Laboratory instruments that provide a variety of specialized capabilities include:

• Microscopy (Leica Confocal Fluorescence Microscope, Veeco Atomic Force Microscope, Nikon Inverted Fluorescence Microscope, and Bruker FTIR with Hyperion Microscope)
• Flow cytometry and cell counting (Guava PC Flow Cytometer, Beckman Multisizer 3, and Agilent Bioanalyzer 2100)
• Centrifugation (Jouan Refrigerated Centrifuge with a variety of heads and the Beckman Ultracentrifuge)
• Spectrometry (Tecan Safire Spectrofluorometer, Spectromax 190, and Shimadzu Spectrometer)

There is space and equipment for other activities such as molecular biology (hybridization ovens, MJ Thermocycler, and electrophoresis equipment) and protein analysis (Amersham Storm 840 Scanner and Electrophoresis equipment).

In addition, there are:

• Ciphergen SELDI Mass Spectrometer - used to distinguish changes in serum or urine proteins during stress, microgravity, or disease
• Beckman Biomek-2000 (a robotic system) - used to prepare the Ciphergen SELDI chips as well as ELISA plates and other liquid handling capabilities
• Luminex 100 (that can perform multiple simultaneous ELISA analysis) - used to determine changes in cytokines and growth factors in human serum and cell culture media
• Synthecon Bioreactor Bases - used to grow cells under simulated microgravity

All of these instruments can be used to study differences in the effects of radiation, drug treatment, and microgravity on individuals or on cells grown in vitro.

The instruments are available for use by any investigator who acquires the appropriate training and abides by the policy and safety standards of the laboratory. A scheduling program allows each investigator to sign up for specific time blocks on the instrument of their choice. A senior scientist is available for training, instrument trouble-shooting, and collaboration.

This laboratory is a core venue for research activities and the equipment enables a variety of investigators to perform studies that cannot be conducted in their own laboratories. The scientists, who use this laboratory, come in contact with others using different instrumentation with the possibility of encouraging further collaboration. New studies can be performed in greater depth with overall life science benefits to the space program.