All Biophysics Core Users:

 

Welcome to the Princeton Biophysics Core Facility!

The Biophysics Core Facility houses a wide range of instrumentation dedicated to support biophysical characterization of proteins, DNA and several other biological macromolecules and their interactions. The newly established core facility is a joint venture of the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Molecular Biology.

Facility Use

To request training, consultation, and/or assisted services, please register with iLab.

Getting Started with iLab:

• Princeton Clients:  If you already have an account, log in (upper right corner) and go to the Schedule Equipment tab.  If you are a new user, log in (upper right corner) using a valid Princeton ID.
• Non-Princeton Clients:  Please email vgv@princeton.edu directly with any questions about use of this facility. 
• Visit the iLab Help Site or Customer Help Manual for further guidance using iLab's Core Facility Services.

 

About the Facility

The Biophysics Core Facility is available 24/7 to fully trained and authorized users.

Staff assisted services are available Monday - Friday from 8am-5pm.

 

Instrumentation Available

• Analytical Ultracentrifuge (AUC)
  Instrument: Optima AUC from Beckman Coulter Life Sciences with absorbance and interference detection modules, two-rotors, An-60 Ti and An-50 Ti are available.
  Applications: Determination of molecular mass, aggregation, oligomeric states and stoichiometry, conformation and shape of proteins in solution.

 

• Biolayer interferometry (OCTET)
  Instrument: Forte bio OCTET Red 96e with temperature control
  Applications: Analysis of biomolecular kinetics (rates of association and dissociation), binding affinities and quantification of macromolecules.

 

• Circular Dichroism Spectrometer (CD)
  Instrument: Chirascan CD spectrometer from Applied Photophysics.
  Applications: Analysis of secondary structure of proteins and chiral molecules, binding and melting studies.

 

• Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS)
  Instrument: DynaPro Nanostar from Wyatt technology
  Applications: Analysis of homogeneity of biological samples (protein solutions etc), determination of hydrodynamic radius, molecular masses and oligomeric states.

 

• Fluorimeter
  Instrument: Fluorolog from Horiba with temperature control and fluorescence anisotropy modules
  Applications: Measurement of fluorescence and fluorescence anisotropy, binding and melting studies.

 

• Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC)
  Instrument: MicroCal PEAQ-ITC
  Applications: Measurement of binding affinities, enthalpy and entropy changes.

 

• Microscale Thermophoresis (MST)
  Instrument: Monolith NT.115 (Blue/Red) from NanoTemper
  Applications: Measurement of binding affinities.

 

• Multimode Plate Reader
  Instrument: Spectramax iD5 from Molecular Devices
  Applications: Measurement of Absorbance, fluorescence, fluorescence polarization, luminescence and TRF in 96 and 384 well formats.

 

• Stopped Flow
  Instrument: SX20 Stopped-Flow spectrometer from Applied Photophysics. A Single mixing chamber, a monochromator for excitation and different filters for emission are available.
  Applications: Biomolecular Kinetics.

 

 

Contact Information

Venu Vandavasi, Ph.D.

Director & Consultant, Biophysics Research Core Facility

Office B-12

Princeton University

Phone (609) 258-0236

https://chemistry.princeton.edu/research-facilities/biophysics-core-facility

e-mail: vgv@princeton.edu

 

Location and Hours of Operation

Hours

Assisted Services    8am-5pm, Monday-Friday

Unassisted/Self-Use for approved and trained users     24/7

 

Location

Frick Chemistry Laboratory, B25 and B06b

 

Contacts

Name	Role	Phone	Email	Location
Venu Vandavasi	Director	609-258-0236	vgv@princeton.edu	Frick Chemistry Lab, B25