Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Increased awareness of the role that microorganisms play in opportunistic human infections has led to greater vigilance when performing research with these microorganisms and their decontamination.  Several laboratories at Brock University have been utilizing outdated and, now prohibited, bench-top procedures in the culture and manipulation of several microorganisms. In this proposal, research from three laboratories (Bidochka, Hunter and Carlone) include studies on pathogenic fungi, West Nile virus, gene cloning with Escherichia coli and cell culture.  In order to be in compliance with Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines, Public Health Agency of Canada (2004) as well as to practise good research protocol we require a Biosafety Hood that complies with, at least, Level 2 standards. We also request an ultra-low temperature freezer to assist in maintaining stock cultures of fungi, viruses and cell cultures.