Tissue Culture Area

The ICCB-Longwood Screening Facility has two tissue culture areas approved for work with BL2 pathogens. These are located in SGM 611 and SGM 612

Each tissue culture area is equipped with:

  • Two tissue culture hoods, each with a Thermo Combi liquid handler to dispense tissue culture cells into assay plates
  • ThermoForma tissue culture incubators and Stericult incubators with active humidifying control
  • Centrifuge
  • Inverted microscope
  • 37ºC water bath
  • Pipettes and hemocytometer

Assays using microorganisms are restricted to SGM 612.

To gain access to the facility or to reserve tissue culture incubator space or hood time, please complete the Equipment Training Request form.

Before commencing work:

  • Open the hood sash. If the sash is completely lowered, you must open the sash and allow the hood fan to run for 5 minutes before commencing work.
  • Check the trap. If it is not empty, please report this to the screening room staff.
  • Disinfect all work surfaces before use. 70% ethanol is the typical disinfectant, but BleachRite is available for specialized applications. If the hood is not clean or items have been left behind by a previous user, please report this to the screening room staff. Note: do not use bleach for this purpose.
  • Disinfect all non-sterile items that are placed into the hood by spraying surface with 70% ethanol. This includes the gloves that you are wearing.
  • Do not place any items on the front grill or block back air exchange, as this will impede air circulation in the hood.

Upon completion of work:

  • Disinfect and dispose of all waste appropriately. Liquid waste in bottles/tubes and the trap should be treated with 10% bleach (final concentration) and allowed to inactivate biological waste before disposal down the drain. Note: do not use Bleach-Rite for this purpose.
  • Empty the trap. Contents should be treated with 10% bleach (final concentration) before disposal down the drain.
  • Clean and disinfect all work surfaces and both sides of the sash glass. Do not leave any items in the hood other than those placed by the staff.
  • Lower the sash completely, so that the fan stops blowing.
  • Turn off the vacuum line, either at the tap or using the clamp on the line.

Single- and multi-channel pipettors are available in the screening facility and are calibrated annually. There is a limited supply available and we recommend you bring what you need from your own lab during each visit. 

Instrument Supplier Cat.# Item Description Image
Themo Combi Thermo-Fisher 24072670 8-channel Manifold, Standard-Bore, 5-2,500 uL
24073290 8-channel Manifold, Small-Bore, plastic tip 0.5-50 uL
24073295 8-channel Manifold, Small-Bore, metall tip, 0.5-50 uL
Aspirator Wand V&P Scientific VP 186L Polycarbonate 24-channel. Manually aspirate volume from a 384-well assay plate
Aspirator Wand Drummond 3-000-01 Stainless steel 24-channel. Manually aspirate volume from a 384-well assay plate

Countess Automated Cell Counter

Accurately counts live and dead cells, using 10 uL of sample.

Countess Automated Cell Counter Supplies

Item Description

Supplier

Cat. #

Countess Cell Counting Chamber Slides (50/box)
includes 2 mL of Trypan blue
LifeTechnologies
C10228
Trypan blue (2 x 1 mL)

T10281