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Facilities and Equipment

Our research covers the breadth of the biological sciences, and we often work at the interface with other disciplines such as the physical sciences.  We have outstanding research infrastructure and equipment in genomics, bioimaging and mass spectrometry, and plant and animal growth facilities.

Amongst the cutting edge equipment available to our research community are:

  • The Microscopy and Bioimaging facility, where state-of-the-art instrumentation for projects requiring widefield and advanced light microscopy (LSCM / SDCM / TIRF), electron microscopy (SEM / TEM), and histology is available.
  • The core DNA Sequencing and Fragment Analysis Facility, housing Applied Biosystems 3730 capillary instrumentation, Illumina HiSeq 2500 and Illumina MiSeq, supported by a dedicated Bioinformatician.
  • The Cell Technology Suite, which provides a specialised environment for the isolation and analysis of single cells. Instruments are available for laser capture micro-dissection, flow cytometry, microinjection, live-cell imaging, in situ hybridization, and real-time quantitative PCR (QPCR).

The equipment is available for use by staff and students within Durham University; many instruments are also available for use by researchers from outside the University. For existing staff and students looking to book  instruments please use Clustermarket

Co-Directors of Infrastructure - Dr Peter EtchellsDr Elaine Fitches

Research Facilities Overview

The Departments research equipment is organised into several research facilities, each managed by dedicated, highly experienced research staff.

Select a facility below to find out more.

Mammalian Cell Culture

Comprised of dedicated containment level 2 laboratories for all aspects of modern cell culture
student carrying out cell culture

Plant Growth Facilities

Controlled environment plant growth facility

DBS Genomics Facility

Core DNA sequencing, fragment analysis and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) facility
DNA Strands
  • Bioimaging

    Comprised of Advanced Light Microscopy and Electron Microscopy, housing a diverse range of different types of microscopes
    Microscope objectives turret
  • Mass Spectrometry

    Various types of mass spectrometry are available across the department arranged into their specialism; Bioanalytics, Metallomics & Proteomics
    Electrospray Ionisation source of mass spectrometer
  • Bioimaging

    Providing support in the computational analysis of large data sets such as Next Generation Sequencing
    Line of computers

Bioimaging

Comprised of Advanced Light Microscopy and Electron Microscopy, housing a diverse range of different types of microscopes
Microscope objectives turret

Mass Spectrometry

Various types of mass spectrometry are available across the department arranged into their specialism; Bioanalytics, Metallomics & Proteomics
Electrospray Ionisation source of mass spectrometer

Bioinformatics

Providing support in the computational analysis of large data sets such as Next Generation Sequencing
Line of computers