Multi-user fermentation facility upgrade

University Of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application requests funds to update the UCLA fermentation facility with the purchase of three new Beckman "production" fermentors with maximum capacities of 5, 10, and 19.5 liters, four experimental-sized fermentors/chemostats that can monitor GFP fluorescence in real-time, and a cell disrupter/homogenizer. The instrumentation will be used by the NIH-funded researchers to grow a variety of organisms for studying cell biology functions and purifying proteins and protein complexes for structure/function studies. The current facility has four fermentors that are antiquated and non-functional. Two functional fermentors are located on the UCLA campus but they are housed in individual laboratories. Instead, most groups use flasks in multi-tier shakers. As a result, labs growing microbes are limited in their ability to achieve optimal culture environments, and investigators purifying recombinant proteins are faced with significant logistic challenges in growing many liters of cells to obtain adequate quantities of purified proteins. Also, simple experiments to alter the growth conditions are difficult to regulate using a shake-flask system, and experiments requiring precise control of the culture medium are not possible. [unreadable] The fermentation facility serves the NIH-funded researchers at UCLA and is housed centrally in Boyer Hall. Also, the Protein Expression Facility in the UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics is located next door and has individuals who are knowledgeable in basic fermentation techniques. Most groups that will use the fermentors are already familiar with fermentation, but we will appoint an Advisory Committee of 5 faculty members to oversee use of the fermentors. The fermentation facility will be run by the director of the Protein Expression Facility, who will oversee the fermentors on a daily basis, operating the fermentors, providing instruction as necessary, or directing the individual to a knowledgeable member of the advisory committee for specialized needs. [unreadable] Running costs that are incurred will generally be covered on a recharge basis. Additionally, the Chancellor has provided funds for a new Biosciences Core Facilities Grants Program to enhance existing cores and develop new ones. This program will be used for the addition of new technologies, covering service contracts, and overall improvements in the fermentation facility. If funds are not secured, the recharge mechanism will cover necessary costs. [unreadable] [unreadable] Public Health Relevance: To understand host-pathogen interactions, to analyze how microbes grow in their environment, and to dissect protein pathways in the cell, it is essential to have an updated fermentation system. Additionally, the efficient production of large quantities of proteins involved in human disease will aid in structural/crystallographic studies. The fermentation system will give the NIH-funded researchers at UCLA the ability to effectively conduct these types of experiments that impact many aspects of health and well-being. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]