & Toxicology Core Facilities
2. MSU Flow Cytometry Core
3. ADDRC

Available Equipment and Resources

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