Core--Glasswashing Facility

University Of Utah, Salt Lake City UT

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Since opening in July 1999, the Huntsman Cancer Institute building has housed a Glasswash Shared Resource, supported by institutional funds. This facility provides sterile glassware, plasticware and certain reagents (media and plates) for all cancer center members located in research laboratories on the 3rd, 4th and 5th floors of the HCI Building. Operationally, the staff collects dirty glassware and redistributes clean glassware one to two times daily, five days per week. The staff provides solutions and plates, clean lab coats, autoclaving of lab supplies such as pipette tips and Eppendorf tubes, and special glassware or services, e.g., washing containers with RNAase inhibitors. They also conduct regular maintenance of resource equipment. Every one of the 22 principal investigators in the building are cancer center members, with all cancer center programs represented. Fifteen of these investigators have independent funding. The Glasswash Resource also provides services to the Cancer Center Microarray Shared Resource and the Cancer Center Tissue Procurement Shared Resource on the 3rd floor. The glasswash facility is equipped with three Steris Reliance 400 rack washers, three Steris Reliance 1024 dryers, two AMSCO-SV-120 steam small autoclaves, two AMSCO 3043 S vacuumatic steam autoclaves, and one AMSCO Powerpack electric steam boiler. Funding from the CCSG will enable the Cancer Center to maintain a core staff of four reliable individuals to provide continuity and quality-assurance for this vital activity. It will also minimize the need for individual investigators to maintain part-time staff, and the risk of contamination posed by too many individuals using shared cleaning and sterilization equipment. CCSG funding would provide an important supplement to ongoing institutional support and support from individual grants that cover the cost of glassware, plasticware and supplies. The University of Utah has purchased all capital equipment for this facility.