AWRI Thum

Molecular Ecology Laboratory

The Molecular Ecology Laboratory at AWRI is available to students, faculty, staff, and visitors for molecular biology research; primarily for DNA-based applications. The laboratory is under the supervision of Dr. Ryan A. Thum, and day to day operations are primarily overseen by Thum Lab Head Honcho Dustin Wcisel.

Molecular Ecology Lab Technician Dustin Wcisel pretends to listen to PI Ryan Thum as he goes on and on about something that Dustin already knows more than Ryan about!

The laboratory well-equipped for most DNA applications including DNA extraction, PCR, gel electrophoresis, DNA sequencing and genotyping (e.g., microsatellites, AFLP, etc.). The laboratory is located in the Lake Michigan Center (LMC) complex, home of AWRI, which is a two-story 24,000 square-foot building that houses offices, laboratories, and classrooms.

The laboratory is constantly growing and evolving to add additional applications. Current equipment in the lab includes:

Eppendorf Mastercycler ep gradient S thermal cyclers

Nanodrop ND-2000

Applied Biosystems 3130xl 16 capillary Automated Genetic Analyzer

Several gel electrophoresis systems

FOTODYNE Investigator/FX gel documentation system

Microfuge and plate-spinning centrifuges

digital water and dry baths

vortexers and stirrer/hotplates

balances

numerous single- and multi-channel pipettors