The BioMedical Center (BMC) of University of Iceland (UI) is an official collaboration between research groups working in biomedical molecular life sciences within the University of Iceland, Keldur, the Landspitali University Hospital (LUH) and Reykjavik University (RU). Group leaders joining the BMC have access to facilities in the different institutes. The following core facilities are available within the BMC:
Cell culture facility (BMC-UI): At BMC-UI there is an established cell culture facility for regular cell culture work as well as more advanced cell cultures (lentiviral transfections, 3D culture, air-liquid interface culture, embryonic stem cell culture etc). This include laminar flow hoods for cell culture, incubators and one Flexercell tension system that simulates mechanical load on cells and tissues.
Contact: Guðrún Valdimarsdóttir (at Sturlugata 8) and Þórarinn Guðjónsson (at Læknagarður)
Cell culture facility (BMC-LUH): At BMC-LUH there is a cell culture facility for regular cell culture work, as well as a hood used for samples obtained for clinical service. Attached to the cell culture facilities are facilities to measure cell proliferation by thymidine incorporation, cytokine secretion by flow cytometry and ELISpot.
Contacts: Jóna Freysdóttir and Björn Rúnar Lúðvíksson
Molecular biology facility (BMC-UI): BMC-UI maintains all standard techniques and equipment for molecular biology. This includes 4 ABI Veriti PCR machines, two ABI 7500 and one CFX384 BioRad real time PCR machines, microplate sealer, two different platforms for DNA/RNA sequences analysis, namely 3130 Genetic Analyzer from Applied Biosystems for traditional Sanger sequencing and Illumina MiSeq for high-throughput whole-genome analysis. The BMC also maintains an Odyssey Infrared Imaging System that allows multiplex Western Blotting and accurate protein quantification using fluorescent dyes conjugated to secondary antibodies, Bioanalyzer from Applied Biosystems, a NanoDrop spectrophotometer, in addition to multiple gel apparatuses for electrophoresis, multiple centrifuges, power supplies and pipettes. For ELISA measurements the BMC has a Microplate Washer Elx405 from BioTek and Spectramax plus 384 from Molecular Devices. Incubators and shakers are in use for growing bacterial, yeast and insect cells. Seahorse XFe96 Extracellular Flux Analyzer (Agilent).
Contact: Sigríður Klara Böðvarsdottir
Microscope imaging center (BMC-UI): BMC-UI has upright and inverted microscopes for bright field, phase contrast and fluorescence imaging in addition to a digital imaging system. A FV1200 Olympus inverted confocal microscope with high sensitivity GaAsP detector was installed in spring 2014. This microscopes enable imaging of fluorescent molecules in a range of wavelengths (405nm-650nm) allowing users to image tissue samples and cultured cells among other things. The Olympus microscope in addition allows for imaging of live cells, it comes with environmental control, heating, humidification and CO2 control, allowing for prolonged incubation and imaging, both in 3D and over time. Advanced techniques such as FRAP, FRET, calcium signaling are also possible.
Contact and booking: Sigurður Guðmundsson
Transmission electron microscope (BMC-UI). A new JEM-1400Plus JEOL transmission electron microscope (TEM) was taken in use summer 2015 including picture overlay program and tomography acquisition, reconstruction and 3D softwares. Vitrobot for TEM sample preparation. New ultramicroteme with cryo system.
Contact: Jóhann Arnfinnsson (Transmission Electron Microscope)
Flow cytometer center (BMC-LUH): At BMC-LUH there are one cell sorter (Sony SH800 with 6 colors/4 lasers) and two flow cytometers at Dept of Immunology (FACScalibur with 4 colours and Navios with 10 colours), two flow cytometers at Dept of Haemotology (FACScalibur with 4 colours and MacsQuant with 8 colours) and two flow cytometers at the Blood Bank (FACScalibur with 3 colours and Navios with 10 colours), In all location, trained staff can assist in setting up protocols for cell analysis. The BMC will soon be purchasing a cell sorter which will be located at Dept of Immunology.
Contacts: Jóna Freysdóttir (Immunology), Jón Þór Bergþórsson (Haemotlogy) and Ólafur Eysteinn Sigurjónsson (Blood Bank)
Cytokine measurements (BMC-LUH): At BMC-LUH there is a extensive facility to measure cytokines in various fluids and in cells. These include ELISAs for measuring one cytokine at a time, bead array for measuring up to eight cytokines in one sample and Luminex for measuring multiple cytokines in one sample (>30). When analyzing cytokine secretion on cellular level, intracellular staining for cytokines using flow cytometry is available as well as ELISpot. Jess Simple Western System from ProteinSimple.
Contacts: Jóna Freysdóttir and Björn Rúnar Lúðvíksson
Bioinformatics Facility (BMC-UI): The Biomedical Center operates a bioinformatics computer cluster for large scale bioinformatic projects and offers specialist support in bioinformatic analysis. The bioinformatics core main purpose is to assist scientists with large scale bioinformatic projects. For this purpose, the core has a bioinformatics computer cluster, Mímir, setup for large scale bioinformatics work requiring large data storage and high processing power. The computer cluster runs on Linux operating system and most bioinformatic software packages can be installed.
The cluster is available for researchers from all Icelandic universities and institutions with assistance of the facility specialist consultant. The facility specialist supports scientists with bioinformatic analysis and teaches how to perform the analysis along with working updating software and scripts. For any questions on how to gain access to computer cluster Mímir, or how to run the latest bioinformatic software feel free to contact us.
More information: Dr. Snævar Sigurðsson
Zebrafish core facility
Fly facility (BMC-UI): 2 work-stations of CO2 anaesthesia and Nikon SMZ745 stereomicroscopes. DigiTherm® CircKinetics™ Drosophila Activity Monitoring and light-cycle Incubator. Fluorescent Stereomicroscope Zeiss Stereo Discovery V12 with high-sensitivity monochrome camera. MINJ-1000 Injection station. Mediaclave 10 and pump for efficient and reproducible fly-food or media making.
Contact: Sigíður Rut Franzdóttir
In vivo research facility (BMC- ArcticLAS): The Biomedical Center has an agreement with ArcticLAS which means that University scientists have access to their facilities and expertise at a discounted price. Together, the University and ArcticLAS will continue building a state of the art animal facility in order to allow top-class animal research in Iceland. The facility is a well equipped vivarium for in vivo research in rodents. The research facility fulfills worldwide standards, required for pharmaceutical research and animal care. Staff members are all educated and specialized in laboratory animal science and are competent according to FELASA (equivalent to IACUC and AAALAC). The staff members are committed to responsible use of animals and work according to high animal welfare standards.
ArcticLAS webpage Contact: ArcticLAS
Other common BMC-UI facilities include a meeting room, kitchen/eating area, lounge/reading area, 2 cold rooms, a tissue culture room, two microscope rooms, a darkroom with film processor, rooms for stock chemicals and weighing, glass washing and sterilization facility, deionized water sterilization system, several fridges and -20°C freezers plus a common biobank sample storage room containing -80°C freezers and nitrogen liquid tanks.
BMC offers advanced technical services in several areas, including cell culture, gene expression analysis, flow cytometry and cell sorting, imaging, high-throughput sequencing and ChIP-seq analysis.
Please contact Sigríður Klara Böðvarsdóttir for further information.