SHARED WORKSPACE EQUIPMENT
The TPPC maintains and manages a large number of shared workspace equipment that registered users can reserve for their research needs. See below for how to become a registered user and a list of our shared workspace equipment.
To Become a Registered User
1. AUP confirmation for behavior tests:
All behavior tests conducted in TPPC should be listed in your Animal Use Protocol (AUP). Please contact us if you have any questions or need assistance in designing your research project with RPPC service or preparing an AUP, Manuscripts, or Grant proposals.
2. A valid iLab account:
Anyone using TPPC service requires a valid iLab account with an unexpired funding source. See below for instructions.
- Go to Texas A&M Preclinical Phenotyping Core iLab
- Sign-up with TAMU or your institution’s credentials.
- Click the three-bar icon located in the upper left corner, to the left of the Agilent Cross Lab logo.
- Go to Manage Groups/My Groups.
- If your lab group is not listed under “My Groups,” click Request Group Access and follow the on-screen instructions.
- PI or Lab/Group Manager can accept your membership request and add a funding source. Instruction for PI/Manager: iLab — Membership Requests & Fund Numbers (agilent.com).
Equipment Reservation
Trained user status is awarded per equipment to distinguish the users who can use the equipment without staff assistance.
The trained user status can be obtained through training (offered free of charge by TPPC staff), but you may also skip the training if you already know how to use the machine or previously have received training outside of TPPC. Please email TPPC@tamu.edu to request or skip training.
Once trained user status is granted, go to Texas A&M Preclinical Phenotyping Core iLab and click the Schedule Equipment tab to create a new reservation.
If you cannot schedule training or prefer TPPC staff to run the instrument, staff assistance is available with an hourly fee, which will be charged in addition to the regular equipment reservation fee.
Specialties
Chemistry Panel (DxC 700 AU), Spectra Autostainer, and Tissue processor are only available through service request rather than Equipment reservation. Find more information on the service page.
Behavioral/Skeletomuscular
Instruments: DigiGait, Chatillon Force Measurement, Coulbourn Habitest System, Open Field (8 mice at a time), Three Chamber Sociability (3 mice at a time), Barnes Maze, Radial Arm Maze, Rotarod Test (5 rats or mice at a time x2), TruScan (2 mice at a time), Water Maze
From skeletomuscular qualities to behavioral and learning with mazes and fear conditioning. Detection for all mazes except for TruScan and Water Maze is powered by the newest version of Noldus EthoVision.
Clinical Pathology
Instruments: VetScan HM5 Color Hematology System, DxC 700 AU (Serum/Plasma/Urine Chemistry), OsmoPro Multi-Sample Micro-Osmometer
Run CBC (22 parameters with WBC differentials), osmolality measurement, and various chemistry panels of your choice. Chemistry panel requires a service request. Please visit the services page for details.
Cardiovascular
Instruments: ECGenie, Hatteras Multi-Channel Blood Pressure Analysis System (4 mice or rats at a time, tail-cuff method)
Obtain electrocardiograms and blood pressure (systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial) from awake mice or rats through non-invasive methods with real-time waveform displays.
Metabolic
Instruments: TSE PhenoMaster (32 cages a time), Hatteras Metabolic Cage (30 cages a time)
Measure consumption of food, drink, locomotor, and O2/CO2 with PhenoMaster and collect clean, uncontaminated urine and fecal samples with the Metabolic cage for further analyses.
Histology
Instruments: Leica ASP300 Tissue Processor, Leica CM1950 Cryostat, Leica EG1150 Tissue Embedding, Leica RM2165 Rotary Microtome, Leica HistoCore SPECTRA Workstation (includes both stainer and cover slipper)
From tissue processing to stained slide coverslipping. Tissue processing, slide staining, and slide coverslipping require a service request. Please visit the services page for details.
Protein
Instruments: Cytek Aurora Flow Cytometer, Bio-Rad Bio-Plex Luminex, Protein Simple Jess Automated Western Blot System
Perform flow cytometry, multiplex, or western blot. Aurora offers flow cytometry with 4 lasers (16V-14B-10YG-8R), 3 scattering channels, and 41 fluorescence channels. Jess offers multiplexed Western blot with ELISA.
Rodent Imaging
Instruments: EchoMRI-100, EchoMRI-900, Vevo 3100 Ultrasound, Stortz Endoscope
Mouse Anesthesia is available with SomnoSuite for ultrasound and endoscope. EchoMRI measures fat, lean, free water, and total water masses in live, awake animals weighing up to 100g.
Other
TSE Whole Body Inhalation Chamber
Toxicant (gas, vapor, and aerosol) exposure in their own cage.
TubeWriter 360
Print anything on various sizes of tubes, vials, microscope slides, and more.
Pricing Information
Please visit Texas A&M Preclinical Phenotyping Core iLab for the most recent pricing information.
Location
All locations open 24/7, staffed Mon-Fri 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Reynolds Medical Sciences Building
VetScan HM5 Color Hematology System, DxC 700 AU (Serum/Plasma/Urine Chemistry), OsmoPro Multi-Sample Micro-Osmometer, Leica ASP300 Tissue Processor, Leica CM1950 Cryostat, Leica EG1150 Tissue Embedding, Leica RM2165 Rotary Microtome, Leica HistoCore SPECTRA Workstation, Cytek Aurora Flow Cytometer, Bio-Rad Bio-Plex Luminex, Protein Simple Jess Automated Western Blot System, TSE Whole Body Inhalation Chamber, TubeWriter 360
Address
206 Olsen Blvd., Reynolds Medical Sciences Building (REYN), Rooms 472/473 and 419/420, College Station, TX 77843
Parking Information
- Visitor parking (paid): Lot 72a, Lot 72b
- University Business parking: Lot 72a, Lot 72b, Lot 18, Lot 98
- 30 minute parking available in Lot 18
Laboratory Animal Care Building
DigiGait, Chatillon Force Measurement, Coulbourn Habitest System, Open Field, Three Chamber Sociability, Barnes Maze, Radial Arm Maze, Rotarod Test, TruScan, Water Maze, ECGenie, Hatteras Multi-Channel Blood Pressure Analysis System, TSE PhenoMaster, Hatteras Metabolic Cage, EchoMRI-100, Vevo 3100 Ultrasound, Stortz Endoscope
Address
972 Agronomy Rd., Laboratory Animal Care Building (LARR), Rooms 135-143, College Station, TX 77843
Parking Information
- Any valid TAMU permit parking: Lot 71
- University Business parking: Lot 79, Lot 36a
Medical Research Education Building
TSE PhenoMaster, Hatteras Metabolic Cage, EchoMRI-900
Address
8441 Riverside Pkwy., Medical Research & Education Building II (MREB II), Room 1331, Bryan, TX 77807
Parking Information
- Any valid TAMU permit parking
- University Business parking (2 hrs)
- 15 minute lab space parking