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About

Biophysics Core Facility

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