Protein Production Lab

Producing high-quality recombinant proteins for structural and functional studies

Overview

The Protein Production Lab supports the expression and purification of recombinant proteins using bacterial and yeast systems.

Equipment

The lab is equipped with multiple incubator shakers that can grow cultures up to 12 liters at controlled temperatures ranging from 4°C to above 37°C. It also houses a 35-liter New Brunswick 510 fermenter with sterilization-in-place capability, allowing growth of bacteria or yeast under precisely regulated conditions of temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and volume. Cultures can be harvested in under two hours using a Beckman flow centrifuge, minimizing processing time and maximizing protein yield.

The lab also includes an Avestin C3 Emulsiflex homogenizer for efficient cell disruption and an AKTA Pure FPLC system for protein purification. Together, these resources provide end-to-end support for researchers performing protein production for biochemical characterization, biophysical assays and structural analysis.

Large stainless-steel bioreactor vessel with attached tubing, control valves, and a caution label reading “Hot Surface Do Not Touch,” positioned beside a monitor and control unit in a laboratory — New Brunswick Model 510 Sip 40L Fermenter

Stainless-steel high-pressure homogenizer with gauges, valves, and indicator lights on its front panel in a laboratory setting — Avestin C3 Emulsiflex

Laboratory chromatography system with tubing and glass bottles connected to a white and maroon ÄKTA Pure instrument used for protein purification — AKTA Pure FPLC

Members

Leads: Darrell Peterson, Ph.D. and Chunhao Li, Ph.D.
Jiong Li, Ph.D.