Shared Research Facilities and Equipment

The Advanced Analytics Core (AAC) provides support services for epithelial organoid research and high-quality, quantitative solutions for studying nucleic acids at both the bulk and single-cell level. The Core offers a wide variety of services, including: single cell -omics (10x Genomics/Fluidigm C1 scRNA-Seq and scATAC-Seq), high-throughput RNA-seq (Fluidigm Advanta), high-throughput qPCR/dPCR (Fluidigm BioMark HD), cell sorting (Sony SH800), spatial transcriptomics (10x Genomics Visium), library preparation (both manual and automated), sequencing (Illumina NextSeq 1000), ready-made conditioned media, and 2D/3D organoid culture support.

The Animal Metabolism Phenotyping Core provides contemporary phenotyping techniques for metabolism and energy balance in mouse models of obesity and nutritionally relevant disease. With locations at both the UNC Chapel Hill and UNC Nutrition Research;Institute campuses, the Core provides access to state-of-the-art methods, equipment, and populations to support high quality and high throughput phenotyping of energy balance components in mice.

The UNC Animal Models Core provides custom genetically modified mice, rats and related services. Services are open to both UNC and non-UNC clients. Available services include model design, custom nuclease design (CRISPR/Cas), vector construction, gene targeting, ES cell screening, ES cell microinjection, transgene or nuclease pronuclear injection and model characterization.

The Biomarker Mass Spectrometry Facility (BMSF) provides critical analytical support to UNC researchers for qualitative and quantitative assessment of environmental contaminants and biomarkers using mass spectrometry. The BMSF houses an AB Sciex 6500 mass spectrometer, Thermo TSQ mass spectrometers, Agilent QTOF, Agilent 8900 ICP-MS, Agilent 8860/5977C GC-MS and UPLC/nano-LC systems. Areas of focus for the BMSF include characterization of chemical reaction products, identification and quantitation of metabolites, quantitation of environmental chemicals, drug metabolism, measurement of DNA adducts, multi-element analysis and biomarkers of exposure and diseases in numerous environmental and biological matrices.

The BMSF has over 20 years of experience in developing new mass spectrometry methods, analyzing samples and training users to support investigators across UNC campus and beyond. We have longstanding collaborations and partnerships with UNC research Centers and Programs, including the UNC Superfund Research Program and UNC Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility. The BMSF is proud to provide scientific and technical expertise throughout all stages of the customer service cycle. We look forward to working with you!

The Center for Structural Biology is an integrated platform of expertise, education, and infrastructure for making structural biology available as a tool to the general researcher. Projects are carried out in a collaborative manner. CSB scientists work with and train students, post-docs and PIs, allowing the transfer of valuable know-how back into collaborating labs.

We provide services and training in all aspects of cryo-electron microscopy in a supportive collaborative research environment. Including specimen preparation, cryo-electron microscopy data collection, and structural analysis. Our facility is accessible to researchers from academia and industry.

The UNC Flow Cytometry Facility provides state-of-the-art flow cytometry and related services to the entire UNC-CH research community as well as to others in the Research Triangle Park area. A skilled staff provides cell sorting services, help with instrument setup, data analysis, and consultation for experiment design. Training is available to enable investigators and their staff to run the analytical cytometers themselves at reduced cost. A major part of our mission is to teach this technology to investigators, students, and staff. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about flow cytometry, if you want to know if you can use it in your research, how to design experiments, prepare samples, or how to analyze your data.

The Integrated Genomics Cores provide an integrated platform of technology, expertise, education, and infrastructure that creates an accessible environment for researchers to undertake both cutting edge and traditional genomics projects. Our Mission is: • Apply the tools of high throughput sequencing technology and experience to enrich medicine and basic biological research at The University of North Carolina. • To help identify the causes of complex diseases such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease and demonstrate the underlying bases for multiple types of infectious diseases. • To support UNC researchers, students, and their collaborators in their work with our state-of-the-art technology to make medical and scientific breakthroughs happen. • Apply these tools to provide unique data and insights and solve problems for Government, industry, and academic partners throughout the world. The Core specializes in these major technology areas:  • NextGen short read sequencing (Illumina – MiSeq, HiSeq 2500, HiSeq 4000, NovaSeq 6000) • Third-generation long-read sequencing and genomic mapping (Oxford Nanopore Technologies, BioNano Saphyr, 10x Genomics Chromium, HTG Edge) • Single-cell genomics, single molecule mutation detection • Affymetrix Microarrays • Illumina bead array genotyping • RNAi screening for functional validation • Bioinformatics, data analysis and interpretation

The mission of the UNC Microbiome Core is to provide the research community with the facilities and expertise to characterize complex microbial communities and microbial interactions. The Core has state of the art instrumentation and extensively trained personnel that provide support from experimental design to data analysis. In addition to the services noted, the lab offers human bacterial isolates for mechanistic and interventional studies and microbiome metabolomics services.

NCore implements the mission of accelerating translation of new nanomedicines into clinic by providing comprehensive physical-chemical characterization of nanoscale entities. We offers researchers an opportunity for in-depth characterization of nanomaterials and carrier-mediated agents including: size, polydispersity, size distribution, count number of particles, chemical composition, isotope analysis, molar mass (Mw), purity, charge heterogeneity, and glycan analysis, PK and biodistribution studies, drug loading and drug release studies, exosomes characterization, etc.