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College of Arts and Sciences
Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Center (MBBC)
Director: Jim MacKenzie
Phone: 315-312-2767
Email:
jmackenz@oswego.edu


Established in 2004, the Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Center (MBBC) is a College of Liberal Arts and Sciences research and teaching facility that consists of several laboratories and offices in the north-west corner of the third floor of Snygg Hall.  The MBBC is comprised of faculty and students from the Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry.  The MBBC is also adjacent to the NSF-funded Mass Spectrometry/Proteomics Center (MaSPeC).  Any persons interested in using the facilities may contact any of the participating faculty listed below.

 Photo of John Metchant working in the MBBC

 Photo of Professor Rosenbaum working in the MBBC

 Photo of Katy Cook working in the MBBC


Faculty

Kestas Bendinskas (Chemistry)
Research interests in the purification of GHB specific enzymes and the studies of effects of drugs on insulin producing pancreatic cells

Tim Braun (Biological Sciences)
Research interests in bacterial motility and bacterial physiology with special interest in bioenergetics

Webe Kadima (Chemistry)
Research interests in the binding of biological ligands and the effects of metal ions in the confomational transition to the insulin hexamer using NMR and static and dynamic light scattering studies

Jim MacKenzie (Biological Sciences)
Research interests in protein trafficking to mitochondria, environmental toxicants and cardiovascular reactivity in children

Andy Ouellette (Biological Sciences)
Research interests in proteomics and ecology of toxic cyanobacteria

Peter Rosenbaum (Biological Sciences)
Research interests in genetic epidemiology, evolutionary processes, and herpetology

Amy Welsh (Biological Sciences)
Research interests in conservation of endangered species, native fish conservation, and wildlife forensics


Students

Current Students
Matt Arthur (Biology)
Andrew Banyikwa (Chemistry, Graduate Student)
Robert Bridsall (Chemistry, Graduate Student)
Thea Hassan (Biology)
Mike Kiley (Biochemistry)
Paul MacMahon (Biochemistry)
Greg Miller (Biochemistry)
Frank Pierce (Biology)
Kristen Roosa (Biology)

Former Students
Amy Boleto (Biology)
Jennifer Bushey (Zoology)
Katy Cook (Biochemistry)
Dan Crosset (Biology)
Dan Dempsey (Chemistry, Graduate Student) 
Kathy Gebbie (Zoology)
Danielle Gilbert (Chemistry, Graduate Student)
John Heagerty (Biology)
Tia Hendershott (Biology)
Mark Hudson (Biology)
Mike Mastromauro (Zoology) 
John Merchant (Chemistry, Graduate Student)
Katie Miloski (Chemistry, Graduate Student)
Zach Neyhard (Adolescent Education, Biology)
Anders Peterson (Biology)
Merideth Pritchard (Chemistry)
Patricia Sattelberg (Biochemistry)
Erin Simon (Chemistry, Graduate Student)
Cody Spencer (Biology)
Kelly Wallace (Biology)
Beth Whitmore (Zoology)


Expertise

DNA – DNA sequencing, chromosomal and plasmid purification, agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, restriction analysis, PCR, site-directed mutagenesis, cDNA cloning, transformation of competent cells, DNA polymorphism analysis, DNA labeling

RNA – purification, agarose gel electrophoresis, Northern analysis, RT-PCR, in vitro transcription, RNA sequence analysis

Protein – expression, purification, SDS-PAGE, Western analysis, 2-D PAGE, enzyme kinetics, in vitro translation, radiolabeled competition analysis, MALDI-TOF analysis, inhibition studies, coupled enzymatic reactions

Cell biology – mammalian cell culture, bacterial cell culture, apoptosis studies, cytotoxicity screens (growth inhibition/cell kill, IC50), subcellular fractionation, intracellular protein trafficking

Computer skills – Adobe Photoshop, DNA and protein sequence analysis (secondary structure prediction, specific motif identification, database searches, and hydropathy, similarity and amphipathicity analyses) using SeqWeb and bioinformatics web sites (NCBI, SwissProt, Expasy, etc.), 2-D PAGE analysis software (ImageMaster), Statistics Programs (GraphPad)


Equipment

Water, gas, and air are all on line.  Adequate bench space, sinks, fume hoods for hazardous volatile materials, and Biosafety Level 2 hoods are also present.  The research lab is equipped with two Beckman high-speed centrifuges, Sorvall ultracentrifuge, microfuges, PAGE and agarose electrophoresis equipment, electrophoresis power supplies, gel drying system, gel documentation system, thermocyclers, Bio Rad DCode Universal Mutation Detection System, Bio-TEK microplate reader, UV crosslinker, bacterial incubators (4-80 degree C), hybridization oven, Spectronic UV/Vis spectrophotometer, dissolved oxygen monitor, analytical balances, a vacufuge, and -80C freezers.  Complete and separate work areas for mammalian cell culture and work with radioisotopes are also available.  Adjacent to the MBBC is a +4°C walk-in refrigerated room and an autoclave.

 

Please report dead links to jmackenz@oswego.edu

 

 Last Updated: 4/7/08